Ohio Lantern Company
Why it's listed
Built between 1883 and 1885 by the Tiffin Tool Company, a maker of farm and garden implements, this two-story brick building at 60-72 Hudson Street in Tiffin has seventeen bays across the front and seven along the side. It has a flat roof with a brick parapet, segmental brick arches over windows and doors, and a foundation of brick and rubble stone. Many windows have been bricked shut, and interior photographs show large open rooms with no original equipment surviving. The tool company failed in 1889, and the building was bought that year for the Ohio Lantern Company, which had started in Bellaire. The firm made tubular lanterns, oil cans, lamp parts and jar caps, and its Baron lanterns were sold around the world. The company stayed until 1949. Ohio Power then used the building for service and storage, and roofing and building service firms later moved in. It is listed as part of a group of early Tiffin industrial buildings.
Significance in brief: It is one of 13 early industrial buildings in Tiffin nominated together as a group. It housed the Ohio Lantern Company, which moved from Bellaire to Tiffin in 1889 and made lanterns and tin goods sold around the world. The building shows the specialized industries that grew up alongside Tiffin's agricultural economy.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 80003226, listed January 7, 1980. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 60-72 Hudson St., Tiffin |
|---|---|
| County | Seneca County |
| Listed | January 7, 1980 |
| Reference number | 80003226 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | Tiffin Tool Co. (built the building, 1883-1885) |
| Areas of significance | Industry, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Described as in good condition; later occupied by a roofing and sheet metal supply firm and a building services company. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Within district | Northeast Tiffin Historic District |
| Coordinates | 41.12049, -83.16815 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For an income-producing building, listing (individually or as a contributing building in a district) is the gateway to the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit on qualified rehabilitation costs, often stackable with state credits. Work claiming the credit must follow the Secretary of the Interior's Standards and be approved in advance.
Listing does not restrict a private owner acting without federal money or permits; where federal funding or licensing is involved, Section 106 review applies.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 80003226.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q138678734
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.