Brewster Railroad YMCA/Wandle House
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Why it's listed
Built in 1916 by the Wheeling and Lake Erie Railroad, this two-story, U-shaped building at 45 South Wabash Avenue in Brewster, Ohio, began as a railroad YMCA. It housed crews on layover at the railroad's central junction and held a restaurant, theater room, meeting rooms, a shooting gallery and a basement bowling alley. A fire in the early 1920s led to the original stucco being replaced with brick, though the porch and two chimneys keep their stucco. Brewster itself was created by the railroad, and the building is one of the town's two most prominent railroad structures. It is also one of only a few railroad YMCAs in Ohio built to house employees at a major transfer point. Operated by three successive railroads until 1975, it then passed to a local historical society in 1976. Today it hosts union and public meetings and community activities, and its significance rests on its tie to the town's railroad history.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues it is significant under Criterion A as a representation of the close link between Brewster's development and the 20th-century expansion of the railroads. Brewster was founded and built by the Wheeling and Lake Erie Railroad, and the building is one of its two most prominent railroad structures. It is also one of only a few railroad YMCAs in Ohio built specifically to house employees at a major transfer point, and it served as the town's social and entertainment center.
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 85000486, listed March 7, 1985. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 45 S. Wabash Ave., Brewster |
|---|---|
| County | Stark County |
| Listed | March 7, 1985 |
| Reference number | 85000486 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1900- (specific date 1916) |
| Architect / builder | Bldr: Wheeling & Lake Erie RR |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Transportation |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Closed in 1975 and donated to the historical society in 1976; limited restoration and stabilization is underway, and it is again used for union and public meetings and community activity. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 40.71289, -81.59818 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
National Register listing is honorary for a privately owned home: it does not by itself restrict what an owner may do with their own money, and it does not require public access. Restrictions come from local landmark or historic-district ordinances, which are separate (how they differ).
Owner-occupied houses are not eligible for the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit, which applies to income-producing buildings, but many states offer credits for homeowners. Listing also opens the door to preservation easements and to buying a plaque. Start with what listing means for homeowners, renovating a listed house and selling one.
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 85000486.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q138679919
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.