Hartville Hotel
Also known as: Pantry Restaurant
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Why it's listed
Built in 1829 by John Morehart, who had settled in the Hartville and Congress Lake area in the early 1810s, this tavern and lodging house occupies the northwest corner of the village square at the town's main crossroads. It began as a two-story log cabin with a low stone foundation, gable roof, outside end chimney and board-and-batten door. Over the following decades it grew into a two-and-a-half-story, L-shaped, four-bay building with weatherboard walls, a gambrel roof, a second-story porch and box cornice eaves. The log construction is now covered and no longer visible. The building has served as a tavern, lodging house, stagecoach stop, livery stable and, reputedly, an Underground Railroad station. Today it houses the Pantry Restaurant, a civic meeting room and a residence. It is described as the oldest building in Hartville and the only pre-Civil War structure remaining in the community.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the building is the oldest in Hartville and the only pre-Civil War structure remaining. Its position at the main crossroads and its age mark its role in the village's ante-bellum heritage. It served as a tavern, lodging house, stagecoach stop, livery stable and reputedly an Underground Railroad station.
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 80003235, listed January 3, 1980. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 101 N. Prospect St., Hartville |
|---|---|
| County | Stark County |
| Listed | January 3, 1980 |
| Reference number | 80003235 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1829 |
| Architect / builder | John Morehart |
| Areas of significance | Commerce |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | In use as the Pantry Restaurant on the first floor, with meeting space for civic groups on the second floor and a residence on the third floor. |
| Acreage | 0.5 |
| Coordinates | 40.96422, -81.33067 (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 80003235.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q138685270
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.