Hoover Farm
Also known as: Hoover Historical Center
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Why it's listed
Hoover Historical Center occupies a landscaped two-acre corner of a former 160-acre farm south of North Canton, Ohio. It includes a two-story white-painted brick farmhouse on a limestone foundation, a board-and-batten tannery from about 1845, and a three-bay bank barn. The house has a rectangular 1853 core, and an 1870 front block gave it a largely Victorian Italianate appearance. Daniel Hoover bought the farm after his marriage in 1847 and ran a tannery there, taking one hide for every three he prepared, until he retired in 1873. His son William Henry Hoover later moved the leather business into North Canton, and in 1908 helped launch the electric sweeper firm that became the Hoover Company. Because the company's original plant and the family home in town were demolished in the 1930s, the farmstead is the sole remaining link to that heritage. The company has converted the complex into a museum and maintains the grounds.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues it is an intact example of a 19th century farmstead showing agriculture and related manufacturing, including a well-preserved early tannery. It is also the only remaining historical tie to the Hoover family, founders of a major electric sweeper company, since their North Canton plant and home were demolished in the 1930s.
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 79001955, listed August 3, 1979. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | S of North Canton on Easton St, North Canton |
|---|---|
| County | Stark County |
| Listed | August 3, 1979 |
| Reference number | 79001955 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | ca. 1847-1873 |
| Architectural style | Victorian Italianate (the farmhouse, as remodeled in 1870) |
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Invention |
| Level of significance | National |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Occupied; recently renovated and converted to a museum displaying Hoover products, with part of the tannery turned into an orientation center/theatre. |
| Acreage | 2 |
| Coordinates | 40.87547, -81.36607 (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 79001955.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q138686108
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.