Diamond Match Historic District
Also known as: Diamond Match Engineering Department
Why it's listed
Four brick industrial buildings in Barberton, Ohio, survive from the Engineering Department of the Diamond Match Company. They are the north Machine Shop (1894 and 1896), the Foundry (1894), the Pattern Shop (about 1898) and the larger south Machine Shop (1903). The two-story buildings share gabled roofs, raised piers between bays, corbelled brick cornices and segmental arched windows. The earlier buildings rest on sandstone foundations and use wood post-and-beam framing. The 1903 shop has a concrete foundation and steel framing that allows a wide clear span inside. These shops built the match-making machinery used in Barberton and in Diamond Match plants around the world. They also reflect Ohio Columbus Barber, who founded Barberton and led the company. Most of the main factory was torn down in the 1960s, and this group is the only surviving set of its brick buildings. The complex remains largely as built and keeps a high degree of integrity as an early industrial group.
Significance in brief: The buildings made the match-making machinery used in the Barberton factory and Diamond Match plants worldwide. They are the last remaining brick buildings of the company's Barberton plant and are tied to town founder and match industry leader Ohio Columbus Barber. They are also an intact example of turn-of-the-century industrial architecture.
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 96000218, listed February 29, 1996. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 3, 21 and 27 Fourth St., NW. and 8 Second St., NW., Barberton |
|---|---|
| County | Summit County |
| Listed | February 29, 1996 |
| Reference number | 96000218 |
| Resource type | District |
| Period of significance | 1894-1945 |
| Architectural style | Late Victorian/Italianate |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Industry, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | The four buildings remain in manufacturing use. The 1905 Power House has been demolished, and the rest of the Diamond Match plant was demolished in the 1960s. |
| Acreage | 0.3 |
| Coordinates | 41.01083, -81.60873 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
This is a historic district. Buildings within its boundary are either contributing (they add to the district's significance) or non-contributing. Owners of contributing income-producing buildings can claim the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit; homeowners should look at state credits. National Register districts impose no design review by themselves; a local historic district ordinance, if one exists, does (the difference explained).
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 96000218.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.