Smith, William, House
Also known as: Ohio Historic Inventory No. SUM-1531-19
Why it's listed
This house at 7894 Main Street in Clinton, Ohio, is a wood balloon-frame, front-gabled dwelling with Queen Anne details, built around 1895. It sits on a cut sandstone foundation and is clad in horizontal wood siding, with diamond-shingled gables, gable dormers and a wraparound porch. The leaded-glass front door and the hardwood-paneled staircase wall are among its notable features. A garage built in 1919 is also counted as a contributing building. The house was built for William Smith, who co-owned a large lumber and planing mill in Clinton and served as a director of the Clinton Savings Bank. Tax records show rear additions in the early twentieth century, and the porch was updated around 1920 with square posts and shallow arches that give it Craftsman-like details. The house was listed for its architecture: it reflects the Queen Anne tradition popular in Clinton during the railroad era, when stylish homes signaled success. Its siding, porch, gables and massing remain largely intact.
Significance in brief: The house is significant under Criterion C as a vernacular interpretation of the Queen Anne style, representing the architecture of Clinton's railroad era and the prosperity that era brought. Features such as the wraparound porch and diamond-shingle gables are cited as characteristic of Queen Anne buildings in the Clinton area. The house also retains a high degree of integrity.
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 02001052, listed March 11, 2003. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 7894 Main St., Clinton |
|---|---|
| County | Summit County |
| Listed | March 11, 2003 |
| Reference number | 02001052 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1895-1920 |
| Architectural style | Vernacular with Queen Anne details |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Remains in use as a single-family dwelling; the form describes its historic integrity as well preserved. |
| Acreage | 0.5 |
| Coordinates | 40.92659, -81.62837 (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 02001052.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q138705548
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.