Tallmadge Town Square Historic District
Why it's listed
Tallmadge's central green in Summit County, Ohio, is an oval Public Square laid out around 1807 by the Reverend David Bacon as the hub of a township plan. Eight roads run to it like spokes of a wheel, so that every road would lead to the meeting house. The square once covered about 7.5 acres, but highway incursions reduced it to roughly 3. Two buildings stand on it. The First Congregational Church, designed by Lemuel Porter and completed in 1825, is a white clapboard Connecticut-type Federal building with a four-column portico and a 100-foot steeple. The Town Hall and academy, built in 1859, is a two-story Greek Revival structure with pilasters and pediments. The district was listed as a leading Western Reserve example of New England architecture and governance carried to Ohio, reflecting the close relationship of church, state and education among the Congregationalist settlers. Both buildings had recently ceased their original uses when nominated and were in need of repair.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the Square and its two original buildings are the best Western Reserve example of New England architecture and town planning transplanted to Ohio. They also illustrate the close ties between church, state and education among Congregationalist settlers. The eight-road radial township plan is described as unique to Ohio and rare in the nation.
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 71000652, listed May 6, 1971. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | Public Sq., Tallmadge |
|---|---|
| County | Summit County |
| Listed | May 6, 1971 |
| Reference number | 71000652 |
| Resource type | District |
| Period of significance | 1809-1859 |
| Architect / builder | Lemuel Porter (church); Reverend David Bacon (Square and township plan) |
| Architectural style | Connecticut-type Federal (church); Greek Revival (town hall) |
| Areas of significance | Politics/Government, Architecture, Religion |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | At nomination, the church was in fair condition with a steeple in poor condition, and the town hall was in poor repair. Both had been abandoned for their original purposes, with the church slated to become a State Memorial and the town hall a local history museum. |
| Acreage | 3 |
| Coordinates | 41.28138, -81.44261 (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 71000652.
- 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.