Waernicke-Hille House And Store
Why it's listed
Built in 1864 at Archer's Fork in Washington County, Ohio, this property includes a three-story brick house and a wood-frame store that doubled as a post office. Ernst Waernicke, a German-born tobacco processor, built the L-shaped house with common-bond brick, a tooled sandstone foundation, a slate roof, and a two-story rear porch. Inside, a central-hall plan, original woodwork, wide floorboards, and neo-Classical mantels survive. It was the first brick house in Independence Township and is called the finest dwelling in the area. After Waernicke died in 1872, his partner Augustus Hille continued the tobacco business and later occupied the house. Hille became the first postmaster in 1874 and built the store and post office near the house. His daughter Ida succeeded him, and the office closed in 1949 after about 75 years of family service. The store also supplied a community largely dependent on tobacco farming.
Significance in brief: The property is nominated for its ties to two prominent tobacco-producing German families in Washington County. The house was the first brick house in Independence Township and is described as the finest dwelling in the area. The store served as the Archer's Fork post office until 1949, with Augustus Hille and then his daughter serving as postmaster for about 75 years.
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 79001977, listed November 29, 1979. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | SR 36, Archer's Fork |
|---|---|
| County | Washington County |
| Listed | November 29, 1979 |
| Reference number | 79001977 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1800-1899 |
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Agriculture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Listed as unoccupied and vacant on the form. The exterior and much of the interior of the house are described as unaltered, and only three small outbuildings remain. |
| Acreage | 3 |
| Coordinates | 39.48425, -81.20541 (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.
Noted as vacant in the nomination. Nomination documents can be decades old; current status may differ. If you are considering buying an empty listed property, read the due-diligence checklist.
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 79001977.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7959399
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.