Beall, Gen. Reasin, House
Also known as: Wayne County Historical Society Museum
Why it's listed
Built between 1815 and 1817 at 46 East Bowman Street in Wooster, this two-story brick house was the home of General Reasin Beall until his death in 1843. Beall served in the Harmar and Wayne campaigns of the 1790s, became a brigadier general in the Ohio Militia, and helped organize the right wing of William Henry Harrison's army during the War of 1812. He then served briefly in Congress before resigning to become registrar of the Wooster land office, a post he held until 1824. Later he was active in the Whig Party and presided over the 1840 Whig State Convention in Columbus. The house has a five-bay south facade, a porch with Doric columns added in the mid-1860s, and a rear wing built after 1860. After passing through private owners, it was acquired by the College of Wooster in the 1950s and deeded to the Wayne County Historical Society in 1956, which operates it as a museum.
Significance in brief: The house was the home of Reasin Beall from 1815 until his death in 1843. Beall was a regular army and militia officer, U.S. Congressman, land office registrar at Wooster, and a leader of the Whig Party in Ohio. He took part in the Harmar and Wayne Indian campaigns and organized militia forces in the War of 1812.
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 76001548, listed June 7, 1976. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 46 E. Bowman St., Wooster |
|---|---|
| County | Wayne County |
| Listed | June 7, 1976 |
| Reference number | 76001548 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1815-1817 |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival and Italianate elements |
| Areas of significance | Military, Politics/Government |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Open as a house museum; the rear addition holds caretaker quarters and exhibit rooms. Condition is listed as good and altered. |
| Acreage | 1 |
| Coordinates | 40.80545, -81.93306 (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 76001548.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q138764325
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.