Liggett-Freedlander House
Also known as: David Q. Liggett House; Shupe House; Herman Freedlander House
Why it's listed
Located in a residential neighborhood north of downtown Wooster, this two-story wood house began around 1861-62 as an ell-shaped, gable-roofed building with Greek Revival cornice returns. Around 1880 it was remodeled in the Italianate manner, gaining a corner tower with slate hipped roof and iron cresting, an octagonal mansard-roofed pavilion, paired eave brackets and decorative stickwork. A Colonial Revival wrap-around porch, new entry and one-over-one windows followed around 1918. Much Victorian interior woodwork survives. Herman Freedlander bought the house in 1918 and lived there until 1974. He managed the family clothing store, which grew into a large downtown department store, and he supported playgrounds, Wooster's first public swimming pool and the founding of a local temple. After his death the house was divided into apartments, but later owners restored it to a single-family home. It is considered one of the most ornate houses in Wooster.
Significance in brief: It is nominated under Criterion B for its association with Herman Freedlander, a leading Wooster businessman who owned the department store that bears his family name and lived here from 1918 until 1974. It is nominated under Criterion C as a notable and highly ornate example of Italianate and late Victorian architecture in Wooster.
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 94000770, listed July 22, 1994. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 408 N. Bever St., Wooster |
|---|---|
| County | Wayne County |
| Listed | July 22, 1994 |
| Reference number | 94000770 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1861-circa 1880; 1918-1944 |
| Architectural style | Late Victorian (predominantly Italianate, with Late Greek Revival and Colonial Revival elements) |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Commerce, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Historically converted to apartments after 1974, then restored to a single-family dwelling by the current owners; current function is single dwelling. One altered garage is noncontributing. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 40.80233, -81.93804 (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 94000770.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q138766157
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.