Hill, James Delos, House
Why it's listed
Located at the corner of East Main and Pleasant streets in Montpelier, Ohio, this two-story frame house was built around 1882 by local builder Oscar Finnegan. It began as a high-style Italianate home, with a hipped roof, bracketed cornice and pedimented window lintels. After a 1906 fire, it was remodelled in 1907-08 with a two-story Neo-Classical Revival portico featuring Doric columns and a pedimented gable. The house is tied to James Delos Hill, who lived there from 1893 until his death in 1939. Hill was a Wabash Railway attorney, a banker and three-time mayor of Montpelier. He is credited with bringing the railroad shops and division offices to the town, and with supporting its light and water plant, sewers, paved streets and telephone company. As the property most closely associated with his productive life, the house was recognized for its link to his role in the town's growth from a crossroads settlement into a railroad center.
Significance in brief: The house is nominated under Criterion B for its association with James Delos Hill, a leading civic, political and business figure in Montpelier. Hill lived there from 1893 until his death in 1939. He was a Wabash Railway attorney, banker and three-time mayor, and is credited with bringing the railroad shops and division offices to town.
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 97000509, listed May 30, 1997. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 201 E. Main St., Montpelier |
|---|---|
| County | Williams County |
| Listed | May 30, 1997 |
| Reference number | 97000509 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1893-1939 |
| Architect / builder | Oscar Finnegan |
| Architectural style | Late Victorian/Italianate; 20th Century Revival/Neo-Classical Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Commerce, Politics/Government |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Still used as a single-family dwelling; the current owners have restored woodwork and exposed original features, and an addition east of the garage was under construction. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 41.58670, -84.60554 (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 97000509.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q138766214
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.