Kunkle Log House
Also known as: Young,Jacob,Log House
Why it's listed
Near Kunkle in Williams County, Ohio, this story-and-a-half log house was built in 1838 by Jacob Young, who came from Vermont with his family of eight children. It sits on a fieldstone foundation over a full basement with both inside and outside entrances. Inside are a kitchen with a beehive oven, a living room with a parson's cupboard where the family Bible was kept, a small borning room, and three upstairs bedrooms with black walnut woodwork and some original animal-hair plaster. An exterior bake oven stands on the west end. The house is believed to be the first permanent log residence in Williams County. Northeast Ohio was settled late, and few log houses survive in the northern half of the state. Young's descendants used the house for over a hundred years before it was donated to the Williams County Historical Society in 1972. Restoration as a house museum began in 1973.
Significance in brief: It is believed to be the first permanent log residence in Williams County. Few log houses survive in northern Ohio, and fewer still in the northeast quarter, so it matters to the continuity of log construction in the state. It also has unusual features: a full basement with an inside entry, an exterior bake oven, a parson's cupboard and a "borning" room.
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 76001549, listed August 5, 1976. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 1 mi. E of jct. CR 17 and 0, Kunkle |
|---|---|
| County | Williams County |
| Listed | August 5, 1976 |
| Reference number | 76001549 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1838 |
| Architect / builder | Jacob Young |
| Architectural style | Log cabin; vernacular |
| Areas of significance | Exploration/Settlement, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Being restored as a house museum by the Williams County Historical Society since 1973; the form lists the property as unoccupied and vacant, with work in progress. Roof, logs and mortar have been replaced, while windows, doors and the exterior bake oven remain to be done. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 41.63594, -84.48211 (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 76001549.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q113518037
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.