Empire House
Also known as: Stony Ridge Antiques
Why it's listed
Built in 1848-49 by John Elderkin, the Empire House is a three-story Greek Revival inn on U.S. Route 20 in Stony Ridge, Ohio. It sits on a glacial ridge beside the old 'mud pike,' begun in 1825 to link Sandusky and Perrysburg across the Black Swamp. Roughly midway between the Woodville and Perrysburg toll gates, it offered rooms, a kitchen, a bar and a ballroom with a spring-hung floating floor. Visitors ranged from local farm hands to conestoga wagon trains. The building has a shallow hip roof, a limestone foundation, a central hall with stairs to all three floors, and carved wooden mantels, one with Adam-style floral reliefs. A probable summer kitchen stands behind it. Aluminum siding now covers the original clapboard, and the inn became an antique store around 1950. It is recognized as one of the few surviving inns along the old turnpike and as an elegant local landmark.
Significance in brief: It is one of very few remaining inns and taverns along U.S. 20, the former 'mud pike' or Western Reserve Road, which carried travelers across the Black Swamp of northwestern Ohio. It was considered the most elegant inn in the area, with refined Greek Revival architecture and fine interior woodwork. It is significant for local history and settlement.
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 78002216, listed November 28, 1978. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 5535 U.S. 20, Stony Ridge |
|---|---|
| County | Wood County |
| Listed | November 28, 1978 |
| Reference number | 78002216 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1848-49 |
| Architect / builder | John Elderkin |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival |
| Areas of significance | Transportation |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Described as in excellent condition and in use as an antiques store since about 1950; exterior covered with aluminum siding. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 41.50782, -83.50322 (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 78002216.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q138773997
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.