Walker, William, Jr., House
Why it's listed
This 1½-story wood brace frame house at 132-134 South Fourth Street in Upper Sandusky was built between 1825 and 1830 for William Walker, Jr., a Wyandott chief of the Big Turtle clan. Its brick foundation indicates construction after 1825, when the first bricks were fired locally, and the house was the first frame residence in town after the mission school and a council house. Walker taught at the Methodist mission school, ran the first store and served as the first postmaster. His 1833 letter in the Christian Advocate described the hardships of Indian people and led many missionaries to travel west, helping open the old northwest to settlement. He led the Wyandotts out of Ohio in 1843 and later became first governor of the provisional government of Nebraska Territory. The house has been covered in asbestos shingle siding and its porch divided because it is now a duplex, but it has seen few other changes and is regarded locally as a historical landmark.
Significance in brief: The house is tied to William Walker, Jr., a Wyandott chief, teacher, storekeeper and first postmaster of Upper Sandusky. His 1833 letter about the plight of Indians drew missionaries west and helped open the old northwest to settlement. It was the first frame residence in Upper Sandusky and may be the city's oldest house.
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 80003249, listed March 11, 1980. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 132--134 S. 4th St., Upper Sandusky |
|---|---|
| County | Wyandot County |
| Listed | March 11, 1980 |
| Reference number | 80003249 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1825-1830 |
| Areas of significance | Exploration/Settlement, Religion |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Occupied; in use as a private residence and rental duplex, with asbestos shingle siding added and the porch divided into two sections. |
| Acreage | 0.5 |
| Coordinates | 40.82887, -83.27827 (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 80003249.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q138774065
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.