John Edwards House facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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John Edwards House
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Front and western side of the house
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 Location in Ohio
Location in the United States
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| Location | 305 W. Main St., Leipsic, Ohio |
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| Area | less than one acre |
| Built | 1894 |
| Architectural style | Late Victorian |
| NRHP reference No. | 78002177 |
| Added to NRHP | November 27, 1978 |
The John Edwards House is a really old and special building in a village called Leipsic, in Putnam County, Ohio. You can find it at 305 W. Main Street. This house is a great example of Victorian architecture, which was a popular style long ago.
The Edwards Family and Their Business
Back in 1861, Thomas and Isabella Edwards started farming near Leipsic. Their four sons grew up and began working in local businesses in 1886. They started a company called the Buckeye Stave Company.
This company quickly became very successful. It was one of the richest businesses in the rural Black Swamp area of northwestern Ohio. By the mid-1890s, their company owned a lot of land in different counties.
The money they earned allowed one of the Edwards brothers, John Edwards, to build a huge house. He built this fancy home on the west side of Leipsic.
Building a Grand Victorian Home
John Edwards spent about $21,000 to build his house in 1894. That was a lot of money back then! The house was built with strong brick walls. Its roof was made of slate, a type of rock.
This house is a great example of the Late Victorian style. It had many beautiful decorations. These included fancy stencil designs and molds of lion heads. There was even embossed gold details, which means the gold designs were raised from the surface.
From Historic Home to Public Library
In 1978, the Edwards House was added to the National Register of Historic Places. This is a special list of buildings that are important because of their history or architecture. The house was chosen because its old architecture was very well-preserved.
It is one of only two places in Leipsic on this important list. The other is the former Leipsic Village Hall.
Just one year before it was listed, a woman named Harriett Gamper bought the house. She was a descendant of the Edwards family. She then gave the house to the village of Leipsic. Her gift helped turn the house into a library.
Today, the John Edwards House is home to the Leipsic Edwards Gamper Memorial Library. It is part of the Putnam County District Library system. So, a historic mansion now serves the community as a place for books and learning!
