Silas Ferrell House facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
|
|
Silas Ferrell House
|
|
Front of the house, with a slight bit of the western side visible to left
|
|
 Location in Ohio
Location in the United States
|
|
| Location | 25 E. Main St., Shiloh, Ohio |
|---|---|
| Area | Less than 1 acre (0.40 ha) |
| Built | 1880 |
| Architectural style | Italianate |
| NRHP reference No. | 87002146 |
| Added to NRHP | December 14, 1987 |
The Silas Ferrell House is an old and important house in Shiloh, Ohio, United States. It was built in the late 1800s for a rich businessman named Silas Ferrell. This house shows how well Shiloh was doing financially in the 1880s. Its special design has made it a historic site, which means it's protected because of its history and unique look.
Contents
Shiloh's Past: A Thriving Town
Shiloh started in September 1852. It grew around a train station for the Sandusky, Mansfield, and Newark Railroad. This spot was also where two other train lines met. It was also on the main road between Tiffin and Wooster.
The town was first called "Salem Station." This was because it was near a small village named Salem. In 1862, its name changed to Shiloh. This happened after a big battle in the Civil War called the Battle of Shiloh.
By the end of the 1800s, Shiloh was doing very well. The railroads helped its businesses grow a lot. Some buildings in the town center were even three stories tall!
Natural Gas and Prosperity
Shiloh also had lots of natural gas underground. There was enough gas for everyone in town to use. They even had extra to sell to nearby communities. This natural gas helped the town become even richer.
It was in this busy and wealthy town that the Silas Ferrell House was built in 1880.
Who Was Silas Ferrell?
Silas Ferrell was a very successful businessman in Shiloh. He owned the town's general store. He also had a factory that made farm tools. Plus, he helped run Shiloh's grain elevator, which stores grain.
After Silas Ferrell lived there, his house was not always a home. For a while, it was used as a funeral home.
House Design: Italianate Style
The Ferrell House is a square-shaped house. It is built in the Italianate style. This style was popular in the 1800s.
The house has two stories. It has a small tower, called a cupola, on top of its main roof. The roof is shaped like a hip, meaning all sides slope downwards.
Building Materials and Details
The outside walls are made of weatherboard, which are long, thin wooden boards. The house sits on a strong foundation made of limestone. Its roof is made of tin. Other parts of the house are made from wood.
There is a small porch at the front of the house. The roofs have decorative edges called cornices. These cornices have special supports called brackets. These are all classic features of the Italianate style.
Unique Features
The front of the house is symmetrical, meaning it looks the same on both sides. It has three sections, or bays. The decorative wood carvings on the cornices and around the windows are also Italianate. The rounded windows have decorative "hoods" above them.
No other building in Shiloh looks as much like a true Italianate house as this one. Its spot on Main Street makes it even more noticeable. Behind the main house, there is a small shed. There is also a two-story building called a carriage house, which was once used for carriages and horses.
Protecting History: A Special House
The Silas Ferrell House was added to the National Register of Historic Places at the end of 1987. It earned this honor because its historic design is so well-preserved.
More than sixty buildings and historic districts in Richland County are on this list. Most of them are in Mansfield, the county's main city. The Ferrell House is the only one in or near Shiloh.
