Nomination for Mertz, John, House

From the form

The catalogue entry the section above was filed under.

NPS Form 10-900 OMB No. 1024-0018 (Rev. 8-86) United States Department of the Interior JUL 2 2 1992 and areas of significance, enter only the categories and subcategories listed in the instructions. For additional space use continuation sheets (Form 10-900a). Type all entries. 1.

Name of Property Location street & number N/A not for publication city, town N/A vicinity State zip code county Erie Classification Ownership of Property Iprivate x building(s) _objects Name of related multiple property listing: listed in the National Register - State/Federal Agency Certification As the designated authority under the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, as amended, I hereby certify that this Signature of certifying official Signature of commenting or other official 1, hereby, certify that this property is: determined eligible for the National determined not eligible for the other, (explain:) 043 Sandusky Date Total structure public-local public-Federal NATIONAL district REGISTER public-State site Ohio See continuation sheet. Ohio Historic Preservation Office 7-14-92 Registration Form National Register of Historic Places Noncontributing National Register.

historic name Number of contributing resources previously removed from the National Register. other names/site number 610 West Washington Street Number of Resources within Property 5. National Park Service Certification National Park Service This form is for use in nominating or requesting determinations of eligibility for individual properties or districts.See instructions in Guidelines Category of Property Lentered in the National Register. Date of Action State or Federal agency and bureau zip code 44870 x nomination request for determination of eligibility meets the documentation standards for registering properties in the National Register of Historic Places and meets the procedural and professional requirements set forth in 36 CFR Part 60. Register. See continuation sheet. 107 6.

Function or Use Current Functions (enter categories from instructions) Domestic - single dwelling Commercial - office 7. Description Describe present and historic physical appearance. generally level, with the houses located on average-size lots. Most of the houses, The house rests on a tall foundation of rock-faced limestone, a foundation made unusually ceiling and built-in china cabinet. The main stairway is fairly plain, featuring closely roof slate brick other limestone walls foundation wood Classical Revival Architectural Classification some newer commercial buildings, this neighborhood lacks sufficient integrity for National integrity compromised in the process. Due to these alterations and also the presence of spaced square balusters.On the second floor are several large bedrooms, each with a rectangle.

Accenting the front of the building is a broad masonry terrace with elaborate Materials (enter categories from instructions) modillions.Above the cornice is a massive hip roof which features hip roof dormers on Historic Functions (enter categories from instructions) (enter categories from instructions) This is a two-story rectangular building which stands amidst a series of older houses on See continuation sheet west side is a broader projecting bay which contains the main stairway. At the rear is an The rooffine. An architrave and frieze are below a broad projecting cornice accented by apparently original, contains service areas. The southeast corner of the house, formed by been covered with aluminum siding, and the rear porch was enclosed. Inside the house, a broad hallway leads from the main entrance to the front stairway in the center of the house.

On either side of the front hallway are parlors, each having a but the two front rooms have mahogany woodwork. The dininguroom, at the southeast.corner featuring a pedestal sink, claw-foot tub and ornate toilet. including this one, have been converted to commercial use and some of them have had their filled with double-hung sash where the bottom part is square and the upper part is a narrow Register district status. smooth-cut sandstone separates the foundation from the rest of the building.Buff-colored this wing, contains an enclosed porch that was originally open.The exterior of the house and lintels.Wood-is used asa decorative trim material to form an elaborate cornice at Johh Mertz House, Erie County, Ohio 8. Statement of Significance

Statement of significance

Certifying official has considered the significance of this property in relation to other properties: Applicable National Register Criteria Areas of Significance (enter categories from instructions) - Architect/Builder Feick, George, Builder State significance of property, and justify criteria, criteria considerations, and areas and periods of significance noted above. K See continuation sheet 1909-1910 Architecture cistern and dumb-waiter system.

residential architecture in Sandusky and features a number of architectural details that Significant Person Period of Significance and porch are striking features with their elaborate balustrades and solid limestone Significant Dates polychromatic effect that is further enhanced by the delicate classical wood trim at the soon settled in Sandusky.He was a partner with his brother Adam in the contracting and with smooth-cut sandstone accents and a rock-face limestone base to create a rich remarkable that this house should survive with so few alterations.Its main bathroom is is matched by an elaborate interior.Every major room has a fireplace with an ornate the height of his career when he erected this large residence for John Mertz and was by that time one of Sandusky's most prominent citizens.

Home, the local train station,the county jail and several schools.He was the builder of architecture, because it is a good example of the residential construction work of local builder George Feick.It is a large and well-constructed example of Classical Revival The John Mertz House is significant under National Register Criterion C in the area of Cultural Affiliation the Wyoming State Capitol in Cheyenne, designed by Toledo architect D.W.

Gibbs.He was at parlors, golden oak is In the hallway and stained oak is used extensively in the dining George Feick came to the U.S.in his teens from his native Germany in the late 1860's and Feick was the builder of many buildings in Sandusky including the Ohio Soldiers and Sailors Intact as are-all of the principal rooms on both floors.The house still has its original Jnationally |statewide X locally Criteria Considerations (Exceptions) The remainder of the house features yellow pine woodwork. The house also has a distinguish it from the more ordinary houses of the period in Sandusky.The front terrace mantel.

Different woods are used in various rooms; mahogany appears in the two front cornice and around the porch.The rich Classical Revival exterior of the John Mertz House building business until Adam's death in 1893,when George took over the concern.George Wilder, Keep, Rice, Carnegie and the Administration Building. He was also the builder of columns.The presence of an oriel window on the east side isa distinctive feature.The NPS Form 10-900-e OMB Approvel No. 1024-0018 Mertz, John House, Sandusky, Erie County, Ohio The Henry Graefe House, 1429 Columbus Avenue, was built in 1900 and is a large wood frame brick with stone trim, whereas the others utilize wood to create their Neo Classical Sandusky, while the Mertz House was the home of a merchant. It represents a variant of elaborate columns, piers and balustrades, all correctly detailed in the Neo Classic style.

early 20th century by its superb interior. John Mertz was involved with his father and brothers in J. Mertz & Sons, dealers in stoves and tinware, whose offices and store were just a few blocks west of the Mertz House. Mertz was a prominent and very successful merchant and his sons John, Jacob, Jr., and George all construction, 1909-1910. Continuation Sheet National Park Service is also distinguished from more typical worker and merchant class Sandusky housing from the Feick's construction repertoire. than wood which would have been more typical.Feick extended his compositions beyond the The Mertz House is distinguished from these other houses by its location and setting. shared in his business. United States Department of the Interior National Register of Historic Places Other houses built by George Feick in Sandusky offer useful comparison to the Mertz House.

Revival style residence.This enormous house has a two-story portico supported by four Taylor-Frohman House,1315 Columbus Avenue,dating from 1906,isa large two-story Colonial confines of the front porch to create broad terraces thereby extending the building out floor are beneath large projecting bay windows on the second floor.A brick terrace extends beyond the portico in a manner simi lar to the later John Mertz House.The Yet the Mertz House aptly illustrates Feick's characteristic use of open front porches with The period of significance of the nominated property does not extend beyond its date of Section number 8 In the Mertz House, Feick used monolithic blocks of limestone to form Tuscan columns rather Page detailing.

The other houses were constructed for a newly emerging executive class in it offered Mertz a walking distance to his business.Also, the Mertz House is built of Situated in a modest neighborhood rather than the grand neighborhood of the other houses, onto a podium which further enhanced its stature among Sandusky buildings.The Mertz House windows on the gable ends.A porte cochere is located on the south side. Georgian Revival style house.It features atwo-story portico in front supported by four John Mertz House, Erie County, Ohio 9.

The rest of the file

Bibliography, boundary description, and the people who prepared and reviewed the nomination.

Major Bibliographical References Aldrich, Lewis Cass, ed., History of Erie County, Ohio; D. Mason & Co., Syracuse, NY 1889. p. 437 Hansen, Helen, "604 and 610 West Washington Street", published article in the Sandusky Library Association Newsletter, Winter 1981, No. 111 1916, PP. 987-988. Williams Directory Company, Sandusky Directory; Cincinnati, Ohio, 1910-1911, P. 211. Columbus Avenue Historic District, Sandusky MRA George J. Doerzbach House Previous documentation on file (NPS): N/A preliminary determination of individual listing (36 CFR 67) Primary location of additional data: State historic preservation office designated a National Historic Landmark recorded by Historic American Buildings Survey # Other Jrecorded by Historic American Engineering Record # as recorded in Vol.

193, Page 409 at the Erie County Recorder's Office a significant building and the land historically and presently associated with it. 11. Form Prepared By street & number - telephone city or town - _state _ zip code 44109 University Northing Cleveland organization Local government Acreage of property Boundary Justification Verbal Boundary Description previously listed in the National Register 10.

Geographical Data Federal agency Sandusky Public Library Specify repository: The nominated property consists of the original city lot on which this house was built Other State agency UTM References Ohio The nominated property consists of Lot Number Seventy (7o) on Washington Street, less than one previously determined eligible by the National Register Zone Easting has been requested See continuation sheet 3515 Archwood Avenue (216) 749-3515 Peeke, Hewson L., A Standard History of Erie County, Ohio; Lewis Publishing Co., Chicago, Feb. 2, 1992/ ed.

July 7, 1992 Zone Steven McQuillin National Register nomination forms: and contains the residence and no other building.The boundary therefore includes only name/title NAME : DATE OF 16TH DAY: DATE OF 45TH DAY: DATE OF WEEKLY LIST: NOMINATOR: STATE OTHER : N PERIOD: N SLR DRAFT: N COMMENT WAIVER: N Satered In the 8/03/92 REJECT DATE MULTIPLE DISCIPLINE 7/22/92 REVIEWER RECOM./CRITERIA NATIONAL: PDIL: EVALUATION/RETURN SHEET PROGRAM UNAPPROVED: DATE RECEIVED: 9/05/92 ABSTRACT/SUMMARY COMMENTS: NATIONAL PARK SERVICE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES REASONS FOR REVIEW: DATE OF PENDING LIST: DOCUMENTATION see attached comments Y/N see attached SLR Y/N APPEAL: N ACCEPT RETURN LESS THAN 5O YEARS: resource type STATE/FEDERAL AGENCY CERTIFICATION _architectural classification _summary paragraph _completeness _applicable criteria _justification of areas checked _context GEOGRAPHICAL DATA _acreage _boundary justification _presentation current photographs FUNCTION other clarity materials Builder/Architect DESCRIPTION historic Period BIBLIOGRAPHY Date SIGNIFICANCE CLASSIFICATION Phone descriptive text ACCOMPANYING DOCUMENTATION/PRESENTATION OTHER COMMENTS Specific dates relating significance to the resource justification of exception Questions concerning this nomination may be directed to verbal boundary description Areas of Significance--Check and justify below relationship of integrity to significance _count Signed Statement of Significance one paragraph) UTMs _sketch maps USGS maps Sandusky, Ohio March 1988 front and west side, looking southeast JMH-1 negatives in photographer's collection John Mertz House Steven McQuillin, photographer Sandusky, Ohio Steven McQuillin, photographer rear and east side, looking northwest negatives in photographer's collection John Mertz House JMH-2 March 1988 Sandusky, Ohio JMH-3 first floor northeast parlor fireplace, negatives in photographer's collection looking northeast Steven McQuillin, photographer John Mertz House March 1988 Sandusky, Ohio Steven MeQuillin, photographer negs.

in photographer's collection house, at right, looking south- JMH-3 west down W. Washington St. John Mertz House December 1991 Sandusky, Ohio December Steven MeQuillin, photographer negs. in photographer's collection St., w. Mertz House 2nd from right JMH-4 view looking east down W. Washington John Mertz House Sandusky, Ohio Steven MeQuillin, photographer negs. in photographer's collection dining room fireplace, lkg. southeas JMH-5 December 1991 John Mertz House Sandusky, Ohio December Steven MeQuillin, photographer negs. in photographer's collection JMH-6 John Mertz House dining room ceiling, looking south Sandusky, Ohio December 1991 Steven MeQuillin, photographer negs. in photographer's collection dining room window, looking east JMH-7 John Mertz House Sandusky, Ohio December Steven McQuillin, photographer negs.

in photographer's coléection 2nd floor bathroom, looking east JMH-8 John Mertz House UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL SURVEY 7.5 MINUTE SERIES (TOPOGRAPHIC) DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR SANDUSKY QUADRANGLE 17/356580/4590280 DEPARTMENT OF HIGHWAYS DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES SANDUSKY, OHIO STATE OF OHIO DIVISION OF GEOLOGICAL SURVEY 1982 Velma Avenue Columbus, Ohio 43211-2497 JUL 221992 Fax: 297-2411 July 16, 1992 Ms. Carol Shull, Chief Department of the Interior P.O. Box 37127 Washington, D.C. 20013-7127 Dear Ms. Shull: W. Ray Luce State Historic Preservation Officer SOCIETY 614/297-2470 Enclosures Erie Ashtabula HISTORICAL County John Mertz House REGISTER Keeper's Dwelling Ohio Historical Center Conneaut Light Station notification procedures have been followed for these new submissions.

Sincerely, National Park Service SINCE 1885 New Submissions Ohio Historic Preservation Office National Register of Historic Places Please contact me if you have any questions. NATIONAL