Riddle Block

Description of the property

almost from the grade level, is the third bay from the north. At the fifth and sixth bays from the north, there is once more a full fourth a public hall. Although deserted and somewhat deteriorated, it is largely unaltered. At the time of a recent inspection, the hall CONDITION DETERIORATED EXCELLENT RUINS FAIR story and round-arched on the third. In the two four-story sections, _UNEXPOSED is subtly unsymmetrical.There is a full fourth story and prominent original ground story fronts are intact, although partly obscured The rest of the fourth story consists of dormers in a mansard roof.

CHECK ONE story, with a large round-arched window and a massive gable centered XORIGINAL SITE divisions reflecting the store fronts at ground level.But the design pyramidal roof at the north corner, making a tower. The main pattern sensitively preserves that of the upper stories.The other the round-arched windows are one level higher.The ground story XGOOD store windows by iron columns. two types:rectangular with prominent drop lintelson the second The main (west) facade faces the public square where the fourth front, it has not been subject to modernization, and thus its structure in the Romanesque style.With the exception of the corner ground-story is intact to a remarkable degree. main divisions.The windows on both elevations are generally of was used for clothes drying lines.

The interior is largely unaltered.The main entrance portal XUNALTERED and is topped by a skylight. Offices line long axial corridors on the by signs.The major bays are separated by masonry piers; the The secondary front (north end)of the block has only three This is a large four-story brick commercial block, predominantly entrance, which consists of a grand semi-circular arch springing over the two bays. The date 1888 is incised in a stone in this gable.

Read the complete 1,880-word case file.

Statement of significance

born in Allegheny, Pa., in 1838 and came to Ravenna in 1860, where amount of property in the city. 1888 1500-1599 1700-1799 ART INVENTION PERIOD ARCHEOLOGY-HISTORIC SCIENCE EDUCATION BUILDER/ARCHITECT RELIGION AGRICULTURE PREHISTORIC PHILOSOPHY SCULPTURE THEATER 1400-1499 SIGNIFICANCE MILITARY INDUSTRY XARCHITECTURE LITERATURE an individually designed and yet representative structure in the late _EXPLORATION/SETTLEMENT 1600-1699 business buildings and blocks, and at one time or another a dozen _POLITICS/GOVERNMENT nineteenth century Romanesque style. structures in Ravenna bore his name.An l892 state business directory the Riddle Coach and Hearse Company.

Riddle built a number of The Riddle Block represents and is a product of the commercial _COMMUNICATIONS Later Riddle and his brother-in-law purchased the business, and it he first worked as a woodworker in N.D.Clark's carriage factory. lists a veterinary surgeon in the Riddle Block who may be assumed -TRANSPORTATION of the Portage County Park Association in 1878,and a main support izers of the Ravenna Gas Light and Coke Company in 1873,a member 1900- to be a typical tenant, as most businessmen ina city of that size did block is owned by the grandson of the builder, who still owns a great -CONSERVATION not bother to list an address.

The block was erected by Henry W.Riddle in 1888.Riddle was enterprise and prosperity of a small county seat in the 1880s.It is Henry W.Riddle was also a prominent citizen, one of the organ- _ECONOMICS XCOMMERCE of the Episcopal Church in Ravenna. He died in 1920. At present, the was known for several years as Merts and Riddle.In 189l it became X800-1899 -LAW _COMMUNITY PLANNING ARCHEOLOGY-PREHISTORIC