Wheeler, John, House

Description of the property

The John Wheeler House is a square, brick structure with a shallow hip roof plain lintel on the second floor, and a sidelighted entrance on the first floor. a wide frieze, and a paneled door leading to a rear shed-roof porch and There are three sandstone stoops adjacent to the house, one leading to the Otherwise, the interior spaces as well as the moldings and finishes remain ashlar. CONDITION EXCELLENT intact. XGOOD UNALTERED frieze then that on the front section of the house.

The rear wing also has screen panels and a central screened doorway.The foundation is of random decorated frieze with pendants and brackets.Below the cornice are painted stairway.It is clad with narrow horizontal siding and has an exposed random this hallway was taken out on the first floor to enlarge.the adjoining rooms. The east elevation has two entrances, one leading into the main two story block, and the other leading into a one and one-half story gabled rear wing. structure has an assortment of modern double-hung and casement windows, This brick extension has similar fenestration detail, but with a narrower culminating in a balustraded belvedere. The cornice features a wide, un- ashlar basement with a small doorway leading to what was once a root cellar.

gable roof of what was originally a summer kitchen. This wood frame _UNEXPOSED two windows in the gable that flank a chimney and look out upon the shallow _RUINS -FAIR plain stone lintels and lug sills. The facade has a central doorway with a A full length front porch is supported on Tuscan columns and enclosed with The main two story block has four rooms on each floor with a central stairhall from front to rear. When the front porch was added (1913), one wall of XALTERED AREAS OF

Statement of significance

Also, the structure offers an unusual combination of elements from the Federal, The house, one of the oldest structures in Berea, was built in 1834 by Jonathan was the brother of James Wallace, a wealthy quarry owner in Berea and the University in 1913 to become Baldwin-Wallace College). The original structure drew from both the Federal style, reflected in the two story, five-bay, central stairhall arrangement, and the Greek Revival style, The hip roof and open belvedere were later Italianate alterations, probably in terms of architectural style.

1834 X1800-1899 ART INVENTION XARCHITECTURE XEDUCATION ARCHEOLOGY-HISTORIC AGRICULTURE THEATER PERIOD TRANSPORTATION PHILOSOPHY SIGNIFICANCE LAW LITERATURE SCIENCE INDUSTRY _EXPLORATION/SETTLEMENT were among the first residents in Middleburg Township, with Ephriam constructing more subtly expressed in its rectilinearity and three dimensional quality. _COMMUNICATIONS that era's concern with aesthetic formality and functional informality. the first president of the first university in Cuyahoga County, Baldwin University. -1600-1699 The John Wheeler House is an important landmark in Berea, constructed by one the Methodist Church of Berea.Wheeler held the position of university presi- The house has adapted well to the various architectural tastes of its owners.

founder and benefactor of German Wallace College (which merged with Baldwin _PREHISTORIC -1400-1499 addition of the front porch and the alteration of the interior stairhall show Thus, the John Wheeler House stands as one of the area's most significant Vaughn.The identity of the original owner has yet to be found.The Vaughns Greek Revival, Italianate, and Neo-classic styles. of the town's first settlers and owned by some of its most influential citizens. its first gristmill and Jonathan its first sawmill and many of its early houses.

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