Decorative drawing: an ornate nineteenth-century American house. Not a photograph of this place.

Gayer, Jacob, House

Listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1979. A historic map-sheet match is not published yet. The record needs a coordinate-quality review before it can be joined to a sheet boundary.

From the record

one of 27 National Register listings in Medina County · listed in 1979 · category: Building.

Sources: the case file at the National Archives · the National Register database, National Park Service

The listing

What is counted as historic. The nomination lists 1 building as contributing to the listing.
Address. N of Medina at 4508 Marks Rd., Medina, 44256
When was it listed? 1979-06-22
Category. building
Township. York township
National Register reference number. 79001894 - the number the National Park Service assigned this property when it was listed, and the key its nomination file is catalogued under at the National Archives.

The ground it stands on

550 words

This property stands in York Township. Pioneer History of Medina County, published 1861 gives that township a chapter of its own.

The chapter covers the township.

Machine-read from a century-old scan, so expect the errors a machine makes: misspelled names, dropped words, stray characters.

Read the whole chapter on York Township - 550 words on its settlement, mills, schools and churches.

Specimens collected near this property

12 of 319 shown

Regional context, not property-specific evidence. Museums hold 319 specimens collected within 10 miles of Gayer, Jacob, House between 1884 and 1975: 290 Animalia, 23 Plantae, 5 Fungi, 1 Protozoa. 12 distinct Species records are shown. Collected by A. D. Huryn, A. Roberts, Ashcroft, G.B.; O. Berea and others. Each is a physical object with a catalogue number, and each entry opens the museum's record. This is what was collected and kept, not a survey of what lives here - nothing can be concluded from a species being absent.

Species	Year	Collected by	Where, as recorded
Contopus virens (Linnaeus, 1766)	1890	not recorded
Camptosorus rhizophyllus (L.) Link	1894	Watson, J.R.	Medina Co.
Nesaea verticillata (L.) Kunth	1896	Watson,J.R. s.n. [1896-08]	[label: North Ohio Flora. J.R. Watson, Berea, O.] Liverpool, Medina Co. [Medina County]
Sciurus niger Linnaeus, 1758	1884	unknown	Medina
Halictus confusus confusus	1885	H. E. Summers	Medina
Lilium canadense L.	1888	E. Barrick	Chatham
Mougeotia genuflexa (Roth) C.Agardh	1896	F. D. Kelsey	Plum Creek
Aquilegia canadensis L.	1897	Ashcroft,G.B. s.n. [1897-05]	[label: Flora of the Western Reserve] Medina O. [Ohio]
Asclepias tuberosa subsp. interior Woodson	1897	Ashcroft, G.B.; O. Berea	The Western Reserve. Brunswick
Culicoides guttipennis (Coquillett, 1901)	1897	J. Hine	Medina
Euphorbia commutata Engelm. ex A.Gray	1897	G. B. Ashcroft	Lester
Hinea Townsend, 1916	1897	J. Hine	Medina

All 319 specimens within 10 miles, at the Global Biodiversity Information Facility.

Mines and quarries near this property

1 within 5 miles

Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The federal mineral resources record lists 1 working within 5 miles of Gayer, Jacob, House: 1 producer. All of them still produce. What was taken out: Sand and Gravel, Construction. Distance is straight-line from the map coordinates, so a quarry counted here may appear on a neighbouring settlement's page as well.

Where	Site	Commodity	Status	Recorded
	Burbank Pit	Sand and Gravel, Construction	Producer

Every working recorded in Medina County

Storms near this property

60 of 103 shown

Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The National Weather Service names Medina, the town this property stands in, in 103 storm reports between 1993 and 2023: 50 thunderstorm wind, 47 hail, 2 flash flood, 2 tornado. The reports record 2 injuries. Each account below is quoted exactly as the forecast office filed it, from the NOAA Storm Events Database, and each date opens the federal record of that event.

When	Event	Place named	Harm	What the report says
May 2005	Lightning	Medina	1 hurt	A 15 year old girl was struck by lightning while walking across a parking lot at school. The girl suffered extensive injuries and was hospitalized for several weeks. A house nearby was also struck by lightning. The resulting fire caused $100,000 damage to the house.
July 1999	Lightning	Medina	1 hurt	A 38 year old male construction worker was struck by lightning while working outside. The man was treated for minor injuries at a local hospital.
August 2005	Tornado (F1)	Medina	$175,000	Twin F1 tornadoes touched down north of the city of Medina in Medina Township around 4:20 PM. The tornadoes touched down on Marks Road about a half a mile north of Fenn Road. The tornadoes tracked east on the ground for about one hundred yards. The damage path was about seventy-five feet wide. A pole barn used as a horse arena was leveled. Another barn nearby suffered serious damage to the roof, and the house on the property also received substantial damage. Several other homes in the area sustained minor to serious structural damage with a couple sheds destroyed by the tornadoes. Debris was scattered for several hundred yards around the path of the tornadoes. No injuries to humans or animals were reported from these tornadoes.
August 2016	Thunderstorm Wind	Medina	$100,000	A thunderstorm down burst caused a swath of damage north of the City of Medina. Dozens of trees and large limbs were downed along the damage path which was up to two miles in length. A couple roads had to be closed because of the fallen trees and there were scattered power outages in the area.
August 2011	Hail	Medina	$75,000	Nickel to hen egg sized hail was observed. Many vehicles were damaged by the hail.
August 2007	Thunderstorm Wind	Medina	$75,000	As the line of severe thunderstorms moved through the area, numerous trees, large limbs, and power lines were reported down throughout the county by straightline winds.
August 1998	Flash Flood	Medina	$75,000	Heavy thunderstorm rain caused flooding of basements, businesses and roads. Many roads had up to 12 inches of water on them. Cottages were flooded at Chippewa Lake.
May 2011	Hail	Medina	$50,000	Thunderstorms produced a swath of quarter to ping pong ball size hail. Numerous vehicles in the area were damaged as a result of the large hail.
September 1996	Flash Flood	Medina	$50,000	no account filed
October 1999	Thunderstorm Wind	Medina	$30,000	Two trees downed near the intersection of Interstate 71 and State Route 18. One of the trees landed on a moving vehicle. The occupants of the car were uninjured.
July 2002	Thunderstorm Wind	Medina	$25,000	A 60 mph thunderstorm wind gust was measured. Numerous trees and large limbs were downed in and around Medina.
August 1997	Tornado (F0)	Medina	$20,000	A tornado touched down in Medina Township and remained on the ground for only a short time. Numerous trees were downed. A downburst may have accompanied the tornado and contributed to the damage.
November 2013	Thunderstorm Wind	Medina	$15,000	Thunderstorm winds downed a few trees across the county.
July 2003	Thunderstorm Wind	Medina	$15,000	Thunderstorm winds downed five trees in Medina Township.
August 2002	Thunderstorm Wind	Medina	$15,000	Thunderstorm winds downed several trees in Medina and Montville Township.
June 2007	Thunderstorm Wind	Medina	$12,000	Two large trees were reported down, along with numerous power lines.
July 2019	Thunderstorm Wind	Medina	$10,000	There was numerous large trees and tree branches blown down around Wadsworth. There was at least one tree on a house which caused damage.
July 2016	Thunderstorm Wind	Medina	$10,000	The public reported a large tree down and siding ripped from the side of a house on the southwest side of Medina.
July 2013	Thunderstorm Wind	Medina	$10,000	Thunderstorm winds toppled at least three trees and flattened some corn in a field.
July 2010	Thunderstorm Wind	Medina	$10,000	Thunderstorm winds downed a few large trees in Litchfield.
June 2005	Thunderstorm Wind	Medina	$10,000	Several trees and large limbs down from thunderstorm winds.
July 2003	Thunderstorm Wind	Medina	$10,000	Thunderstorm winds downed a few trees in Medina.
April 2002	Hail	Medina	$10,000	Dime to quarter size hail was reported.
May 2002	Hail	Medina	$10,000	Nickel size hail was observed between Medina and Hinckley.
July 2002	Thunderstorm Wind	Medina	$10,000	Thunderstorm winds downed several large trees northeast of Medina in Granger Township.
June 2000	Thunderstorm Wind	Medina	$10,000	Thunderstorm winds downed numerous trees.
June 2006	Hail	Medina	$6,000	Quarter size hail was observed.
June 2005	Thunderstorm Wind	Medina	$6,000	A few trees were reported down from severe thunderstorm winds.
July 2012	Thunderstorm Wind	Medina	$5,000	Thunderstorm winds downed several large tree limbs.
May 2011	Hail	Medina	$5,000	Thunderstorms produced quarter sized hail.
June 2010	Thunderstorm Wind	Medina	$5,000	Thunderstorm winds downed a few trees.
August 2009	Hail	Medina	$5,000	Quarter size hail was observed.
June 2004	Thunderstorm Wind	Medina	$5,000	Thunderstorm winds downed one tree and a few large limbs.
April 2002	Hail	Medina	$5,000	Dime size hail was reported.
April 2002	Hail	Medina	$5,000	Dime size hail was reported four miles east of Medina.
July 2000	Thunderstorm Wind	Medina	$5,000	Thunderstorm winds were estimated at 65 mph. Two trees were knocked down.
September 1999	Thunderstorm Wind	Medina	$5,000	Two trees downed on the southwest side of Medina.
July 1999	Thunderstorm Wind	Medina	$5,000	Several trees downed in Medina.
June 1998	Thunderstorm Wind	Medina	$5,000	Trees and power lines were also downed at Seville and Hinckley.
March 2017	Thunderstorm Wind	Medina	$4,000	Thunderstorm winds downed a few trees.
August 2009	Thunderstorm Wind	Medina	$4,000	Many large limbs were reported down.
May 2006	Thunderstorm Wind	Medina	$4,000	A few trees were reported down.
June 1995	Thunderstorm Wind	Medina	$3,000	Trees were downed, some on power lines.
July 2013	Thunderstorm Wind	Medina	$2,000	A trained spotter estimated thunderstorm winds at 60 mph. A 3 foot diameter tree was toppled.
August 2011	Thunderstorm Wind	Medina	$2,000	Thunderstorm winds downed a couple large tree limbs.
September 2010	Thunderstorm Wind	Medina	$2,000	Thunderstorm winds downed a couple of large trees.
June 2007	Thunderstorm Wind	Medina	$2,000	Several trees were reported down.
June 2007	Thunderstorm Wind	Medina	$2,000	A few trees were reported down.
May 2004	Thunderstorm Wind	Medina	$2,000	Thunderstorm winds downed two trees.
May 2004	Thunderstorm Wind	Medina	$2,000	Thunderstorm winds downed a couple large tree limbs.
April 2003	Thunderstorm Wind	Medina	$2,000	Thunderstorm winds downed a few tree limbs.
August 2002	Thunderstorm Wind	Medina	$2,000	Thunderstorm winds downed a large tree limb southeast of Medina and a tree in Wadsworth.
December 1996	Thunderstorm Wind	Medina	$2,000	no account filed
August 2017	Thunderstorm Wind	Medina	$1,000	Thunderstorm winds downed a large tree.
March 2017	Thunderstorm Wind	Medina	$1,000	Thunderstorm winds downed a tree.
July 2012	Thunderstorm Wind	Medina	$1,000	Thunderstorm winds downed some large tree limbs.
July 2012	Thunderstorm Wind	Medina	$1,000	Thunderstorm winds downed a tree.
June 2006	Thunderstorm Wind	Medina	$1,000	A few large limbs were reported down.
April 2023	Thunderstorm Wind	Medina	-	Large tree downed in Medina and another large tree downed along Nichols Road just southeast of Weymouth.
July 2023	Thunderstorm Wind	Medina	-	Tree downed in Medina.

Every storm recorded in Medina County

Newspapers printed here

0 digitised pages

1 paper published in this town, digitised by the Library of Congress and free to read: 0 issues, 0 pages. Every page is searchable, so a name or a street can be looked for directly in what the town printed about itself at the time.

Newspaper	Published
The Medina Sentinel	1888 to 1961

Map coverage status

No historic map-sheet match is published for this property yet. That does not mean no map exists. This record needs a coordinate-quality review before it can be joined to a sheet boundary. Browse the county's mapped places while that work is pending.

From the nomination file

2,384 words on record

When this property was proposed for the National Register, someone wrote the case for it: what the building is, and why it matters. That document is a federal record in the public domain. It is quoted below word for word, never summarised. The text was read off the scanned case file by machine, so the occasional stray character is the recogniser's and the 1970s typewriter's.

Description of the property

This is a one-and-a-half story house of wood frame construction The doorway and the recessed porch in the ell give the house a modest architectural distinction. The doorway combines motifs from the Greek revival (slender fluted pilasters and a wide entab- latúre with cornice) and Gothic or Italianate elements (a flattened continuous arcade. On the interior there is an entrance hall with an open staircase of black walnut. On the main floor there are a parlor, living CONDITION DATE UNEXPOSED DETERIORATED UNALTERED RUINS double-sash windows have six-over-six panes and their original brackets beneath the entablature).The classical porch posts are In the one-story ell there is an attic storage space.
with a one-story ell.The general outline and proportions are typical eaves have a narrow frieze board and no cornice returns.The osition shingles in 1949.The basement has been floored with concrete. wooden shutters.The foundation is of local sandstone.The roof pointed arch in relief on the architrave and two large scrolled linked by slender curved brackets which give the effect of a X_GOOD isof slate.The original clapboard siding was covered with comp- _MOVED of many Midwestern mid-nineteenth century farmhouses. The gable room, dining room, kitchen, bath and two bedrooms. On the second floor there are three bedrooms and a connecting hall. AREAS OF

Statement of significance

of the German Lutheran Church, but there were also many Roman had 76 acres. According to family tradition, he built the house family. ART PERIOD 1800-1899 _1400-1499 AGRICULTURE POLITICS/GOVERNMENT INVENTION SCULPTURE _1500-1599 BUILDER/ARCHITECT _1600-1699 MILITARY Jacob Gayer purchased the present farm in York Township, which SIGNIFICANCE LITERATURE _PREHISTORIC _1700-1799 parents to the United States in 1823, coming directly to Medina County, immigrant farmer in York Township, Medina County. In spite of _EXPLORATION/SETTLEMENT Gollmer, whose parents were also among the first settlers in the ARCHEOLOGY-PREHISTORIC Ohio, and settling in Liverpool Township.
In 1834 he married Frances a community which is still predominently rural, and in addition, _COMMERCE the modern exterior sheathing, the relatively unusual combination of architectural details gives the house a definite architectural XARCHITECTURE and became a "competent and thorough instructor" in four languages. The home remains in the possession of descendants of the Gayer Civil War.A daughter Caroline was well educated by her parents The Jacob Gayer house was built by an important early German _1900- and Baden, settled in Liverpool Township. Jacob Gayer was a member distinction in its locality. its architectural details are fairly unusual in the locality. in 1857.The Gayers had ten children.
Two sons served in the _THEATER coming can be attributed the German element now in Medina County. _LAW In the 1830s a large number of German families, largely from Alsace *SOCIAL/HUMANITARIAN Catholics (See St. Martin's Church, National Register). In 1851 The Gayer house is a remnant of immigrant German industry in county from Germany. According to the county history, "to their Jacob Gayer was born in Germany in 1808.He emigrated with his [9

The whole case file for this property - 2,384 words, 15 pages, reproduced complete.

Quoted from the National Register nomination for reference 79001894, 15 pages, held by the National Archives in Record Group 79. See the catalogue record.

Listed places nearby

6 within 8 miles

Other National Register properties close enough to walk or drive between, ordered by distance from this one. Both positions come from the same geocoding pass that matched these properties to their map sheets.

Property	Distance	Listed
Medfair Heights Apartment Historic District	0.9 miles	2008
King-Phillips-Deibel House	1.1 miles	1982
Root, A. I. And E. R., Homestead	1.2 miles	1975
Medina Masonic Temple and Medina Theater	1.3 miles	2002
United States Post Office	1.3 miles	2019
Medina County Courthouse	1.4 miles	1970

Sources for this property

National Archives record	The nomination case file for reference 79001894 in Record Group 79.
Medina County	All 27 listed properties in this county.

Provenance

Listing record. National Park Service National Register of Historic Places, listed-properties dataset, current to 2026-05-22.
Map join. Address geocoded through the United States Census geocoder, then tested against the published boundary of every sheet in the USGS Historical Topographic Map Collection.
How this page is made. Listing fields come from federal records; map-sheet coverage is a labelled coordinate-to-boundary calculation, not a source-field claim.
Specimens. Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF), https://www.gbif.org/. Only records licensed CC0 or CC BY are used. Records licensed CC BY-NC are excluded because this site carries advertising. Images are checked individually and any whose licence is non-commercial, no-derivatives or unreadable is refused.
Mines and quarries. USGS Mineral Resources Data System (MRDS) https://mrdata.usgs.gov/mrds/ A work of the United States government, no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105.
Storms. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/stormevents/ A work of the United States government, no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105. Narratives are quoted verbatim from the National Weather Service report and are not edited or summarised.