BlockBefore
Photograph of Riddle Block No. 11
Photograph by JonRidinger, CC BY 3.0. Via Wikimedia Commons.

Riddle Block #11

Listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1985. 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 42 National Register listings in Portage County · listed in 1985 · 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. 133-137 E. Main St., Ravenna, 44266
  • When was it listed? 1985-03-18
  • Category. building
  • Also known as. Ravenna Commercial Center MRA
  • Township. Ravenna city
  • Architectural style. Neoclassical architecture
  • National Register reference number. 85000626 - 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

176 words

This property stands in Ravenna Township. 1922 Portage County High School Yearbook, published 1922 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 Ravenna Township - 176 words on its settlement, mills, schools and churches.

Specimens collected near this property

12 of 856 shown

Regional context, not property-specific evidence. Museums hold 856 specimens collected within 10 miles of Riddle Block #11 between 1883 and 1975: 571 Animalia, 245 Plantae, 33 Fungi, 5 Unrecorded, 1 Protozoa, 1 Bacteria. 12 distinct Species records are shown. Collected by A. D. Huryn, A. F. Clewell, A. K. Wyatt 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.

Image SpeciesYear Collected by Where, as recorded
Specimen of Botrychium virginianum (L.) Sw.Botrychium virginianum (L.) Sw.1904Rood, Almon N.; Roscoe J. WebbFreedom Twp
Specimen of Frankiella alni (Woronin) Maire & A.TisonFrankiella alni (Woronin) Maire & A.Tison1910Rankin; H.H. Whetzel
Specimen of Stereum frustulatum (Pers.) Fr.Stereum frustulatum (Pers.) Fr.1910H.H. Whetzel
A photograph of the species Colaptes auratus, not of this specimenColaptes auratus luteus Bangs, 18981883John C. CatlinRavenna
A photograph of the species Dolichonyx oryzivorus, not of this specimenDolichonyx oryzivorus (Linnaeus, 1758)1883John C. CatlinRavenna
A photograph of the species Lepidozia reptans, not of this specimenLepidozia reptans (L.) Dumort.1884Czekaj
A photograph of the species Glaucomys volans, not of this specimenGlaucomys volans volans (Linnaeus, 1758)1889C. P. StreatorRavenna
A photograph of the species Ambloplites rupestris, not of this specimenAmbloplites rupestris (Rafinesque, 1817)1893A. WoolmanCuyahoga River, Kent, Ohio
A photograph of the species Cambarus propinquus, not of this specimenCambarus propinquus Girard, 18521893WoolmanCuyahoga River, Kent
A photograph of the species Catostomus commersonii, not of this specimenCatostomus commersonii (Lacepède, 1803)1893A. WoolmanCuyahoga River, Kent, Ohio
A photograph of the species Esox americanus, not of this specimenEsox americanus vermiculatus Lesueur, 18461893A. WoolmanCuyahoga River, Kent, Ohio
A photograph of the species Etheostoma blennioides, not of this specimenEtheostoma blennioides Rafinesque, 18191893A. WoolmanKent, Ohio

All 856 specimens within 10 miles, at the Global Biodiversity Information Facility.

Mines and quarries near this property

6 within 5 miles

Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The federal mineral resources record lists 6 workings within 5 miles of Riddle Block #11: 3 past producers, 3 producers. 3 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 SiteCommodity StatusRecorded
Becks PitSand and Gravel, ConstructionProducer
Karl Brugmann Sand and Gravel PitSand and Gravel, ConstructionPast ProducerSedimentary
Karl Brugmann Sand and Gravel PitSand and Gravel, ConstructionProducer
R.A. Cruise Sand and Gravel PitSand and Gravel, ConstructionPast ProducerSedimentary
R.A. Cruise Sand and Gravel PitSand and Gravel, ConstructionProducer
Twin Lakes Sand and Gravel PitSand and Gravel, ConstructionPast ProducerSedimentary

Every working recorded in Portage County

Storms near this property

56 since 1994

Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The National Weather Service names Ravenna, the town this property stands in, in 56 storm reports between 1994 and 2024: 29 thunderstorm wind, 23 hail, 4 flash flood. No death or injury is recorded in these reports. 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.

WhenEvent Place namedHarm What the report says
July 2021Flash FloodRavenna$250,000Widespread flooding through the northern half of the county. Hewins Road in Windham Township has 6 ft. of water across the roadway. Three mobile home parks in Ravenna Township were inundated. Over 20 homes in Ravenna Township had basement flooding, with additional flooding reported throughout Nelson Township, Garrettsville, and Freedom Township.
April 2013Thunderstorm WindRavenna$150,000An 56 knot thunderstorm wind gust was measured by the AWOS in Ravenna. Emergency Management reported one building collapsed with three others damaged. One of the damaged buildings may have shifted off its foundation. Broadcast media also relayed reports of pine trees down in the area.
April 2004HailRavenna$150,000Hail from nickel to golf ball size was observed in the Ravenna area for several minutes. Many automobiles and homes sustained minor damage.
June 2019Flash FloodRavenna$100,000Heavy rain fell across central Portage County on the evening of June 17th. Rainfall estimates from local officials were 2 to 3 inches with a few reports of 4 inches which fell in an hour. Some roads were damaged and manhole covers blown off. Ten properties sustained minor water damage to basements and first floors.
May 2011HailRavenna$100,000Thunderstorms produced nickel to golf ball sized hail during this event. Vehicles and homes were damaged by the large hail.
July 2010Thunderstorm WindRavenna$50,000Thunderstorm winds downed numerous large trees and power poles.
July 2003HailRavenna$50,000Golf ball size hail was observed. Several cars were damaged.
April 1994Thunderstorm WindRavenna$50,000Trees downed, some on power lines. A section of roof was torn from a furniture store.
May 2004Thunderstorm WindRavenna$37,000Thunderstorm winds caused damage at a cemetery in Ravenna. Fifteen headstones and six trees were toppled.
July 1999Thunderstorm WindRavenna$30,000Many trees downed including one that fell on a car. The chimney of a house was partially blown down.
November 2013Thunderstorm WindRavenna$15,000Thunderstorm winds downed many trees across Portage County.
June 2008Thunderstorm WindRavenna$15,000Thunderstorm winds downed a three foot diameter tree. The tree landed on a garage and caused considerable roof damage.
June 2006Thunderstorm WindRavenna$15,000Several power poles and wires were reported down. One person was trapped inside of a car after a power line fell on it. No injuries were reported.
July 1995Thunderstorm WindRavenna$15,000Trees were downed. A chapel at a local cemetery suffered significant damage from a large fallen tree.
January 1998Flash FloodRavenna$15,000no account filed
May 2018Thunderstorm WindRavenna$10,000Thunderstorm winds downed a few trees across Ravenna Township.
August 2017Thunderstorm WindRavenna$10,000Thunderstorm winds downed a few large tree limbs across the county.
July 2013Flash FloodRavenna$10,000Heavy rainfall produced widespread flooding in Ravenna with the hardest hit area along Dawley Road in the township. Other areas include South Chestnut Street, Spruce Road and Hazen Avenue in the city. The rainfall estimates are between 3 and 4 inches of rainfall which fell on the 10th.
July 2012HailRavenna$10,000Half dollar sized hail was reported.
July 2010Thunderstorm WindRavenna$10,000The top of a silo was blown off by thunderstorm winds.
November 2003Thunderstorm WindRavenna$10,000Thunderstorm winds downed a few trees southeast of Ravenna.
July 2003Thunderstorm WindRavenna$10,000Thunderstorm winds downed a few trees.
July 1998Thunderstorm WindRavenna$10,000Trees were downed.
August 2007Thunderstorm WindRavenna$6,000Several trees were reported down both in Ravenna and Rootstown.
August 2003Thunderstorm WindRavenna$5,000Thunderstorm winds downed trees north and west of Ravenna.
June 2000Thunderstorm WindRavenna$5,000Thunderstorm winds snapped many large limbs in Ravenna and downed a large tree in Deerfield Township.
June 2006Thunderstorm WindRavenna$3,000Several tree limbs were reported down.
June 1998Thunderstorm WindRavenna$3,000Trees were downed at Ravenna and Mantua.
May 2009Thunderstorm WindRavenna$1,000Thunderstorm winds downed a large tree limb southeast of Ravenna.
May 2009Thunderstorm WindRavenna$1,000Thunderstorm winds downed a tree southeast of Ravenna.
August 2024Thunderstorm WindRavenna-Numerous trees downed along and near OH-14 in Ravenna area.
May 2018Thunderstorm WindRavenna-Thunderstorm winds snapped a large tree limb.
April 2017HailRavenna-Nickel sized hail was observed.
May 2014HailRavenna-Penny to quarter sized hail was observed.
May 2014HailRavenna-Quarter sized hail was observed.
May 2014HailRavenna-Quarter sized hail was observed.
May 2012Thunderstorm WindRavenna-Thunderstorm winds downed one tree.
September 2012Thunderstorm WindRavenna-Thunderstorm winds downed several trees and large limbs in the Ravenna area.
July 2012HailRavenna-Quarter sized hail was observed.
May 2012HailRavenna-Quarter sized hail was observed.
July 2010Thunderstorm WindRavenna-A thunderstorm wind gust of 64 mph was measured.
July 2010HailRavenna-Thunderstorms produced .75 (dime size) hail.
September 2010HailRavenna-Thunderstorms produced penny size hail.
March 2009HailRavenna-Quarter size hail was observed.
August 2008HailRavenna-Nickel size hail was observed.
July 2008HailRavenna-Nickel size hail was observed.
June 2007Thunderstorm WindRavenna-A trained spotter estimated wind gusts with the thunderstorm to be around 60 mph.
August 2007HailRavenna-Penny size hail was observed.
May 2003HailRavenna-Penny size hail was observed three miles south of Ravenna.
July 2003HailRavenna-Penny size hail was observed.
July 2003HailRavenna-Penny size hail was observed.
July 2003HailRavenna-Penny size hail was observed.
April 1995Thunderstorm WindRavenna-A large tree was downed blocking a road. Large limbs were downed.
April 2019HailRavenna-no account filed
June 2008HailRavenna-no account filed
June 1996HailRavenna-no account filed

Every storm recorded in Portage County

Newspapers printed here

0 digitised pages

7 papers 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.

NewspaperPublished
The Ohio Star1830 to 1854
The Portage County Democrat1854 to 1868
The Democratic Press1868 to 1901
Western Courier1837 to 1838
Portage Sentinel1845 to 1854
The Weekly Portage Sentinel1854 to 1861
The Portage Sentinel1861 to 1862

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

862 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.

Statement of significance

(in one paragraph) Areas of Significance-Check and justify below _state The evaluated significance of this property within the state is: - Phone: - Spring Bibak LIDAS CAFE Ravenna, Ohio April 1984 view of buildings on north side of E. Main Steven McQuillin, photographer Ravenna Commercial Center Historic District Portage County Historical Society from Prospect to Hickory Way RCCHD-1C 64000644 for this property Multiple Property Cover Sheet Please refer to the map in the Multiple Property Cover Sheet Reference Number:

The whole case file for this property - 862 words, 8 pages, reproduced complete.

Quoted from the National Register nomination for reference 85000626, 8 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.

Photograph PropertyDistance Listed
Riddle Block #5under 500 feet1985
Riddle Blockunder 500 feet1976
Phoenix Blockunder 500 feet1985
Riddle Block #9under 500 feet1985
Etna Houseunder 500 feet1985
Griffin, A. B.,--O. H. Griffin House0.3 miles1985

Sources for this property

National Archives recordThe nomination case file for reference 85000626 in Record Group 79.
Portage CountyAll 42 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.