Croco House

This home is situated adjacent a slight escarpment which falls off to Salt Creek to the immediate south. Located in the fertile bottomland of the Killbuck River Valley, the settlement of this land by Peter Croco in 1818 was a natural lure to good farming near a water source. This house is a two story structure in the main core. It has an addition (contiguouswithmain block and original) which serves as a kitchen with a one room loft. A pantry is attached to this directly to the rear. Front, rear and side porches complete the irregular pattern. This red brick house is imposing as set back from a well traveled secondary highway. Its Italianate styling is a very close representation of plan book fabrication for rural settings.

Its lack of extreme ornamentation is compatible with architecture in the vernacular mode. The truncated, hipped roof structure is topped with a belvedere with its own The ten windows in this feature are double-hung and semi-elliptical. The belvedere has a door for walkout observation. cresting for the strolling area is now absent. The roof is galvanized, corrugated metal - and is painted dark green. It is in good repair. chimneys are stable al though somewhat reduced without ornamental corbeling. Limestone chimney caps (horizontal) are still intact. A double-bracketed cornice is highlighted with deeply scrolled carpenter work. The frieze is highlighted with decorative flatwork of intricate wooden des ign. Ornamental modillions punctuate the cornice between brackets.

paired brackets themselves over extend the architrave onto the second brick course from the top of that detail. Water runoff was through an interior gable guttering system, since amended. On the main block, window treatment is two-over-two, double hung. Window lights on the kitchen and loft room are six-over-six, double hung sash.

(in one paragraph) unknown Criteria C The Croco House is significant as an expression of late nineteenth century Italianate style architecture. It was built in 1873 by Peter and Keifer Croco who were influential stock raisers in the Killbuck Valley. The Croco House demonstrates clear aspirations for the architecture of "Italian villa" type country estates popular in the 1870s. This was a time of major commercial and agricultural growth in Holmes County, resulting in the construction of several Italianate styled farmhouses in the northern part of the county. One of these, the Joseph DeYarmon House, is already listed on the National Register (5/4/82). The Croco House, built in 1873, appears to be unique among the identified resources of this era in its use of a large bel vedere.

This feature is likely a consequence of its hilltop location overlooking the KillbuckValley. It undeniably reflects the wealth and success of the Croco stock breeding activities, a prominent occupation among Holmes County farmers. Arriving from Pennsylvania, Peter Croco bought large tracts of land just a few miles north of the Greenville Treaty Line (40 38'). Shortly after his arrival, he built a "blockhouse" as a buffer against Indian unrest. As an early landholder in newly opened lands and eventual ly becoming an established farmer, the Croco Homestead became a locus for the small community. of Holmesville was soon to be centered near the home owing to the influence of Croco in the daily lives of his neighbors. By popular assent, Peter Croco was appointed regional judge.

Peter and his son, Keiffer (varied spellings: Keifer and Keefer) built this home as a joint proposal. Tax and atlas records and family letters show Peter Croco residing on the farm until 1886. Keiffer was to inherit the holdings.