John North House & Grocery, 514-16 East Pleasant Street, Springfield

Source document Quoted word for word from HABS OHIO,12-SPRIF,26-. Not written, edited or summarised by this site.

This house is significant as an early example of post-Civil War era vernacular housing stock with a turn of the century vernacular storefront addition and front porch addition. In its form, the house reflects the transition of this neighborhood from post-Civil War working class neighborhood to dense inner city neighborhood with neighborhood commercial enterprises such as this. It also represents a type of building, the lateral gable story-and-a-half four-over-four frame housing that was an early type of working class housing stock in Springfield. Description: The house has four small second floor windows facing the street and which are set directly above longer first floor openings. The front entrance is one of these, but set to one side.

These first floor openings are shielded by a full-width front porch with shed roof and that appears to be a turn of the century Colonial Revival style addition. It perhaps replaces an earlier porch that might also have been full-width. The house has two chimneys set within its ridgeline, each just slightly off-center. Windows have double-hung one-over-one wood sash and there are two windows on the side of the house. A small box bay on the side seems like an addition. Extending out from the corner facing the street is a long one-story commercial storefront addition. Its front- facing gable roof is concealed behind a western falsefront front elevation, capped by a small cornice.

This long rectangular commercial storefront addition has a lower rear wing, also with gable roof The exterior of this frame complex is covered with Insulbrick siding, perhaps over original shiplap or clapboard siding. The house has a lean-to one-story rear wing addition. The storefront contains a set of tall double doors at its side toward the street corner and a massive display window on the other side. History: This building was probably constructed in the judging from its styling and materials. Its storefront and front porch additions probably date from the turn of the century. By it was the residence and grocery of John P. North, whose wife was named Mary. He resided here until and from that point through it was home to Mary North, widow.

From the grocery store was operated by the Kroger Grocery & Baking Co. In this was one of the Johnson Grocery Stores. From this store was operated by Fred H. West as a grocery store. From it was the Pixley-Messick Co. photography store. It operated as a variety of shops up to the present time and most recently was known as Pleasant Halt The residence portion of this complex has had a variety of mostly short-term occupants since North, the longest being Richard and Kathleen Gorton from He worked as a driver.

Source document Quoted word for word from HABS OHIO,12-SPRIF,26-. Not written, edited or summarised by this site.

and later Springfield city directories. The building stands within the proposed Champion Historic District, which has been determined eligible by the Ohio State Historic Preservation Officer (SHPO) for listing on the National Register of Historic Places. Copies of information used to make this determination of eligibility for National Register status are at the Springfield Department of Planning and Development and the Ohio Historic Preservation Office.