Balch House (Cincinnati, Ohio)

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Balch House
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Front of the house
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Location267 Greendale Ave., Cincinnati, Ohio
Coordinates 39°9′4″N84°31′4″W / 39.15111°N 84.51778°W / 39.15111; -84.51778 Coordinates: 39°9′4″N84°31′4″W / 39.15111°N 84.51778°W / 39.15111; -84.51778
AreaLess than 1 acre (0.40 ha)
Built1896
Architect Samuel Hannaford & Sons
Architectural style Queen Anne
MPS Samuel Hannaford and Sons TR in Hamilton County
NRHP reference No. 80003036 [1]
Added to NRHPMarch 3, 1980

The Balch House is a historic house in Cincinnati, Ohio, United States. Located along Greendale Avenue in that city's Clifton neighborhood, [1] it is a two-and-a-half-story building constructed primarily in the Queen Anne style of architecture. [2] :5

In 1892, Cincinnati, Hamilton, and Dayton Railroad executive George Balch moved to Clifton. Four years later, deciding to construct a house for himself, he chose renowned Cincinnati architect Samuel Hannaford. [3] Balch was one of many Clifton residents to commission designs from Hannaford: having built a reputation as one of Cincinnati's premier Gilded Age architects, Hannaford had designed large numbers of houses for the residents of upscale neighborhoods such as Clifton. [2] :10 The Balch House was one of Hannaford's last residences in the area, for he retired in 1897. [2] :11

Built of brick and stucco on a stone foundation, the Balch House is covered by a slate roof. [4] Among its distinctive architectural features is the large gable on the front, which rises above a large frame porch that rests on brick pedestals. Individuals can enter the house through an ornate entrance located under a decorated smaller gable, while a large gable similar to that of the front crowns the house's western side. The overall floor plan of the house is the shape of an "L." [3]

In 1980, the Balch House was listed on the National Register of Historic Places because of its well-preserved historic architecture. [1] Dozens of other Cincinnati buildings were added to the Register at the same time as part of a multiple property submission of buildings designed by Hannaford. [2] :3

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References

  1. 1 2 3 "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places . National Park Service. March 13, 2009.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Gordon, Stephen C., and Elisabeth H. Tuttle. National Register of Historic Places Inventory/Nomination: Samuel Hannaford & Sons Thematic Resources . National Park Service, 1978-12-11. Accessed 2009-10-05.
  3. 1 2 Owen, Lorrie K., ed. Dictionary of Ohio Historic Places. Vol. 1. St. Clair Shores: Somerset, 1999, 562.
  4. Balch House, Ohio Historical Society, 2007. Accessed 2010-10-05.