National Register of Historic Places

East High Street District

Springfield, Clark County, Ohio
Listed
October 8, 1974
Type
District
Period
Listed
Ref No.
74001412

About this property

The East High Street Historic District is a cluster of mansions on the eastern side of Springfield, Ohio, United States. Located along one of Springfield's most important thoroughfares and once home to some of its most prominent residents, the cluster was named a historic district in 1974. Springfield was founded in 1800, but for its first half-century of existence, the land now included within the district was used for agricultural purposes. However, by the 1840s, Springfield had grown eastward from its original core, and the brothers Gustavus and William Foos platted some of their land along High Street for residential purposes in 1848. After the Civil War, this portion of East High became a fashionable neighborhood for Springfield's wealthiest citizens, many of whom desired to live at a distance from their places of business. Despite attempts to cultivate West High Street as the city's millionaires' row in the 1880s, East High remained Springfield's most prestigious address into the 20th century. Among the district's prominent residents have been the Buchwalter, Bauer, and Bushnell families of 805, 825, and 838 High respectively. Edward Lyon Buchwalter and his first wife Clementine Buchwalter were an industrialist and women's club leader, while Charles A. Bauer was a native of the Kingdom of Württemberg who became a mechanical engineer and built himself into one of Springfield's leading engineering consultants. Asa S. Bushnell and his wife lived at 838 E. High, which in 1908 was regarded as one of the most beautiful homes in Springfield. Built starting in 1888, this house was his residence while he served as Governor of Ohio in the 1890s. A heavily Richardsonian Romanesque structure, it includes exterior elements such as a stone facade, windows placed in clusters, and large archways, while the interior includes numerous fireplaces, elaborate woodworking, and multiple chandeliers. After passing into the ownership of a family named Proust in the 1920s, the house was bought by funeral home operator Austin Richards in 1939, whose company has used the property for over sixty years; it remains in operation as Richards, Raff, and Dunbar Memorial Home. Still extant along portions of East High are examples of prominent late-19th-century architectural styles, including the Richardsonian Romanesque, the Renaissance Revival, and the Italianate styles. While other neighborhoods once possessed similar collections of styles near each other, East High is distinguished because its mix of styles has survived to the present day, unlike that of many other neighborhoods. In recognition of its architectural significance, a small portion of East High was designated the East High Street Historic District and listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1974. It is composed of five contributing properties, located at 805, 810, 815, 825, and 838 East High.

Location

Springfield, Clark County, Ohio
39.92174, -83.79650

Categories

ARCHITECTURE
National Register nomination ›
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

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Native Heritage
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Settlement
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Nearby Historic Sites

Pringle-Patric House
Industrial
0.3 mi
Westcott House
Industrial
0.4 mi
St. Joseph Roman Catholic Church
Industrial
0.4 mi
St. Raphael Church
Industrial
0.5 mi
Warder Public Library
Industrial
0.6 mi

Questions about this property

When was East High Street District listed on the National Register?

East High Street District was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on October 8, 1974.

What type of historic resource is East High Street District?

East High Street District is classified as a district in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for East High Street District?

The period of significance for East High Street District is recorded as the listed era.

Can I research the history near East High Street District?

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