A Walking Tour of Vermilion’s Captains’ Homes
Vermilion was once known as the “Village of Lake Captains,” and no other place has so many captains’ homes in its historic district.
Vermilion was initially settled in the early 19th century and formed as a village in 1837. In 1840, the US Corps of Engineers finished building the tow piers at the mouth of the Vermilion which provided the depth builders needed to take boats into the lake. Thus began the “Golden Age of Ship Building” on the river, in tune with great demand for the shipping on the lakes. In a period of 36 years, 48 large lake schooners were built. Lumber, fish, sandstone, iron, and lime were major commodities at the time. The Captains of these vessels made Vermilion their choice as a homeport. As research continues, more Captains’ homes are waiting to be discovered.
Please keep in mind that most of the captains’ homes are private residences and not open to the public.
- Captain Henry C. Leidheiser House, 566 Main Street, built 1890. Vernacular style.
- Captain Fred S. Lawless House, 5604 Ferry Street, built 1902. Vernacular style.
- Captain Charles A. Mattison House, 538 Main Street, built 1920. Craftsman style.
- Captain Miles Thompson House, 485 Main Street, built 1830. Remodeled Greek Revival style.
- Captain J.C. Gilchrist House, also known as Lakeside Inn, presently a Bed & Breakfast, 5662 Huron Street, built 1885. Italianate style. Here is little history from the Sandusky Register: http://www.sanduskyregister.com/story/201503270012
- Captain James F. Nolan House, 472 Washington Street, built 1911. Vernacular style.
- Huron Street, built 1848. The captain was a good friend of Thomas Alva Edison. Greek Revival style.
- Captain Charles Horton House, 5664 Ferry Street, built 1874. Gothic Revival style.
- Captain George A. Bell Second House, 5790 Huron Street, built circa 1900. Vernacular style.
- Captain Frank B. Parsons House, 5831 Huron Street, built circa 1915. Remodeled Vernacular style.
- Captain Clifford H. Parsons House, 608 Decatur Street, built 1929. Vernacular style.
- Captain Edwin R. Pelton House, 631 Decatur Street, built 1901. Queen Anne Style.
- Captain Lewis Stone House, 5803 Liberty Avenue, built 1896. Vernacular style.
- Captain Frederick Rae House, 690 Decatur Street, built circa 1870. Italianate style.
- Captain Frederick Bailey House, 5775 Liberty Avenue, built 1911. Vernacular style.
- Captain George A. Bell House, 5760 Liberty Avenue, built 1876, presently a Bed & Breakfast. Italianate style.
- Captain William Young House, 5815 Ohio Street, built 1848, presently a Bed & Breakfast. Transitional Greek Revival style.
- Captain Alva Bradley Second House, 751 Decatur Street, built circa 1870. Remodeled Stick style.
- Captain Albert Meyer House, 756 Perry Street, built circa 1853. Captain Meyer was the master of the ill-fated “Western Reserve” which sank taking the lives of many Vermilion families. Italianate style.
- Captain Leeds Weeks House, 5676 Ohio Street, built circa 1880. Queen Anne style.
- Captain Peter G. Minch, 743 Grand Street, built 1857. Captain Minch was the owner of the ill- fated ship “Western Reserve”. Late Greek Revival with Italianate influence style.
- Captain W.H. Gilchrist Sr. House, 5583 Ohio Street, built 1875. One of Vermilion’s few older brick buildings. Italianate style.
- Captain William H. Moody, 792 Exchange Street, built 1903. Vernacular with Queen Anne influence style.
- Captain Henry Walper House, 5475 South Street, built 1899. Queen Anne style.
- Captain Charles Gegenheimer House, 910 Exchange Street, built circa 1898. Vernacular style.
- Captain Frederick Hasenflue House, 5332 South Street, built 1907. Vernacular style.
- Captain Peter Full House, 5118 South Street, built 1903. Remodeled Vernacular style.
- Captain Cornelius Young House, 5231 South Street, built circa 1880. Vernacular style.
Prepared by the Vermilion Historic Register Committee of Main Street Vermilion.
http://www.vermilionohio.org/captains.html Great photos of many of these houses