John Mercer Langston House
Historic house in Ohio. Added to the National Register in 1975, and a National Historic Landmark.

What it is
The John Mercer Langston House is a historic house at 207 East College Avenue in Oberlin, Ohio. Built in 1855, it was home to John Mercer Langston (1829-1897), attorney, abolitionist, diplomat, US Congressman and college president, who was one of the first African Americans elected to public office in the United States. It was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1975.
Text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.
The record
| Register name | Langston, John Mercer, House |
| Property type | Building |
| Address | 207 E. College St., Oberlin, OH |
| County | Lorain County |
| Listed | May 15, 1975 |
| Listed for | Black heritage, Politics and government, Social history |
| Level of significance | National |
| Reference number | 75001464 |
| Type of place | house |
| Designations | National Historic Landmark |
| Contributing resources | 1 building |
The nomination form, the document that argues why this place matters, is in the National Archives: Read the nomination ↗
Visiting
| Address | 207 E. College St., Oberlin, OH |
| Coordinates | 41.2913° N, 82.2098° W · Directions ↗ |
| Nearest national park unit | Cuyahoga Valley National Park · 33 miles · on Park Atlas |
| Federal campgrounds nearby | Cuyahoga Valley National Park Picnic Shelters 36 miles |
Explore
Drawings & photographs



Measured drawings and photographs from the Library of Congress. Public domain. All 3 records ↗
Map
Nearby in Lorain County
Local history books for Lorain County
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Guidebooks to historic places and travel in Ohio
Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject heading or by title.
Reference
Questions people ask
When was John Mercer Langston House listed on the National Register?
May 15, 1975. It is also a National Historic Landmark, the higher of the two designations.
Source: National Park Service
Can I visit John Mercer Langston House?
Yes. John Mercer Langston House is recorded as open to the public.
Source: Wikidata
Where is John Mercer Langston House?
207 E. College St., Oberlin, Lorain County, Ohio. The nearest national park unit is Cuyahoga Valley National Park, 33 miles away.
Source: Cuyahoga Valley National Park
Are there historic photographs or drawings of John Mercer Langston House?
Yes. The Historic American Buildings Survey at the Library of Congress has drawings or photographs of it.
Source: Library of Congress
Where is the nomination form for John Mercer Langston House?
The National Archives holds the nomination form, the document that made the case for listing.
Source: National Archives
Are there campgrounds near John Mercer Langston House?
One federal campground is within reach, Cuyahoga Valley National Park Picnic Shelters, 36 miles away.
Source: Campsite Atlas
Is there cell service at John Mercer Langston House?
FCC coverage maps show Verizon 5G, AT&T 5G, and T-Mobile 5G at the listed point. Coverage indoors and behind old masonry is another matter.
Source: FCC Broadband Map
Sources
Location, type and contributing counts come from the National Park Service's National Register spatial data. Listing dates come from the National Register office's spreadsheet where it carries the listing. Construction date, architect, style, photograph and encyclopedia link come from Wikidata and Wikimedia Commons, matched on reference number 75001464. Nothing here is transcribed by hand. The nomination form and photographs ↗ at NPGallery are the original nomination as filed with the National Park Service, and the form is often the best description of the place. The description under "What it is" is the opening of the Wikipedia article, CC BY-SA. Drawings and photographs are Historic American Buildings Survey records at the Library of Congress, public domain.