Rev. William Hanford House

This is the home of the Reverend William Hanford, the first minister of the Congregational Church and the first secretary of the board of trustees of Western Reserve College. The house is documented in the 1826 tax duplicate as “frame house” under the name of William Hanford.

It was later owned by the first pastor of the Western Reserve College Church, Beriah Green, who, between 1830 and 1833, used that pulpit to preach abolitionist sermons, becoming nationally prominent for his anti-slavery writings. It has been blessed with long-term owners: Emily Metcalf, who conducted a local school for young ladies, lived here from 1887 until 1915; the Heidenreich family owned it for nearly 65 years.

Despite many alterations, the Federal styling is still evident in the roof pitch, delicate frieze and corner boards and attic fanlight. There is some evidence that the house was built around a log cabin.

The Crisp-Raymond House at 129 Aurora Street, the home of Reverend Hanford’s sister, Mary Raymond, once stood at the foot of his garden, a space now occupied by two contemporary houses.

There are many design similarities between that house and this one.