Village Housing: 45 N. Cedar Street

Date

ca. 1890-1965 (private); 1965-present (college)

Location

45 North Cedar Street

Architects/Collaborators

Benjamin Talmadge Strong, Oberlin (builder)

Style

Vernacular with Queen Anne elements

History

Like the Oakes House at 35 N. Cedar, this is an American Foursquare house, but with Queen Anne elements. Benjamin Talmadge Strong and his wife Mary (nee Camp) were listed here from 1890 to 1904. According to their grandson, Jarvis Strong, Benjamin moved from Wakeman, Ohio to Oberlin in 1886 to get his children a college education. He changed his profession from farmer to stone mason and home builder. He built at least four houses in Oberlin, including 39 and 45 North Cedar. Benjamin T. Strong was a Sergeant in Company A of the 105th Ohio Volunteer Infantry during the Civil War. Until recently this house was called the Strong-Hegeman House. Today this house is one of many owned by the College and offered to students in its Village Housing program.

Source

Ohio Historic Inventory by Elizabeth Schultz, Ohio State Historic Preservation Office, November 30, 2008. Accessed from the Oberlin Heritage Center website, July 10, 2015.