John Street House

John Street House
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
John Street House in Summer
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Location	631 N. Ellsworth Avenue Salem, Ohio
Coordinates	40°54′17″N 80°51′26″W / 40.90472°N 80.85722°W / 40.90472; -80.85722Coordinates: 40°54′17″N 80°51′26″W / 40.90472°N 80.85722°W / 40.90472; -80.85722
Built	1838
Architect	John Zadock?
Architectural style	Italianate/Neoclassical
NRHP Reference #	73001400[1]
Added to NRHP	October 10, 1973

The John Street House is a historic home that was part of the Underground Railroad. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and located in Salem, Ohio.

History and role in abolitionism

Salem, Ohio, was a major nexus of corridors along the Underground Railroad. In the city itself, there were at least six stops, primarily in the southern half, located closest to the actual railroad lines. The John Street House is one of the northernmost stops in Salem.

Built in 1838, the building was initially constructed as the residence of John Street, a son of the city’s co-founder, Zadok Street. The Street family were Quakers and active in the Western Anti-slavery Society, an abolitionist organization then headquartered in Salem. Interested in aiding fleeing slaves, the Streets altered their residence after its initial construction, and provided food and clandestine lodging in several hiding spaces throughout the house. In a windowless basement, fugitive slaves would sleep during the day and travel to another "station" on the Railroad by night. This location was connected by an underground tunnel built under what is now Ellesworth Ave to the house across the street.^[2] The famous abolitionist John Brown was a frequent guest at the house.

Current status

The John Street House is a private residence, and is not open to the public.

The house is listed on the National Register for its architectural significance.

References

National Register of Historic Places in Columbiana County, Ohio
National Historic Landmark	Beginning Point of the U.S. Public Land Survey
Historic districts	Diamond Historic District East Fifth Street Historic District (East Liverpool, Ohio) East Liverpool Downtown Historic District Hiram Bell Farmstead Gaston's Mill-Lock No. 36, Sandy and Beaver Canal District Hanoverton Canal Town District Lisbon Historic District Salem Downtown Historic District South Lincoln Avenue Historic District
Other properties	Burchfield Homestead Carnegie Public Library Richard L. Cawood Residence Cherry Valley Coke Ovens Church Hill Road Covered Bridge City Hall Columbiana County Infirmary East Liverpool Post Office East Liverpool Pottery Nicholas Eckis House Elks Club Episcopal Church of the Ascension and Manse Godwin-Knowles House Hanna-Kenty House Franklin Harris Farmstead Daniel Howell Hise House Hostetter Inn Ikirt House Jones-Bowman House Homer Laughlin House Daniel McBean Farmstead Middle Sandy Presbyterian Church John H. Morgan Surrender Site Odd Fellows Temple Mary A. Patterson Memorial Potters National Bank Potters Savings and Loan Salem Methodist Episcopal Church Charles Nelson Schmick House John Street House Teegarden-Centennial Covered Bridge Cassius Clark Thompson House Travelers Hotel YMCA
See also: National Register of Historic Places listings in Columbiana County, Ohio and List of National Historic Landmarks in Ohio