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 Kent Homestead - home of Marvin Kent - Kent, OH
N 41° 09.242 W 081° 21.797
17T E 469518 N 4555920
At the intersection of West Main and North Mantua Streets, local businessman Marvin Kent commissioned and built a private residence that still stands as a jewel of the city to this day. Construction began in 1880 on the homestead.
Waymark Code: WM2HNH
Location: Ohio, United States
Date Posted: 11/06/2007
Views: 67
Marvin Kent, a local businessman was influential in bringing the Atlantic and Great Western Railroad through the village. This reinvented the city and made it an important stop on the east-west line. To honor Marvin Kent the village was renamed Kent in 1864.
Kent actually preferred the name Rockton to Kent, but Kent was the name decided upon. His former homestead, now on the National Register of Historic Places has been owned by the Rockton Masonic Lodge since 1923.
Four former U.S. Presidents (Warren Harding, William Howard Taft, William McKinley and Benjamin Harrison) slept in this home either before or after their terms while the Kents lived in the home, which features walls and partitions of solid brick, cellar walls and entrances of thick sandstone, and a sloped slate roof. The home was completed in 1884 and provided 7,335 square feet of living space with a ballroom and 20 fireplaces.
History if no Link:
Kent Homestead. At the intersection of West Main and North Mantua Streets, Marvin Kentcommissioned and built a private residence that still stands today as a jewel of the city. Expert woodcarvers were brought in to fashion and craft the finest woods, for which Kent is said to have searched far and wide.Construction was begun in 1880 on the homestead of Marvin Kent. Mr. Kent searched northern Ohio forthe finest wood and hired wood carvers from New York and Cleveland. The craftsmen lived in Kent whilework progressed on the home. Among the home’s remarkable features are walls and partitions of sold brick, cellar walls andentrances of thick sandstone, and a sloped slate roof. When the home was completed in 1884, the home provided 7,335 square feet of living space with 20 rooms, including a ballroom and 20 fireplaces. During the time the Kent family lived in the home, four U. S. presidents (Warren Harding, William Howard Taft, William McKinley, and Benjamin Harrison), either before or after their term, have been guests and slept in the southeast second floor bedroom of the stately Victorian showplace. Since 1923, the Rockton Masonic Lodge has owned this historic landmark. The Masons have initiated a nonprofit society, the Kent Home Preservation Society, to raise funds and coordinate the restoration of the home to its 1923 status or earlier. The society is open to anyone with an interest in preserving the Kent Homestead.
Structure Type: Stone
Link to the Homestead: Not listed
Additional Parking or Point of Interest: Not Listed
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Visit Instructions:
A clear picture of the Homestead, Marker or Plaque taken by you. And if you like a picture of you and GPS at the marker.
No Copyrighted images please.
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