Historic Preservation Commission • Design Guidelines

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The Wyoming Historical Society is a proud member of Wyoming's Historic Preservation Commission. Design Guidelines for Historic Properties has been developed to ease the process of maintaining a home’s historic characteristics by providing information about a wide range of features – from foundations and roofs to doors and windows – related to Wyoming’s varied historic architecture.

Wyoming's historic "Village District" was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in September 1986. The District includes more than three hundred buildings in the heart of Wyoming and has been described by the Ohio Historical Preservation Office as "a one-of-a-kind community with an extremely impressive array of architecture."

Wyoming is listed on the National Register of Historic Places because its historic environment is significant to the architectural history of Southwestern Ohio. Wyoming's progression of nineteenth and early twentieth century styles set amongst grand trees and green spaces creates a unique character developed primarily due to three key factors: rural atmosphere, stability and leadership.

Rural atmosphere is the first key to the architectural character of Wyoming. Farms were the norm until 1851 and the coming of the railroad. Then, as the old farms slowly became available for sale, development began. Houses were built on 2-10 acre lots with many trees left intact.

Later in the early half of the 1900s, these big lots were again divided and newer architectural styles were built between the Victorian houses. The resulting diverse architectural mix is Wyoming's most striking and unusual characteristic. In fact, the number of 19th and early 20th century homes is fairly equal in the District.

Where at first glance this may seem surprising, look closer; it is only that the gingerbread and tall proportions of the Victorian architecture dominate the smaller scale and horizontal proportions of the later styles.

Stability is the second key architecturial characteristic. Known as an independent well-managed and progressive town, Wyoming's reputation has continually attracted new residents, enabling every architectural period to be represented.

Leadership is the third key architectural characteristic. Wyoming's residents have always been the leaders of the day. They planted trees throughout the Village, built one of the first water works in the country, installed the first sidewalks in Ohio, developed a Civic Center before there were any and established a school district that is a national example of excellence.

A village filled with successful entrepreneurs, business and community leaders insisted on high quality in design and construction and then later, in renovations and additions. Today that quality is an integral part of the Historic District.