Welcome to Oak Hill Cottage, Mansfield, Ohio’s meticulously restored and preserved Gothic Revival style landmark. While the term cottage today connotes a small dwelling, Oak Hill was built at a time when the term included substantial country cottage-villas, and many visitors today are surprised at its size.

It would be difficult to find a better documented mid-nineteenth century house than Oak Hill, having been featured with interior and exterior photos in an 1896 county atlas and the focal point of Louis Bromfield’s first novel, The Green Bay Tree.

The Cottage was built for his family in 1847 by John Riley Robinson, a railroad builder, mine engineer, and all-around capitalist who situated it beside an ancient oak tree on a hill overlooking the town. From 1864 it was owned by Dr. Johannes Jones and his heirs until 1965 when the Historical Society purchased it and opened it as a house museum in 1984. Dr. Jones travelled city to city in his medical practice, advertising ahead of his arrivals and charging enormous fees for his cures.  All the furnishings and artifacts throughout the house belonged to the Jones family, including clothing, photographs, furniture, and personal belongings from Victorian times.

For an audio introduction to Oak Hill Cottage call 419.496.2112 and select track #1 and follow the prompts. For a guided tour, select track #2.  Email- admin@oakhillcottage.org.

Historic Downtown Walks

Start at Oak Hill Cottage and take a 2-mile self-guided walking tour featuring historic preservation in downtown Mansfield by calling 419.496.2112. Choose track #3 and follow the prompts. The Richland County Historical Society has put together another downtown walking tour. Track #4 is a self-guided tour from Vasbinder Fountain in Central Park to the Mansfield cemetery and back.