Oak Hill Cottage

Oak Hill Cottage was owned and occupied by the family of Doctor Johannes Aten Jones for 101 years. Built in 1847, it has seven gables, five double chimneys, and seven Italian marble fireplaces. Seldom does a house with all the furnishings and artifacts of one family’s life come down to the present intact. The family of Doctor Jones preserved a remarkable example of a late nineteenth century lifestyle.

Louis Bromfield, native Mansfielder and Pulitzer Price winning author, played at Oak Hill as a child. His memories of the home were the basis for “Shanes Castle” in his 1924 novel The Green Bay Tree. Because of this association, the cottage was designated a Literary Landmark by Friends of the Libraries U.S.A. in 2000.

Open to the public since November 1983, Oak Hill is owned by Richland County and is operated by the Richland County Historical Society. The Cottage is on the National Register of Historic Places.