Some say this historic home located at 5717 Main St. in Sylvania was originally built around the time of the Civil War as a "two-over-two" or a "stacked townhouse," which is basically a rowhouse divided into two two-story units, one over the other. Unfortunately, we may never know what the building started out as since the architectural details have been lost to history. We do know the property was purchased from a widow in 1897 by Dr. Uriah Cooke and his bride, Ethel Kimbell. They made extensive renovations to the property in 1902.
The doctor operated his medical practice in the home from 1897 to 1942. Three generations of the Cooke family lived in the home until the late 1980s when his daughter Elizabeth Cooke Kuhlman passed away.
The City of Sylvania acquired the Cooke-Kuhlman House in 1993 and a group of volunteers restored the home and office to open it to the public as an educational center and cultural resource for the community.
Today, the Cooke-Kuhlman home serves as the Sylvania Heritage Center Museum, part of the Sylvania Historical Village. Dr. Cooke's office, exam room, and the family's bedroom and parlor are preserved as they were when Dr. Cooke lived and practiced in Sylvania in the early 20th century.
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