In 1892, Cincinnati, Hamilton, and Dayton Railroad executive George Balch moved to Clifton. Four years later, deciding to construct a house for himself, he chose renowned Cincinnati architect Samuel Hannaford. Balch was one of many Clifton residents to commission designs from Hannaford: having built a reputation as one of Cincinnati's premier Gilded Age architects, Hannaford had designed large numbers of houses for the residents of upscale neighborhoods such as Clifton. The Balch House was one of Hannaford's last residences in the area, for he retired in 1897.
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In 1980, the Balch House was listed on the National Register of Historic Places because of its well-preserved historic architecture. Dozens of other Cincinnati buildings were added to the Register at the same time as part of a multiple property submission of buildings designed by Hannaford.