{"nrhp_refnum":"73001505","name":"Wilson, Valentine, House","other_names":[],"category":"building","location":{"address":"About 1 mi. N of Somerford off I 70","address_restricted":false,"city":"Somerford","county":"Madison County","state":"OH","lat":39.943079176000026,"lon":-83.50584141399997,"geom_source":"nps_gis"},"listed_date":"1973-05-22","is_nhl":false,"nhl_designated_date":null,"areas_of_significance":["Architecture"],"significance_levels":["local"],"summary":{"what_it_is":"A two-story brick farmhouse of \"hall and parlor\" design with one-story brick and wood additions, located about one mile north of Somerford in Madison County, Ohio, built circa 1820 for Valentine Wilson.","why_significant":"The nomination argues the house is a typical early farmhouse showing refined interior and exterior detail and a dignified, reserved character. It illustrates how Middle Atlantic (tidewater) folk housing was carried west into central Ohio during early settlement. It is also tied to Valentine Wilson, said to have been the wealthiest man in the county at his death.","narrative":"Built around 1820 about a mile north of Somerford in Madison County, Ohio, this two-story brick farmhouse follows the hall and parlor plan, with tall gable-end chimneys and blank end walls. The front facade uses Flemish bond and rubbed brick arches set flush with the wall, and a one-story brick kitchen wing was added soon after completion. Inside, the four original rooms retain walnut woodwork, chair rails, built-in cupboards and six-panel doors. It was the home of Valentine Wilson, born in 1785, who settled in the county in 1816 and by his death in 1855 owned nearly 10,000 acres and about 1,000 head of cattle and sheep. The house is valued as an example of Middle Atlantic folk architecture carried into central Ohio during early settlement. Despite a leaking roof and other wear, it keeps most of its original appearance, and it survives about 200 feet from Interstate 70.","period_of_significance":"19th Century (ca. 1820)","architect_builder":null,"architectural_style":"Hall and parlor design; Middle Atlantic (tidewater) folk house","criteria":[],"status_note":"Vacant for about 5 years with some storage use; condition marked fair to deteriorated, with a leaking roof and falling plaster, though described as structurally sound. The county historical society is developing restoration plans.","vacant_flag":true,"machine_generated":true,"model":"claude-sonnet-5-5","prompt_version":"v1.0-2026-10-29","generated_at":"2026-10-29 02:53:09.859659-05","source_pdf":"https://s3.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/lz/electronic-records/rg-079/NPS_OH/73001505.pdf"},"photo":{"url_800":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/media/73001505/e075bb181c-800.webp","url_1600":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/media/73001505/e075bb181c-1600.webp","licence":"Public domain","author":"Nyttend","credit_html":"<a href=\"https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Valentine_Wilson_House_site.jpg\" rel=\"noopener\">Nyttend</a>, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons","source_page":"https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Valentine_Wilson_House_site.jpg"},"district":null,"sources":{"nps_snapshot_date":"2026-05-22","nara_catalog":"https://catalog.archives.gov/id/71990063","wikipedia":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Valentine_Wilson_House","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q7911032"},"indexable":true,"url":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/ohio/madison-county/wilson-valentine-house-73001505/"}