{"nrhp_refnum":"76001495","name":"Overfield Tavern","other_names":[],"category":"building","location":{"address":"201 E. Water St.","address_restricted":false,"city":"Troy","county":"Miami County","state":"OH","lat":40.039766144000055,"lon":-84.20054681199997,"geom_source":"nps_gis"},"listed_date":"1976-01-30","is_nhl":false,"nhl_designated_date":null,"areas_of_significance":["Commerce","Exploration/Settlement","Law","Politics/Government"],"significance_levels":["state"],"summary":{"what_it_is":"A two-story log tavern on a stone foundation at 201 East Water Street in Troy, Miami County, Ohio, built in 1808 by Benjamin Overfield, with a one-and-a-half-story log rear wing joined by a dog run.","why_significant":"It is nominated for its historical significance as one of only two log structures standing in Ohio that served as a temporary courthouse. It hosted the first Miami County court and was the first building raised in the newly platted county seat of Troy. The tavern was also known for its reputation and its notable visitors.","narrative":"Built in 1808 on Water Street in Troy, Ohio, this two-story log tavern was the first building raised in the newly platted county seat. Benjamin Overfield, who had settled near Staunton in 1803, bought a lot on the new town plat and began construction that spring; the tavern was licensed in September 1808. He offered the upstairs room to the county commissioners, and the first Miami County court, under Judge Francis Dunlavy, met there in November 1808. It is one of only two log structures remaining in Ohio that served as a temporary courthouse. Visitors reportedly included John Johnston, Arthur St. Clair and William Henry Harrison. The court moved elsewhere in 1811, and the building faded from view in the 1830s after a renovation around 1837. It was identified in 1948, then purchased, restored and furnished with antiques. Since 1966 it has operated as a museum, with a frontier tavern room downstairs and exhibits upstairs.","period_of_significance":"1800-1899","architect_builder":"Benjamin Overfield","architectural_style":null,"criteria":[],"status_note":"Restored in 1948 and open to the public as a museum since 1966 under the Troy Historical Society; the rear wing and addition house a nursery school. Condition listed as excellent and altered.","vacant_flag":false,"machine_generated":true,"model":"claude-sonnet-5-5","prompt_version":"v1.0-2026-10-29","generated_at":"2026-10-29 02:53:10.196106-05","source_pdf":"https://s3.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/lz/electronic-records/rg-079/NPS_OH/76001495.pdf"},"photo":{"url_800":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/media/76001495/35abbd210f-800.webp","url_1600":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/media/76001495/35abbd210f-1600.webp","licence":"Public domain","author":"Hornernealw","credit_html":"<a href=\"https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Overfield_Tavern_Troy_OH.jpg\" rel=\"noopener\">Hornernealw</a>, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons","source_page":"https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Overfield_Tavern_Troy_OH.jpg"},"district":null,"sources":{"nps_snapshot_date":"2026-05-22","nara_catalog":"https://catalog.archives.gov/id/71990337","wikipedia":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Overfield_Tavern","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q28153364"},"indexable":true,"url":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/ohio/miami-county/overfield-tavern-76001495/"}