Rankin Historic District

Southeast of Ironton's business center, this district of tree-lined streets holds stately houses and a church, most built between 1850 and 1900. Eleven buildings are singled out as architecturally or historically important, with at least 85 supporting buildings. Styles run from Greek Revival to Queen Anne, Gothic Revival and Jacobethan, but the strength lies in Italian Villa and French Second Empire houses with towers and mansard roofs. Many were built or owned by people in the iron industry that made Ironton the center of the Hanging Rock Iron Region, along with bankers and merchants. One house, now known as the Gray-Staley House, sheltered the Reverend John Rankin in his last years. Rankin was a leading abolitionist whose Ripley home was a major Underground Railroad station, and he wrote his autobiography here. The old First Congregational Church, completed in 1875, is the oldest surviving church building in the city. Three later buildings are noted as intrusions.