SHENANDOAH Crash Sites
Why it's listed
Three separate locations in Noble County, Ohio, mark where the Navy airship USS Shenandoah came down on September 3, 1925, after a violent storm broke it apart. Site 1 centers on a c.1870 two-story frame farmhouse and garden near Ava, where the control car fell and Commander Zachary Lansdowne and six crewmen died. Site 2, an open field across I-77, is where the 400-foot stern section came to rest; concrete blocks now outline its shape. Site 3, about six miles southwest near Sharon, is where the bow section was tied to two trees and the surviving crew landed. Markers placed in 1975 commemorate the event. The Shenandoah was the first rigid airship built in the United States and the first inflated with helium. The wreck led to stronger hull construction, more powerful engines, and better weather forecasting for later airships. It also drew public attention through the court of inquiry and the court-martial of Billy Mitchell.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · catalog entry. Generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29).
| Period of significance | 1925 |
|---|---|
| Styles | Site No. 1: No style; Sites No. 2 and 3: N/A |
| Areas of significance | Military, Transportation |
| Acreage | 11 |
| Boundary source | NPS cultural-resource GIS polygon |
| Full listing page | SHENANDOAH Crash Sites (property record) |
What listing means for this property
This is a historic district. Buildings within its boundary are either contributing (they add to the district's significance) or non-contributing. Owners of contributing income-producing buildings can claim the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit; homeowners should look at state credits. National Register districts impose no design review by themselves; a local historic district ordinance, if one exists, does (the difference explained).
Noted as vacant in the nomination. Nomination documents can be decades old; current status may differ. If you are considering buying an empty listed property, read the due-diligence checklist.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.