Somerset Historic District
Why it's listed
Somerset, in Perry County, Ohio, is a village whose early core survives largely intact around Public Square and Market Square. The district covers about 70 buildings along Main and Columbus Streets. Its centerpiece is the Old Perry County Courthouse of 1828, a nearly square, two-story whitewashed brick building with a hipped roof, cupola and elliptical-headed federal doorway, designed by James Hampson. Beside it stands the former sandstone jail, now attached to the courthouse. Somerset is one of only two Ohio original county seats that keep their first permanent courthouse. Around the square are mid- to late-19th-century commercial buildings, including Underwood's Hardware and Finck's Store, with its Italianate window hoodmolds and cornice. The district also contains the boyhood home of General Philip H. Sheridan, whose 1905 equestrian statue stands on the square. Only three gasoline stations are classed as intrusions. The village was founded in 1810 and served as county seat until 1857.
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 | 1800-1899 |
|---|---|
| Styles | Federal (courthouse); restrained Italianate detailing on Finck's Store |
| Areas of significance | Art, Politics/Government, Architecture |
| Acreage | 30 |
| Boundary source | NPS cultural-resource GIS polygon |
| Full listing page | Somerset Historic District (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).
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.