Rohrbough, Calendar, House
Also known as: Grissom House
Why it's listed
Perched on Kinmundy's "Quality Hill," this two-story brick house was completed in 1875, a date marked on a cast-metal plate at the main entrance. It measures thirty-one by forty-one feet, with sixteen-inch bearing walls of locally made brick, a low-pitched hip roof and a full brick basement. Wooden verandas with scroll brackets run along the south and west sides, and the windows have original shutters, sandstone sills and radiating brick lintels. Inside, rooms are arranged around a central hall, and much of the oak trim, pine flooring and kitchen cabinetry is original. The house is regarded as the best example of vernacular Italianate design in Kinmundy and among the finest in Marion County. It was the home of Captain Calendar Rohrbough, a Civil War officer, merchant, bank founder and mayor. Fred O. Grissom, a newspaper publisher, postmaster and mayor, bought it in 1925.
Significance in brief: The house is considered the prime example of vernacular Italianate architecture in Kinmundy and one of the half-dozen or so finest Italianate houses in Marion County. It is also significant as the former home of Captain Calendar Rohrbough, regarded as turn-of-the-century Kinmundy's most prominent citizen.
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) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 79000857, listed September 6, 1979. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 3rd and Madison Sts., Kinmundy |
|---|---|
| County | Marion County |
| Listed | September 6, 1979 |
| Reference number | 79000857 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1875-1925 |
| Architectural style | Italianate (vernacular) |
| Areas of significance | Commerce, Military, Politics/Government, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Described as in excellent condition, with the exterior painted red and in good condition. Several original interior features survive, though the rooftop water reservoir system is no longer in use. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 38.77128, -88.84523 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
National Register listing is honorary for a privately owned home: it does not by itself restrict what an owner may do with their own money, and it does not require public access. Restrictions come from local landmark or historic-district ordinances, which are separate (how they differ).
Owner-occupied houses are not eligible for the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit, which applies to income-producing buildings, but many states offer credits for homeowners. Listing also opens the door to preservation easements and to buying a plaque. Start with what listing means for homeowners, renovating a listed house and selling one.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 79000857.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5019496
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.