Athens County Infirmary
Also known as: Athens County Home
Why it's listed
Athens County's poor farm stands on a rise above the Hocking River floodplain near Millfield. Its main building, a two-story brick infirmary, was completed in 1905 after fire destroyed the first county home. Architect David W. Peoples designed it and Charles Kircher built it. The symmetrical front, double-hung windows and two-story columned porticos reflect Colonial Revival design, and the interior retains oak woodwork and a wide stair. Fire safety shaped the plan, with a water line from a hilltop reservoir and hose stored in the basement. The complex also includes a brick barn dated 1900, a later gambrel-roof barn, a frame smokehouse, concrete block outbuildings and a separate cemetery with numbered graves. Farming and dairy work supported the home, which was designed for up to 100 residents. In 1988 the building was adapted for county offices, and residential use ended in 1997. The property was recognized for its architecture, its role in social history and its agricultural use between 1900 and 1953.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the complex is significant for its architecture, for social history as the county's institution for the poor, and for agriculture, since the farm supported the home. The 1905 building by architect David W. Peoples replaced an earlier infirmary lost to fire, and the farm buildings document the working poor farm through about 1953.
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 03000323, listed May 1, 2003. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 13183 OH 13, Millfield |
|---|---|
| County | Athens County |
| Listed | May 1, 2003 |
| Reference number | 03000323 |
| Resource type | District |
| Period of significance | 1900-1953 |
| Architect / builder | David W. Peoples, Architect, Athens, Ohio; Charles Kircher, Builder, Athens, Ohio |
| Architectural style | Late 19th and 20th Century Revivals: Colonial Revival and Georgian Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Social History, Agriculture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | The infirmary building is now used as county offices (Human Services); its residential function ended in 1997. It was rehabilitated in 1987-1992. No animals are housed in the barns today. |
| Acreage | 129.5 |
| Coordinates | 39.39098, -82.11932 (NPS GIS) |
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.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 03000323.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q4813478
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.