Ohio University Campus Green Historic District
Why it's listed
Ohio University's College Green in Athens, Ohio, is the core of a campus district covering parts of eight city blocks. The green was first laid out in 1804 as two tracts of 3.6 acres each, and the Hitching Ground was added in 1896 on condition that it be kept seeded and well maintained. Cutler Hall, built in 1816 in the Federal style, stands at the high point of the green and is described as the oldest building for higher education west of the Appalachians. Wilson and McGuffey Halls, built in 1836, flank it. Later buildings, many by architect Frank L. Packard, are mostly Georgian Revival and include Ellis, Gordy, Lindley and Bentley Halls. Older houses around the edges, a Civil War soldiers' monument and a replica campus gateway add to the setting. Several landmarks, such as Tupper Hall, the old chapel, and the McGuffey Elms, have been lost. Newer buildings are classed as intrusions.
Significance in brief: The district centers on the oldest campus green and the earliest higher-education building west of the Appalachians, Cutler Hall (1816). Ohio University is described as the first land grant college west of the Allegheny Mountains and in the Northwest Territory. The returned form indicates significance was checked for architecture and education.
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 79001783, listed June 11, 1979. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | Ohio University campus, Athens |
|---|---|
| County | Athens County |
| Listed | June 11, 1979 |
| Reference number | 79001783 |
| Resource type | District |
| Architect / builder | Frank L. Packard (architect of many campus buildings, including Carnegie, Ellis, Gordy, Lindley, Bentley and Tupper Halls); Bertram Goodhue (Leete House); Yost & Packard (Poston Mansion) |
| Architectural style | Federal, Georgian Revival, Second Renaissance Revival, Italianate and other styles |
| Areas of significance | Education, Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Listed condition is marked excellent, with the property both altered and unaltered, and in educational use. Most buildings are in use as classrooms, offices, residences or dormitories; Brown House is noted as vacant. |
| Acreage | 23.4 |
| Coordinates | 39.32578, -82.10035 (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 79001783.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5146399
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.