Martin, Henry, Farm
Why it's listed
Two miles north of Ripley in Brown County, Ohio, this farm centers on a one-story brick house with an attached wood section, built by Henry Martin and dated 1840 by a figure he scratched into a brick before firing. The bricks were made from native clay and kilned on the site. Two plank-sided barns stand a few feet to the north, the larger on a fieldstone foundation with whole-tree piers. The land was bought in 1798 by Alexander Martin, a Revolutionary War soldier who built a log cabin and later a stone residence called Stonehurst, and who served as a Justice of the Peace. The farm was one of the earliest established in this stretch of the Ohio valley, predating many river towns. An 1876 county atlas engraving shows the house and both barns, all of which survive. The property has remained in the Martin family and is now held by direct descendants of Alexander Martin.
Significance in brief: The farm was among the first established in this part of the Ohio valley, settled by Revolutionary War veteran Alexander Martin, and its early owners played a significant role in local history. The brick house and two barns still exist and appear in an 1876 county atlas engraving. The property has never left the Martin family.
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 75001326, listed August 15, 1975. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 2 mi. N of Ripley on U.S. 68, Ripley |
|---|---|
| County | Brown County |
| Listed | August 15, 1975 |
| Reference number | 75001326 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 19th Century (specific date 1840) |
| Architect / builder | Henry Martin (builder of the house and barns) |
| Architectural style | Georgian elements |
| Areas of significance | Agriculture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Listed as in good condition, altered, on its original site, and occupied as a private residence and agricultural property. |
| Acreage | 1 |
| Coordinates | 38.77888, -83.85670 (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 75001326.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q54958300
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.