Augspurger Paper Company Rowhouse #1
Why it's listed
Built around 1868 at 1698 Wayne-Madison Road in Woodsdale, this two-story brick house was one of the workers' rowhouses of the Augspurger Paper Company. It has a symmetrical, simple three-bay vernacular design, with a stone foundation, common bond brickwork, a gabled asphalt roof, stone lintels and sills, six-over-one double-hung windows and a small end-wall chimney. A one-story frame wing at the rear has a newer exterior fireplace and chimney, and metal awnings and a metal porch roof were added later; these are considered easily removable and do not undermine the building's integrity. The house is important as part of the industrial enterprise of the Augspurger family. Its 1868 date is the earliest known mill-town development in Ohio. It is one of only three such rowhouses remaining, and one of two still on their original sites. It sits next to an identical rowhouse, though the surroundings have changed greatly since the historic lithograph of the settlement. It is still used as a residence.
Significance in brief: The house is significant under Criterion A as part of the industrial entrepreneurship of the Augspurger family and their mid-19th century mill-town complex of workers' rowhouses. The 1868 date is currently the earliest known mill-town development in Ohio. It is one of only three rowhouses remaining, and one of two still on their original sites.
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 84000216, listed November 1, 1984. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | Wayne-Madison Rd., Woodsdale |
|---|---|
| County | Butler County |
| Listed | November 1, 1984 |
| Reference number | 84000216 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architectural style | Vernacular |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Industry, Exploration/Settlement |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Used as a residence; exterior condition fair, interior condition unknown. Located close to a busy commercial road in a much-altered setting. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 39.43396, -84.47601 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For an income-producing building, listing (individually or as a contributing building in a district) is the gateway to the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit on qualified rehabilitation costs, often stackable with state credits. Work claiming the credit must follow the Secretary of the Interior's Standards and be approved in advance.
Listing does not restrict a private owner acting without federal money or permits; where federal funding or licensing is involved, Section 106 review applies.
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 84000216.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q4820473
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.