Kennel, John Sr., Farm
Also known as: But-310-7
Why it's listed
This two-story brick farmhouse on Kennel Road in Madison Township, near Trenton, was built between 1846 and 1853 in an Amish/Mennonite house type. It has an L-shaped plan, a stone foundation, common-bond brick walls and a gable and hip roof of wood shingle. Inside, a central entrance with transom and sidelights leads to an open stairway with a cherry handrail. The downstairs rooms have massive, plain woodwork and mantels, and cupboards are built beside the internal chimneys. The land belonged to Christian Augspurger from 1838, then passed to his son Samuel and later his daughter Anna, who married John Kennel. Kennel joined the Hessians and became a trustee of the Apostolic Mennonite Society in 1863. The land left Mennonite hands in 1905. Outbuildings include a bank barn, corn crib, brick smoke house and early chicken house. The farm was nominated as part of a group of Augspurger Amish and Mennonite settlement properties and was judged locally significant.
Significance in brief: The farm was the home of John Kennel Sr., a member of the Amish group in Madison Township before the Hessians arrived in 1832, who later became a trustee of the Apostolic Mennonite Society. The reviewer recommended acceptance under Criteria A and C, finding it locally significant as an integral component of the Augspurger Amish/Mennonite Settlement thematic group.
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 84002906, listed August 3, 1984. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 5506 Kennel Rd., Trenton |
|---|---|
| County | Butler County |
| Listed | August 3, 1984 |
| Reference number | 84002906 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1846-1853 |
| Architectural style | Amish/Mennonite house type |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Exploration/Settlement, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Used as a residence; interior and exterior condition listed as excellent. The area is noted as zoned for industry. |
| Acreage | 3 |
| Coordinates | 39.44669, -84.47753 (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 84002906.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q6242884
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.