Miami-Erie Canal Site Historic District
Why it's listed
Lock #38 is a hand-cut limestone canal lock on the Miami and Erie Canal at Rialto, in Butler County, Ohio, built in 1825 and 1826. The lock is 120 feet long and 15 feet wide, with walls five feet thick at the base. Nearby are a two-story frame gatekeeper's house from about 1870, a frame house built in 1897 for mill workers, and the foundations and limestone mill race of the Fox and Friend paper mill. Water backed up at the lock was channeled through the race to power the mill, which began as a sawmill in 1849, became a gristmill, and was converted to paper production in 1866. The district is significant for the link between the canal and the growth of milling at Rialto. Canal use declined with railroads and automobiles, an electric mule was tried in 1901, the canal was closed in 1929, and a 1932 fire ended the mill's operation.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues that Lock #38 is significant for its relationship to the early development of the mill industry in the small community of Rialto. The canal's water power served the Fox and Friend paper mill, which became a leading Butler County industry. The site also reflects the rise and decline of Ohio canal transportation, ending with the canal's closure in 1929.
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 78002016, listed December 18, 1978. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 5171--5251 Rialto Rd., West Chester |
|---|---|
| County | Butler County |
| Listed | December 18, 1978 |
| Reference number | 78002016 |
| Resource type | District |
| Period of significance | 1825-1901 |
| Architect / builder | William Lytle of Cincinnati was contractor for Section 3, which included Lock #38 |
| Architectural style | Vernacular (gatekeeper's house) |
| Areas of significance | Commerce, Engineering, Transportation, Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | The lock remains relatively intact apart from cement coating and overgrowth; the original gates are gone. The mill is reduced to foundations, and the original gatekeeper's house and electric mule power station were demolished. |
| Acreage | 12 |
| Coordinates | 39.32471, -84.45187 (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 78002016.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q6827242
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.