Vaughan, John, House
Also known as: Vaughan-Francis House
Why it's listed
Built between 1814 and 1816 for John Vaughan, a Welsh immigrant, this two-and-a-half-story brick house east of Shandon in Butler County is described as the first brick house in the area. Its south facade has five bays laid in Flemish bond, with a corbeled brick cornice and a saw-tooth course above. Vaughan's initials appear in black headers in the east gable. Inside, the original black walnut window sills, paneling, and open stairway survive, along with paneled doors, cupboards, and carved mantels. The bricks were fired on the site under James Shaw. Vaughan paid passage for many Welsh settlers, housed twenty of them in the winter of 1818-19, and supplied brick for many of their homes. He gave land for the first church, built in 1825, which had previously met in his barn. The house served as a post office from 1831 to 1847 and has stayed in the family.
Significance in brief: The nomination calls it a good example of Federal style architecture and the first brick house near Shandon. Its unusual features include a corbeled brick cornice and interior black walnut paneling. It is also tied to John Vaughan, a Welsh immigrant who sheltered and aided fellow Welsh settlers and donated land for the community's first church.
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 75001340, listed May 29, 1975. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 3756 Hamilton-New London Rd., Shandon |
|---|---|
| County | Butler County |
| Listed | May 29, 1975 |
| Reference number | 75001340 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1814-1816 |
| Architect / builder | John Vaughan (builder/owner); bricks fired on site by James Shaw |
| Architectural style | Federal |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Excellent condition, altered, on its original site; used as a private residence and occupied. A 20th-century rear addition and a smokehouse are present. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 39.32663, -84.70990 (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 75001340.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q6261879
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.