Columbiana County Infirmary
Also known as: Columbiana County Home
Why it's listed
Columbiana County Infirmary is a group of four brick buildings and a small stone storage structure on a rise west of Lisbon, Ohio. Three buildings face a grassy courtyard: a superintendent's house of about 1845, a T-shaped main building of 1861, and an 1873 building for the insane. A boiler house of 1880 sits across the county road. The county bought a 200-acre farm in 1829, believing farm labor suited its indigent and mentally ill residents. A poor house was built, then replaced in stages as needs grew, and by 1872 an institution of wider scope was developed. Residents usually numbered over 100. The buildings follow no recognizable architectural style, but they show the plain, practical forms typical of 19th-century institutions, and few Ohio counties retain so complete a set. The property is county-owned and was vacant when listed.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the complex is an excellent and unusually complete grouping of 19th-century institutional buildings, rare among Ohio counties. It illustrates utilitarian vernacular institutional design and the county's care of its indigent and mentally ill residents. Architecture and social/humanitarian history are the areas of significance.
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 79001795, listed June 20, 1979. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | W of Lisbon on County Home Rd, Lisbon |
|---|---|
| County | Columbiana County |
| Listed | June 20, 1979 |
| Reference number | 79001795 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1800-1899 |
| Architectural style | No identifiable style; utilitarian vernacular institutional buildings |
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Social History |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Listed as vacant and unoccupied; the 1880 boiler house is still operable to heat the complex with steam. |
| Acreage | 1.5 |
| Coordinates | 40.77773, -80.82821 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
National Register listing is honorary: it recognises significance and does not restrict what a private owner may do without federal money or permits. It unlocks the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit for income-producing buildings, state credits in many states, and Section 106 review when federal agencies are involved. See what listing means in practice.
Noted as vacant in the nomination. Nomination documents can be decades old; current status may differ. If you are considering buying an empty listed property, read the due-diligence checklist.
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 79001795.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5149953
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.