East Fifth Street Historic District
Also known as: See also: East Liverpool Downtown Historic District
Why it's listed
East Fifth Street is the present-day main commercial axis of East Liverpool, Ohio, and this district preserves a 16-building stretch of it between Market Street and Broadway. Most of the brick buildings, two to five stories tall, went up in the decades around 1900, many replacing structures lost in major downtown fires, including one in 1905 on the north side of the street. They date from the years when the pottery industry brought national prominence and rapid population growth to the city. Decorative brickwork appears on the Foutts Block, the McCrory Building and Annex, and the Golding Block. Finely detailed terra cotta marks several facades, including one with a Gothic Revival pointed-arch motif. Two Neo-Classical Revival bank buildings, the 1923 First National Bank and Potter's Bank & Trust, retain their two-story lobbies. Storefronts have often been altered, but scale, materials and period character remain. The district and The Diamond are described as the city's most cohesive commercial groupings.
Significance in brief: The district is argued to be significant for both history and architecture. It reflects the commercial prosperity of East Liverpool's pottery-industry peak between 1880 and the Depression. It is also one of the most intact, cohesive collections of late 19th and early 20th century commercial buildings in the city, with fine terra cotta facades, decorative brickwork and two Neo-Classical Revival bank buildings.
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 85003510, listed November 14, 1985. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | Along E. Fifth St. between Market St. and Broadway, East Liverpool |
|---|---|
| County | Columbiana County |
| Listed | November 14, 1985 |
| Reference number | 85003510 |
| Resource type | District |
| Architectural style | Late 19th century commercial to Neo-Classical Revival; early 20th century commercial |
| Areas of significance | Commerce, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Most buildings remain in commercial use, with altered storefronts; the 1923 First National Bank lobby and the Potter's Bank & Trust lobby are intact. One building is noted as an intrusion because mesh screening covers its terra cotta facade. |
| Acreage | 4 |
| Within district | East Liverpool Downtown Historic District |
| Coordinates | 40.61936, -80.57942 (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 85003510.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5328350
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.