Lisbon Historic District
Why it's listed
Lisbon's historic district covers roughly 42 acres around Lincoln Way and Market Street in Columbiana County, Ohio. It takes in the original town square, early commercial blocks and residences built from about 1810 into the early 1900s. Federal-style brick buildings with stepped gables and fanlights dominate, giving the town a cohesive early character, and few modern intrusions disturb it. Notable buildings include the 1871 sandstone County Courthouse, the 1887 Masonic Temple, the 1836 Wick Hotel, the 1808 Wirtz Hotel, the 1808 Old Jail and a stone house from about 1803, the oldest standing building in town. Founded as New Lisbon in 1803, the town grew as a trading point on major roads and benefited from the promotion of the Sandy and Beaver Canal, which prompted much construction before the canal failed in 1854. Railroads later revived the economy. The district was listed for its commercial, economic, political and architectural importance.
Significance in brief: The district represents the commercial, economic, political and architectural heritage of Lisbon, a county seat positioned near major road and canal routes. Its surviving buildings, mostly Federal-style brick, best illustrate the antebellum period. Many structures resulted from speculation tied to the Sandy and Beaver Canal.
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 79001794, listed August 24, 1979. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | U.S. 30 and OH 45, Lisbon |
|---|---|
| County | Columbiana County |
| Listed | August 24, 1979 |
| Reference number | 79001794 |
| Resource type | District |
| Architectural style | Federal, with Queen Anne, Shingle Style, Richardsonian Romanesque and classical revival elements |
| Areas of significance | Commerce, Politics/Government, Architecture, Invention |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Mostly occupied and in use; condition ranges from excellent to fair, with some vacant lots, altered storefronts and a few deteriorated buildings. A downtown merchants group is working to correct storefront alterations. |
| Acreage | 42 |
| Coordinates | 40.77313, -80.76567 (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 79001794.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q6558631
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.