Old Union School
Also known as: Sycamore School; Johnson-Humrickhouse Museum
Why it's listed
Built in 1855 on Sycamore Street in Coshocton, this brick schoolhouse was the first school site in the town. It is rectangular, with a gable roof, common bond brick walls over a sandstone foundation, nine bays across the front, plain stone lintels and brick pilasters dividing the window rows. The entrance has sidelights and a trabeated transom, and a bell tower rises from the roof. Inside are four large rooms, two per floor, with original Greek Revival woodwork and later tin ceilings. A.N. Milner won the construction contract at $4,500; George Hay was the carpenter and Henry Davis did the stonework, using bricks made from clay on the site. Fines for criminal law violations paid for the belfry bell in 1860. The school is valued as one of few nearly intact pre-Civil War schoolhouses and as a clear example of Greek Revival design. From 1930 to 1979 it held a museum, and it then became school board offices.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues it is one of the few virtually intact pre-Civil War schoolhouses and was the first school site in Coshocton. It is a fine example of Greek Revival schoolhouse design that kept its original features without significant alteration.
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 84000127, listed October 18, 1984. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 310 Sycamore St., Coshocton |
|---|---|
| County | Coshocton County |
| Listed | October 18, 1984 |
| Reference number | 84000127 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1800-1899 |
| Architect / builder | A.N. Milner |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival |
| Areas of significance | Education, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Listed as in excellent condition, occupied, on its original site; used as offices by the city school board since 1979, after housing a museum from 1930 to 1979. |
| Acreage | 1 |
| Within district | Muskingum River Navigation Historic District |
| Coordinates | 40.27750, -81.86675 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For a publicly owned building or structure, listing mainly matters when federal funds, permits or licences are involved: projects then go through Section 106 review so effects on the property are considered. Listing also strengthens applications for preservation grants and, for leased income-producing uses, can enable the federal rehabilitation tax credit.
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 84000127.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7085356
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.