Royalton House
Why it's listed
Built in 1817 for John Huber, this two-story brick house near Lancaster in Fairfield County, Ohio, is five bays wide and two deep, with a center hall, four principal rooms and a one-story rear kitchen ell. The front is laid in Flemish bond, and the windows have stone lintels and sills. Inside, a delicate spiral stairway with a cherry rail rises to the attic, and the parlor has a finely proportioned carved mantel. The kitchen retains its original cooking fireplace and paneled cupboards, while the attic shows hand-hewn framing and wooden pegs. The house was the work of John Leist, an artist, woodcarver, stonecarver, architect and builder who settled in the area in 1807. He also served as a militia captain, state legislator, justice of the peace and canal commissioner. It is likely the first of four notable houses he built in the county. The house was found in 1830 to stand on the wrong lot, which was then purchased. The Homrighouse family, undertakers, lived there from 1853 to 1940.
Significance in brief: The nomination presents it as an excellent example of a pioneer home, small in size but outstanding for its fine interior and proportions. It is considered likely the first of four outstanding houses built by master craftsman John Leist in Fairfield County. Leist was also a legislator, militia captain and canal commissioner.
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 75001396, listed July 30, 1975. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | Amanda Northern Rd., Royalton |
|---|---|
| County | Fairfield County |
| Listed | July 30, 1975 |
| Reference number | 75001396 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1817 |
| Architect / builder | John Leist |
| Architectural style | Federal |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Listed as a private residence; the form checks both occupied and unoccupied status. The main house is largely intact, with a porch added near the turn of the century and a frame addition to the kitchen ell. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 39.72597, -82.76724 (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 75001396.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q137802939
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.