Light, Jacob, House
Why it's listed
Built in 1875 on a hill along West Circle Avenue in Washington Court House, Ohio, this two-story brick house was constructed for Jacob Light, a merchant tailor who arrived after the railroads made the town a retail trade center. It has an L-shaped plan, a hipped slate roof with paired chimneys, a bracketed cornice, pedimented window hoods with wood shutters, and a front porch with carved supports. Inside, the central hall holds a walnut handrail, oak balusters, yellow poplar woodwork, pine floors and the original fireplace mantels. A kitchen ell at the rear includes a small cellar and an attic room once used as maid's quarters. The house is one of twenty-one Italianate residences in town and one of four gabled-ell examples, and it ranks among the best preserved. It was listed for its architecture. The Light family owned it until 1936. Alterations have been minor, and it remains a single-family home.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the house is a good, well-preserved local example of Italianate architecture under Criterion C. It is one of twenty-one Italianate residences in the town and one of four gabled-ell examples, and it retains exceptional integrity. The porch carving reflects improved mid-nineteenth-century woodworking technology.
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 88003191, listed January 13, 1989. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 234 W. Circle Ave., Washington Court House |
|---|---|
| County | Fayette County |
| Listed | January 13, 1989 |
| Reference number | 88003191 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1875 |
| Architectural style | Italianate |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Still used as a single dwelling; interior largely intact with minor alterations, and a non-contributing detached garage was added in 1987. |
| Acreage | 0.4 |
| Coordinates | 39.53149, -83.43699 (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 88003191.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q14716517
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.