Washington School
Also known as: Washington High School; Washington Middle School
Why it's listed
Washington School is a large brick and stone school on North Street, two blocks from downtown Washington Court House, Ohio. Built in 1913 to designs by Howard & Merriam of Columbus, with H. Karg as builder, it first housed the junior and senior high school. The buff brick building has a symmetrical main facade, stone trim, a carved arched entry, and pilasters with capitals that mix classical and Arts and Crafts motifs. It sits on a raised lawn with cast iron lampposts added in the years after construction. The nomination points to its role as the first Beaux Arts school in the city and county, and to its fireproof concrete and masonry construction with multiple exit stairs, a response to the 1908 Collinwood school fire. In 1938 an auditorium, gymnasium and garage were added with federal funding, and a further addition followed in 1961. The school served as the center of educational activity for the community.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the 1913 building was the first school in the city and county built in the ornamental Beaux Arts style, and it served as the only high school and a center of community educational activity. It was built of non-combustible materials in response to national school fire-safety reforms. The 1938 additions, funded by federal emergency administration money, expanded it for growing enrollment.
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 12001181, listed January 14, 2013. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 318 N. North St., Washington Court House |
|---|---|
| County | Fayette County |
| Listed | January 14, 2013 |
| Reference number | 12001181 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1913-1961 |
| Architect / builder | Howard & Merriam, Architects (Columbus, OH); H. Karg, Builder; Thomas D. McLaughlin & Associates (Lima, OH) |
| Architectural style | Late 19th and Early 20th Century Revivals: Beaux Arts Classicism; Modern Movements: Art Deco |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Education |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Current function listed as education, with work in progress noted on the form. |
| Acreage | 2.9 |
| Coordinates | 39.54007, -83.43943 (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 12001181.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q137803416
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.