Franklinton Post Office
Also known as: David Deardurf House
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Why it's listed
Built of hand-hewn logs on a limestone foundation, this two-story house at 72 South Gift Street in Columbus dates to the early 1800s, with the form giving both circa 1800 and 1807. David Deardurf, one of the earliest settlers of Franklinton, built it on land given to settlers on Gift Street by town founder Lucas Sullivant. Franklinton was founded in 1797 and was the first settlement laid out in central Ohio. The house is notable because the first post office in Franklinton was set up in its front room. Mail came from Chillicothe, a three-day ride along a rough forest trail, carried weekly by a thirteen-year-old courier, Andrew McElvain. Later changes include an east lean-to added around 1860, added siding, and plaster over the interior log walls. As Franklinton was annexed by Columbus, the neighborhood declined. The house was saved from demolition in 1962, but by 1972 the city had condemned it as unfit for habitation, and it was listed as an early log house tied to the community's first postal service.
Significance in brief: The house is described as one of Franklinton's earliest landmarks. The first post office in Franklinton was established in its front room. Franklinton was the first settlement laid out in central Ohio, and the Deardurf family was among its earliest settlers.
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 73001435, listed March 20, 1973. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 72 S. Gift St., Columbus |
|---|---|
| County | Franklin County |
| Listed | March 20, 1973 |
| Reference number | 73001435 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 19th Century (built 1807) |
| Architect / builder | David Deardurf |
| Areas of significance | Politics/Government |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Described as in fair condition, with a lean-to, siding and roof that are not original. The City of Columbus declared it unfit for human habitation on September 13, 1972, and the form says it was in danger of being razed. |
| Acreage | 0.3 |
| Coordinates | 39.95959, -83.01535 (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 73001435.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q96378416
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.