Hanby, Benjamin, House
Also known as: Benjamin Hanby House State Memorial
Why it's listed
Built about 1850, this small two-story frame house in Westerville, Ohio, is a museum devoted to Benjamin Hanby, a composer born in 1833 whose family settled in the town in 1853. The house has a low kitchen wing at the rear and a small porch at the center of its three-part front. Inside, a parlor, bedroom and kitchen occupy the first floor, with bedrooms above. Hanby wrote "Darling Nelly Gray," first performed for friends in the family parlor. It was widely popular before the Civil War and was likened to the Uncle Tom's Cabin of song because of its antislavery feeling. His father, the Rev. William Hanby, helped found Otterbein College, and the family ran Underground Railroad stations. Hanby wrote sixty-eight songs, including the Christmas tune "Up on the House Top," and died in 1867 at age 34. The restored house displays his walnut desk, his piano, original plates for the first edition of his best-known song, and sheet music. The Ohio Historical Society received it in 1936.
Significance in brief: The house is tied to Benjamin Hanby, who wrote "Darling Nelly Gray," a song popular before the Civil War that carried strong antislavery sentiment. He also wrote the Christmas tune "Up on the House Top" and sixty-eight songs in all. The form marks the property for its association with music, and it holds furniture, music and personal items belonging to the Hanby family.
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 70000493, listed November 10, 1970. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 160 W. Main St., Westerville |
|---|---|
| County | Franklin County |
| Listed | November 10, 1970 |
| Reference number | 70000493 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Areas of significance | Religion, Performing Arts |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Condition is marked good. The house has been reinforced and restored and is used as a museum, owned by the Ohio Historical Society. It was moved to its present site opposite the Otterbein campus. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 40.12673, -82.93852 (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 70000493.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q112676049
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.