Osborn, Charles S., House
Also known as: David Campbell House
Why it's listed
This two-story brick farmhouse on a stone foundation sits at 5785 Cooper Road, south of Westerville in Franklin County, Ohio. Charles Osborn built it around 1850, after his marriage in 1849, and lived there his whole life. The east-facing facade has a centered, slightly recessed entrance with a transom, six-over-six double-hung windows with stone lintels and sills, and wood shutters. A one-and-a-half-story frame wing at the rear, once the kitchen, has been altered over the years. Osborn was the son of George Osborn, who arrived from Connecticut in 1808 and kept a tavern on the stagecoach road. Charles and his brothers Hiram and Ralph farmed many acres in Blendon township. Of the three brothers' farmsteads and their father's tavern and farm, only this house remains. Since the late 1950s, new development has taken much of the farmland and every outbuilding. The 1.7-acre property is now ringed by modern housing and is recognized for its local history.
Significance in brief: It is the only surviving home of the Osborn family, who were well-known farmers and early settlers in Blendon township. Charles Osborn was the son of George Osborn, who came from Connecticut in 1808 and ran a tavern on the local stagecoach road. The house is also described as a simple mid-1800s Ohio farmhouse, now surrounded by modern housing development.
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 77001061, listed March 28, 1977. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 5785 Cooper Rd., Westerville |
|---|---|
| County | Franklin County |
| Listed | March 28, 1977 |
| Reference number | 77001061 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | ca. 1850 |
| Areas of significance | Social History |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Private residence in good, altered condition; surrounded by modern housing development, and the original outbuildings and much of the farmland have been lost. |
| Acreage | 1.7 |
| Coordinates | 40.08804, -82.93175 (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 77001061.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q138337605
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.