Sullivant, Lucas, Building
Why it's listed
Built around 1822 on West Gay Street in Columbus, this small brick building served as the land sales office of Lucas Sullivant, who founded the town of Franklinton on the west bank of the Scioto River in 1797. It stands one and a half stories tall on a stone foundation and is three bays wide. Over time it has been altered with a frame north wing, stuccoed foundation, painted brick, a newer roof and chimney, a narrowed front door frame, utilities and interior partitions. Franklinton later became the Franklin County seat, but by the 1860s Columbus had taken that role and annexed the town, which then declined. Few buildings from the original settlement remain among later industrial and commercial development. This office is the only surviving structure tied to Sullivant in the area, which is why it was recognized for its importance to local history and the settlement of Ohio. A later proposal planned to move it beside the Harrison House.
Significance in brief: It is the only building associated with Lucas Sullivant, founder of Franklinton, still standing in the Franklinton area. It reflects the early town's role as the Franklin County seat before Columbus absorbed it. The nomination argues it deserves recognition despite alterations and a decayed surrounding neighborhood.
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 73001439, listed March 20, 1973. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 714 W. Gay St., Columbus |
|---|---|
| County | Franklin County |
| Listed | March 20, 1973 |
| Reference number | 73001439 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 19th Century (built circa 1822) |
| Architect / builder | Lucas Sullivant (built to house his office for land sales) |
| Areas of significance | Commerce |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Condition rated fair and altered, on its original site, and used as a private residence at the time of nomination. A 1980s proposal sought to relocate it to the Harrison House site in Franklinton. |
| Acreage | 0.5 |
| Coordinates | 39.96086, -83.01972 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For an income-producing building, listing (individually or as a contributing building in a district) is the gateway to the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit on qualified rehabilitation costs, often stackable with state credits. Work claiming the credit must follow the Secretary of the Interior's Standards and be approved in advance.
Listing does not restrict a private owner acting without federal money or permits; where federal funding or licensing is involved, Section 106 review applies.
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 73001439.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q96391747
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.