Wood Old Homestead
Also known as: Wood's Tavern; Old Homestead,The; Homestead,The
Why it's listed
Built in 1820 for Nehemiah Wood, an early Gallia County postmaster, this two-story, five-bay, L-shaped brick house near Rio Grande replaced the log dwelling his family had occupied since moving from Virginia in 1805. Laid in Flemish bond, it shows Federal style features: a symmetrical facade, dentils, a low-pitched tin roof, and an entrance with sidelights, a transom, delicate columns and fretwork. The house stood on the Gallipolis-Chillicothe stagecoach route, served as an inn and tavern, and became a way station for mail around 1830. Harrison Wood, Nehemiah's son, took over the inn and received its first license in 1862. After Harrison died in 1877 the house was used mainly as a residence, and it stayed in the Wood family until 1938. A 1985 county survey found no other buildings of this type among roughly 500 inventoried. It now serves as offices and meeting rooms, with original interior woodwork and floors preserved.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues it is historically important as a stopping place for travellers and mail on the Gallipolis-Chillicothe stagecoach line. It is also significant architecturally as a good example of Federal architecture and as a house type with no other examples among some 500 inventoried buildings in Gallia County.
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 87002144, listed December 14, 1987. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 1253 Jackson Pike, Rio Grande |
|---|---|
| County | Gallia County |
| Listed | December 14, 1987 |
| Reference number | 87002144 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1820-1877 |
| Architect / builder | Unknown |
| Architectural style | Federal |
| Areas of significance | Commerce, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Used today for corporate offices and meeting rooms; the form says it retains a high degree of integrity and its interior details have been carefully maintained. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 38.88259, -82.36743 (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 87002144.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q8032249
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.