East Second Street District
Also known as: Abraham Hivling-Coates Kinney House & John Allen House
Why it's listed
Two adjoining 19th-century houses on East Second Street in Xenia, Ohio, make up this small district. The Hivling-Kinney House, built in 1863 by Abraham Hivling, is a 2½-story brick late Classic Revival residence with tapering eight-sided porch columns, iron balconies, cranberry-glass door glazing and a hip roof with a bracketed cornice. Its circular staircase and cupola were lost in a 1912 fire. Next door, the John Allen House, dated 1881 on a chimney, is a red brick Victorian building with carved stone, decorative brickwork and an unusually varied set of fireplaces. Both sit on large lots that have escaped later subdivision. They were built 18 years apart by related men prominent in early Xenia. Coates Kinney, a poet, journalist and Ohio state senator, lived in the Hivling house after marrying into the family. Both houses stayed in the family until 1972, and the Allen House had been divided into apartments.
Significance in brief: The two houses are described as among the half dozen largest and finest of Xenia's remaining old houses, each representing the architecture of its period. They were built 18 years apart by two prominent, related men and stayed in the family until 1972-73. The Hivling house gained added prestige as the home of poet, journalist and Ohio senator Coates Kinney.
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 73001451, listed March 20, 1973. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 235 and 209-213-215 E. 2nd St., Xenia |
|---|---|
| County | Greene County |
| Listed | March 20, 1973 |
| Reference number | 73001451 |
| Resource type | District |
| Period of significance | 19th Century (specific dates: Hivling-Kinney House 1863, Allen House 1881) |
| Architect / builder | Hivling-Kinney House built by Abraham Hivling, believed to be designed by Hiram Brown; Allen House built by John B. Allen |
| Architectural style | Late Classic Revival (Hivling-Kinney House); Victorian, described as Tudor (Allen House) |
| Areas of significance | Literature, Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Both houses were occupied at the time of nomination and were expected to be sold. The Allen House had been divided into three apartments, and preservation work was marked in progress. Condition was rated fair, and the property was marked altered. |
| Acreage | 2.1 |
| Within district | East Second Street District(Boundary Increase) |
| Coordinates | 39.68382, -83.92514 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
This is a historic district. Buildings within its boundary are either contributing (they add to the district's significance) or non-contributing. Owners of contributing income-producing buildings can claim the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit; homeowners should look at state credits. National Register districts impose no design review by themselves; a local historic district ordinance, if one exists, does (the difference explained).
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 73001451.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5329339
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.