Old Washington Historic District
Also known as: Beymerstown
Why it's listed
Old Washington is a village in Guernsey County, Ohio, that grew along the National Road, later U.S. 40. Henry and George Beymer laid it out in 1805 as New Washington, on Zane's Trace, and it became known as Beymerstown. It is described as the oldest permanent settlement in the county. Main Street remains the village backbone, lined with rectangular brick and frame buildings of the first half of the 19th century. Early brick houses are typically five bays wide with center entrances, plain stone lintels and gable roofs. Later brick buildings are larger and carry Italianate trim. Notable examples include the Albert Lawrence House, the American Hotel, the First Presbyterian Church built in 1859-1861, and an 1830 building on lot 82. Population peaked at 759 in 1850, after which the town declined. With no important railroad or canal, few houses were built after the 1860s, which helped preserve the historic streetscape, although a number of buildings are now deteriorated.
Significance in brief: The nomination calls Old Washington a very good example of an early Ohio community laid out along a main thoroughfare. Its houses show a progression from plain brick and frame buildings to early Victorian styles, reflecting the mercantile and humbler occupations of residents. Population decline after 1850 and the lack of a railroad or canal limited new construction after the 1860s, which helped preserve the village.
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 75001413, listed May 29, 1975. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | Both sides of Main St., Old Washington |
|---|---|
| County | Guernsey County |
| Listed | May 29, 1975 |
| Reference number | 75001413 |
| Resource type | District |
| Period of significance | ca. 1829-1860 |
| Architectural style | Vernacular architecture of the first half of the 19th century, with Italianate trim on later brick buildings |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Condition is rated good and altered; a number of buildings are deteriorated, especially early frame structures. Uses include commercial, private residence and religious, with some buildings occupied and some unoccupied. |
| Acreage | 20 |
| Coordinates | 40.03835, -81.44279 (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 75001413.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.