Deersville Historic Distirct
Why it's listed
Deersville is a small ridge-top village in Harrison County, Ohio, and its historic district follows Main Street, the former Moravian Trail. The street was platted by John Cramblett in 1815 and retains the form of a pike town, with houses, churches, hotels and shops fronting a single road. The district counts 34 contributing and 17 noncontributing resources, including a historic cemetery. Most buildings are frame, one to three stories, and date from the 19th century. Many are Italianate, Gothic Revival or Greek Revival, and several are vernacular I-houses. The Union Hotel of 1835, the Methodist church of 1885 and the Presbyterian church of 1879 are among the notable structures. Construction peaked in the 1870s and 1880s, when farming and wool production supported local craftsmen and stores. Population later declined. The 1913 Community Hall, built from donated labor and materials, still has its original theater interior and hosts village meetings and performances. The period of significance is 1815 to 1913.
Significance in brief: The district is presented as a well-preserved example of a pike town that grew along the old Moravian Trail and peaked in the 1870s and 1880s, when most of its Italianate and other buildings were built. It also reflects community effort, shown by the 1913 Community Hall built from donated labor and materials. The period of significance runs from 1815 to 1913.
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 04001199, listed October 27, 2004. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | Roughly along W. Main St. from 230 W. Main St. to 212 Wl. Main St., Deersville |
|---|---|
| County | Harrison County |
| Listed | October 27, 2004 |
| Reference number | 04001199 |
| Resource type | District |
| Period of significance | 1815-1913 |
| Architectural style | Mid-19th Century: Greek Revival, Gothic Revival; Late Victorian: Italianate; 19th century vernacular |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Most buildings are still in residential use. The district also still has a church, town hall, post office, cemetery and general store. Some buildings were recently rehabilitated and others, such as those at 222 West Main, are deteriorated. |
| Acreage | 17 |
| Coordinates | 40.30789, -81.18949 (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 04001199.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5250986
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.