Bell's First Home
Why it's listed
Bell's First Home is a modest frame house at 222 Beech Street in Hillsboro, Ohio, built around 1854-58 as the first residence of C.S. Bell, a prominent local inventor and manufacturer. It is a 3-bay house with a gently pitched gable roof of standing seam metal. The plan is irregular: a front section two rooms deep, a two-story box-like middle section with a shed roof, and a one-story rear addition with a gable roof added after 1944. In the 1940s the original clapboard was covered with asbestos shingles and squat brick pillars were built around the wrought-iron porch posts, but no original material was destroyed. Inside, the central hall keeps its original stairway with turned balusters, along with wide plank floors and marbleized Victorian fireplaces. A board-and-batten privy, a frame shed and a cistern remain on the lot. The house is among the oldest structures in its neighborhood and is part of a group of Bell-related buildings in Hillsboro.
Significance in brief: The house is tied to C.S. Bell, described as a prominent local inventor and manufacturer, as his first home. It is also one of the oldest structures in its mixed neighborhood and keeps its original character despite some reversible changes.
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 80003096, listed November 25, 1980. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 222 Beech St., Hillsboro |
|---|---|
| County | Highland County |
| Listed | November 25, 1980 |
| Reference number | 80003096 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Areas of significance | Industry, Invention |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Described as in good condition, with its integrity retained. Asbestos shingles from the 1940s cover the original clapboard, and brick pillars cover the lower porch posts. These changes are described as reversible. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 39.20341, -83.61505 (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 80003096.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q138359623
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.