Knox County Infirmary
Also known as: Mount Vernon Bible College
Why it's listed
Built between 1875 and 1877 near Mount Vernon, Ohio, the Knox County Infirmary is a four-story brick building measuring 75 by 127 feet on a sandstone foundation. Columbus architects J.B. Tinsley & Company designed it in the Italianate style, with a central tower rising 65 feet, flanking wings, and ventilator cupolas. When completed it was the largest public building in the county, at a final cost of $83,000 after the first contractor went bankrupt. The plan follows the Kirkbride model, which held that orderly architecture, with a central administrative block and separate wings for men and women, could help rehabilitate residents. Few examples of that plan survive. The county first set up its poorhouse in 1842 on a farm now part of the site. After the county abandoned the building, Mount Vernon Bible College bought it and opened there in 1957. Interior partitions were removed to make classrooms, but the exterior remains largely intact, and the building is still the centerpiece of the campus.
Significance in brief: The nomination presents it as a large, well-preserved example of Italianate architecture and one of Ohio's largest late nineteenth-century county infirmaries. It was the largest public building in Knox County when built. It follows the rare Kirkbride plan, with a central tower and side wings.
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 86001567, listed July 10, 1986. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 7516 Johnstown Rd., Mount Vernon |
|---|---|
| County | Knox County |
| Listed | July 10, 1986 |
| Reference number | 86001567 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1800-1899 (specific dates 1875-77) |
| Architect / builder | J.B. Tinsley & Company, Columbus, Ohio |
| Architectural style | Italianate, Kirkbride plan |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Occupied and in educational use as a Bible college building; the brick has been cleaned and repointed and a new roof installed. |
| Acreage | 4 |
| Coordinates | 40.34781, -82.55177 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
National Register listing is honorary: it recognises significance and does not restrict what a private owner may do without federal money or permits. It unlocks the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit for income-producing buildings, state credits in many states, and Section 106 review when federal agencies are involved. See what listing means in practice.
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 86001567.
- 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.