Johnston, William C., House And General Store
Also known as: Old Distribue House
Why it's listed
Built around 1820 at the corner of Washington and Davidson Streets in Burlington, this two-story Flemish bond brick building faces the Ohio River. It sits on a rough-cut limestone foundation and has a round-arched center entrance with a half-round transom and a brick corbel band in place of a frieze. William C. Johnston built it as both home and general store, and the county commissioners' records show he paid for the first store license issued in the county seat. Lawrence County was formed in 1816, and Burlington was its first county seat. The Johnston brothers also ran a tannery and blacksmith shop. The building served as a post office from 1840 to 1887 and later held a doctor's office. Local tradition links it to the Underground Railroad, although no evidence of tunnels has been found. The interior has been fully modernized as a single-family house, and a rear wing and side porches have been removed.
Significance in brief: It is nominated as one of the few remaining early structures in Lawrence County and a good local example of combined commercial and residential architecture. It housed the first licensed store in the county and served as a post office from 1840 to 1887. It is also locally believed to have been a stop on the Underground Railroad, though no physical evidence has been found.
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 76001463, listed September 7, 1976. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | Washington and Davidson Sts., Burlington |
|---|---|
| County | Lawrence County |
| Listed | September 7, 1976 |
| Reference number | 76001463 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1800-1899 |
| Architect / builder | Wm. C. Johnston |
| Areas of significance | Commerce, Exploration/Settlement |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Altered; the interior has been completely modernized for use as a single-family house, and the form lists it as occupied private residence. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 38.40621, -82.53065 (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 76001463.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q138457098
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.