Sherwood-Davidson And Buckingham Houses
Also known as: Licking County Historical Society
Why it's listed
Two early Newark houses stand together on a city-provided park site at West Main and Sixth Streets. The Sherwood-Davidson House, built about 1817 by Connecticut native Albert Sherwood, is a two-story frame Federal style house with an elaborate pedimented entrance and an unusual recessed two-story side porch. Later it housed the family of merchant Col. Robert Davidson for three generations. The Buckingham House, built between 1830 and 1840, is a temple-form frame house with a two-story portico of reeded columns. Judge Jerome Buckingham lived there in the 1840s, and Presidents Hayes and Garfield were among its visitors. Both buildings faced demolition. The Sherwood-Davidson House was moved in 1949 and opened as a museum in 1952. The Buckingham House, condemned in 1954, was moved with funds raised by a foundation and opened to the public in 1967. The Licking County Historical Society restored both and uses them as museum space.
Significance in brief: The nomination calls them two of the finest early homes in Newark. The Sherwood-Davidson House is described as one of central Ohio's outstanding Federal style homes, and the Buckingham House as a fine Greek Revival example. Both were moved to save them from demolition and restored by the Licking County Historical Society.
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 77001072, listed November 10, 1977. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | W. Main and 6th Sts., Newark |
|---|---|
| County | Licking County |
| Listed | November 10, 1977 |
| Reference number | 77001072 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | ca. 1817 and ca. 1840 |
| Architect / builder | Albert Sherwood (Sherwood-Davidson House, built ca. 1817); architect of Buckingham House not named |
| Architectural style | Federal, Greek Revival |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Both houses are used as museum facilities by the Licking County Historical Society; the Buckingham House also hosts community events and meetings. Condition listed as excellent, altered and moved. |
| Acreage | 2 |
| Coordinates | 40.05647, -82.40995 (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 77001072.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q138460752
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.