Lawrence, William, House
Also known as: Law Offices of MacGillivray, O'Connor & Thorpe
Why it's listed
This two-story brick house at 325 North Main Street in Bellefontaine was probably built around 1860 and was certainly standing by 1861. It has a truncated hipped roof, exposed purlins under the eaves, a stone foundation, and brick pilasters on the three-bay west facade. Inside, a spiral staircase rises to a skylight, and restored cherry and cast iron fireplaces and woodwork survive. A yellow-brown brick addition was built in 1947 by a church congregation after a fire damaged the rear of the house. The house matters mainly for William Lawrence, who owned it from 1852. Lawrence was a prosecuting attorney, Common Pleas judge, four-term congressman, and first comptroller of the U.S. Treasury from 1880 to 1885. He also helped organize the American Red Cross, drafting its constitution and serving as first vice-president. After later uses as an American Legion post and a church, the building was restored in the 1970s for law offices.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the house is an example of mid-nineteenth century architecture in Bellefontaine. It is most important as the home of William Lawrence, a lawyer, judge, congressman, first comptroller of the U.S. Treasury and an early officer of the American Red Cross.
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 79001884, listed August 24, 1979. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 325 N. Main St., Bellefontaine |
|---|---|
| County | Logan County |
| Listed | August 24, 1979 |
| Reference number | 79001884 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | c. 1860 |
| Architect / builder | unknown |
| Architectural style | Italianate (hipped roof), per a reviewer's note in the technical section |
| Areas of significance | Law, Politics/Government |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Occupied; restored by the current owners and used as law offices. The church vacated it in 1972 before the 1974 purchase. |
| Acreage | 0.6 |
| Coordinates | 40.36527, -83.75965 (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 79001884.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q2493277
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.