London Commercial Business Historic District
Also known as: See Also:Madison County Courthouse
Why it's listed
London's central business district, in Madison County, Ohio, is a compact group of government and commercial buildings clustered around the courthouse square. The 1892 Madison County Courthouse, a Second Empire stone building with a belvedere and clock tower, anchors the district, and the adjoining Sheriff's House and Jail date from the same year. Most commercial blocks are Italianate and went up after a fire in 1854 destroyed many early buildings near High Street. Three Greek Revival buildings predate that fire, including the 1848 Phifer House Hotel and the Cowling House, a hotel near the railroad. Later additions include a Queen Anne storefront, Georgian-influenced bank buildings of the 1910s, the 1925 Armory and the 1936 State Theater. The 1974 tornado removed the courthouse belvedere, which was reconstructed, and several cornices. The town plat, filed in 1811, was deliberately oriented northeast-southwest so that sun would reach every house. The form lists the district's significance in architecture and commerce, and cites the railroad's arrival in 1849 as a driver of growth.
Significance in brief: The district is argued to be a historic example of commercial and government architecture in a small Ohio county seat from the mid-nineteenth century to the Second World War. It is anchored by the monumental Second Empire courthouse, and a Greek Revival hotel by the railroad shows the early influence of transportation. Italianate commercial buildings dominate, with Georgian and Neoclassic influence in the early twentieth century, and the unusual town plan orientation is also noted.
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 85003212, listed December 17, 1985. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | Roughly bounded by Adams, Superior and Clair Sts., Madison Ave., and Huron St., London |
|---|---|
| County | Madison County |
| Listed | December 17, 1985 |
| Reference number | 85003212 |
| Resource type | District |
| Period of significance | 1850-1925 |
| Architect / builder | various |
| Architectural style | Predominantly Victorian Italianate, with Second Empire, Greek Revival, Queen Anne, Georgian/Neoclassic and other influences |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Described as occupied and in commercial use; the form says the district is severely threatened by neglect, and the 1974 tornado damaged several cornices and roofs. |
| Acreage | 21.1 |
| Coordinates | 39.88493, -83.44607 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
This is a historic district. Buildings within its boundary are either contributing (they add to the district's significance) or non-contributing. Owners of contributing income-producing buildings can claim the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit; homeowners should look at state credits. National Register districts impose no design review by themselves; a local historic district ordinance, if one exists, does (the difference explained).
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 85003212.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q49518796
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.