Bretz Farm
Also known as: Richard Lininger Farm
Why it's listed
Bretz Farm is a working agricultural complex near Morral in Marion County, Ohio, centered on a two-story Italian Villa-style farmhouse built by Andrew D. Bretz in the 1870s. The wood frame house has a truncated hipped roof, a bracketed cupola, paired brackets, frieze panels with circular medallions, and bracketed porches. It appears almost unchanged from its depiction in an 1878 atlas. Around it stand an L-shaped barn, smaller outbuildings, older and newer barns, and a small brick schoolhouse moved from a nearby intersection. The nominated land totals 411 acres of the original 488-acre farm, which was large for its time, when the average Ohio farm was 111 acres. An 1883 county history called it one of the finest farms in the county. The Bretz family, early township settlers, kept the farm until 1964. Its architecture, hilltop setting and diversified farming made it a local landmark.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the farmhouse is a superb example of 1870s Italian Villa architecture, with its ornate cupola, brackets and porch trim. The farm was also notable agriculturally: it was among the largest in the area and was described in 1883 as one of the finest farms in the county. It also reflects diversified post-Civil War Ohio farming and a long association with the Bretz family.
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 80003155, listed January 8, 1980. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 197 Morrall-Kirkpatrick Rd., Morrall |
|---|---|
| County | Marion County |
| Listed | January 8, 1980 |
| Reference number | 80003155 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1800-1899 |
| Architect / builder | Andrew D. Bretz (builder of the present house) |
| Architectural style | Italian Villa |
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Agriculture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Occupied and in agricultural use; condition listed as good and unaltered. The farm remained with the Bretz family until 1964. |
| Acreage | 411 |
| Coordinates | 40.67904, -83.14865 (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 80003155.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q138569889
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.