Gast, Matthias, House and General Store
Also known as: Martha Gast House and Gagel Hardware Storage Room
Why it's listed
Four buildings on two adjoining lots in Maria Stein, Mercer County, Ohio, record the life of a pioneer merchant family. Matthias Gast, born in France in 1813, opened a shoe and leather business in the 1830s and prospered after the Miami-Erie Canal opened in 1845 and German Catholic settlers filled the surrounding farmland. When lots were platted in the West Addition in 1852, he bought five and built a 30-by-38-foot brick house, a vernacular design with a stone lintel, 6/6 windows and a T-shaped rear addition added about 1870. Goods were first sold from the house. A frame general store followed in 1867 and operated until about 1941, later altered by the Knights of St. John into a meeting room and dance hall. A frame summer kitchen and a small rear house complete the group. Gast also served as county commissioner, notary public and county auctioneer. The house remains a residence and is little changed.
Significance in brief: The complex is a link to the early history of the township and county, tied to Matthias Gast, an original settler and merchant whose store served the area for over 100 years. The brick house is also presented as an excellent example of simple vernacular architecture of this part of Ohio.
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 78002139, listed December 29, 1978. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | OH 119, Maria Stein |
|---|---|
| County | Mercer County |
| Listed | December 29, 1978 |
| Reference number | 78002139 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1800-1899 |
| Architectural style | Vernacular |
| Areas of significance | Commerce, Exploration/Settlement, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | The house is still used as a residence and is basically unaltered except for plumbing and electricity. The summer kitchen is a gift shop. The altered general store is used for hardware storage. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 40.40782, -84.47027 (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 78002139.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q6791547
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.