Arnold Homestead
Also known as: Carriage Hill Farm
Why it's listed
Carriage Hill's Arnold Homestead near Dayton is a farm complex built by a family of Old German Baptists, often called Dunkards, who came from West Virginia to Wayne Township in the early 1800s. The site includes the brick Daniel Arnold House (c. 1835), an earlier log house (c. 1831), the Joseph Arnold House (c. 1845), a bank barn, outbuildings and a family cemetery on a bluff. Daniel and Catherine Arnold bought forest land with a sawmill, and their sons Joseph and Henry worked the mill and farms nearby. Joseph, a craftsman, planned and built his own house and outbuildings, and later led the largest group to break away from the church during the 1881 division. The farm is valued as an example of early nineteenth century agriculture in southwest Ohio and as a record of this religious community. Today it operates as a working farm museum, with research and restoration continuing.
Significance in brief: The nomination calls it a significant example of early nineteenth century farms in southwest Ohio. It is also visible history of the westward spread of the Old German Baptists, or Dunkards, and of the trials of a separatist group in increasing contact with progressive society. Joseph Arnold led the largest group to split off in the 1881 division over compromises with progress.
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 77001077, listed November 7, 1977. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | N of Dayton on OH 201, Dayton |
|---|---|
| County | Montgomery County |
| Listed | November 7, 1977 |
| Reference number | 77001077 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1800-1899 |
| Architect / builder | Daniel Arnold |
| Architectural style | Vernacular construction characteristic of the Old German Baptists ("Dunkards"), with Federal style details |
| Areas of significance | Exploration/Settlement, Religion, Agriculture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Condition marked excellent; publicly owned and operated as a nineteenth century working farm museum, with restoration and research continuing. The Joseph Arnold house is used as staff quarters and the log house as site office and sales store. |
| Acreage | 125 |
| Coordinates | 39.87100, -84.09863 (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 77001077.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q4795089
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.