Ausenbaugh-McElhenny House
Why it's listed
Built in 1874 on Taylorsville Road in Dayton, this modified T-shaped, one-and-a-half-story house is a well-preserved example of Gothic Revival design. Joseph J. McElhenny, who is noted in local history only as a township Justice of the Peace, built it late for its style. The weatherboard front has three bays, a wood-deck porch with beveled pillars and scroll-saw consoles, and steep Gothic gables with elaborately decorated barge boards. A pointed Gothic window with a hood mold sits on the second floor. Inside, dark walnut trim in an unpretentious Victorian manner frames a straight enclosed stair reached through a pointed arch. A wood shed, since converted to a garage, and a combined horse stall, tackle room and privy remain on the lot. The house was recognized for its architecture, its fine detail and its unusually intact condition, both inside and out, on a site of about 1.5 acres.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the house is an unusually fine and well-preserved example of Gothic Revival architecture, built late for its style in the post-Civil War period. Its interior and exterior detail remain largely unaltered. The builder, McElhenny, is noted in history only as a township Justice of the Peace.
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 75001503, listed July 18, 1975. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 7373 Taylorsville Rd., Dayton |
|---|---|
| County | Montgomery County |
| Listed | July 18, 1975 |
| Reference number | 75001503 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1874 |
| Architect / builder | Joseph J. McElhenny (builder) |
| Architectural style | Gothic Revival |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Listed in excellent and unaltered condition on its original site; occupied as a private residence. |
| Acreage | 1.5 |
| Coordinates | 39.86089, -84.10240 (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 75001503.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q4822733
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.