Brooks, James, House
Also known as: Easterling Building
Why it's listed
Built in 1832 at 41 East First Street in Dayton, this rectangular stone-fronted town house is a Greek Revival dwelling that was later updated in Victorian taste. Its coursed, rusticated stone facade sits over an English basement, and Ionic pilasters mark the three bays of the second story. In the mid-nineteenth century the original Greek Revival entablature was replaced with a bracketed cornice, and some interior mantels were moved upstairs. The house is traditionally called the Clegg House, but deed and tax records show Thomas Clegg never owned the lot. The land belonged to George Davis, a brewer, sheriff and legislator, who had the house built. Merchant and Presbyterian preacher James Brooks bought it in 1836, and it later passed to his daughter and son-in-law, Dr. Jefferson Walters. It is described as the only prominent Greek Revival facade left in Dayton and, with neighboring Victorian houses, shows the change between the two styles.
Significance in brief: The nomination calls it the only building with a prominent Greek Revival facade still standing in Dayton. Together with the nearby Walters House and Edwin Smith House, it illustrates the shift from Greek Revival to Victorian styles in urban street-front dwellings. It is also tied to early Dayton figures including George Davis and the merchant and preacher James Brooks.
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 75001495, listed May 29, 1975. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 41 E. 1st St., Dayton |
|---|---|
| County | Montgomery County |
| Listed | May 29, 1975 |
| Reference number | 75001495 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 19th Century; specific date 1832 |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival with later Victorian alterations |
| Areas of significance | Industry, Commerce, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Condition marked excellent but altered, on its original site; present use listed as commercial and private residence, with the form also checking occupied and unoccupied. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Within district | Downtown Dayton Historic District |
| Coordinates | 39.76272, -84.19126 (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 75001495.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q6130298
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.