Gottschall, Oscar M., House
Also known as: Alta Nursing Home
Why it's listed
Built around 1870 at 20 Livingston Avenue in Dayton, this two-story house captures a moment when American Gothic Revival design was shifting toward High Victorian Gothic. It rests on a high stone foundation and has a steep slate roof with oversized chimneys and long gable dormers. The center of the three-bay front is dominated by an intricately scrolled, two-story carpenter Gothic porch, and vine-patterned scroll-sawn trim decorates the eaves and gable edges. Windows have simple stone caps and bracketed sills, and a Romanesque triple window lights the side gable. The house is described as unique in Montgomery County and the most outstanding Gothic Revival structure in Dayton. It was the home of Oscar M. Gottschall, a respected lawyer and charter member of the Dayton Bar Association, and his wife Octavia, a watercolorist who encouraged local artistic activity. It now serves as a nursing home, with modern one-story additions at the rear and side.
Significance in brief: The nomination calls it a significant Gothic Revival building that bridges the transition from American Gothic to High Victorian Gothic, unique in Montgomery County and considered the most outstanding Gothic Revival structure in Dayton. It is also tied to Oscar Gottschall, a distinguished lawyer and charter member of the Dayton Bar Association, and his wife Octavia, a watercolorist and daughter of artist Charles Soule.
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 77001076, listed April 11, 1977. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 20 Livingston Ave., Dayton |
|---|---|
| County | Montgomery County |
| Listed | April 11, 1977 |
| Reference number | 77001076 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | c. 1870 |
| Architectural style | Gothic Revival, transitional to High Victorian Gothic |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Occupied and in excellent condition; in use as the Alta Nursing Home, with modern one-story additions that the form says have little impact on its historic values. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 39.75763, -84.14840 (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 77001076.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q138632617
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.