Kellog, Ethol, House
Why it's listed
Built around 1820, this brick farmhouse on Yankee Street near Centerville reflects the first wave of settlement in Washington Township. It follows an L plan with a five-bay Flemish bond facade facing east, a central doorway with panelled frame, sidelights and transom, and small louvered gable openings typical of Ohio Federal buildings. Its first occupant was Ethol Kellog, son of Seth Kellog, who reached the township in 1797. Ethol helped found the township's first library in 1810 and held posts including highway supervisor, judge, juror and school district treasurer. The family later sold to William Maxwell, an experienced farmer who worked the land for thirty-six years and split the farm between two sons in 1868. The house is now derelict, its interior vandalized, though some panelled Federal trim survives. The surrounding farmland is held for suburban development, and road changes nearby threaten the property's survival.
Significance in brief: The nomination presents the house as a relic of the first settlers of Washington Township and Montgomery County. It is tied to the Kellog family, early township officials, and later to the Maxwell family, who farmed the land. It also records a typical Ohio Federal farmhouse form, though it is derelict and threatened by suburban development.
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 76001498, listed June 18, 1976. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | W of Centerville off SR 755 on Yankee St., Centerville |
|---|---|
| County | Montgomery County |
| Listed | June 18, 1976 |
| Reference number | 76001498 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1800-1899 |
| Architectural style | Vernacular Federal |
| Areas of significance | Exploration/Settlement |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Described as derelict and unoccupied; the interior has been heavily vandalized and a rear frame addition or porch has been demolished. The surrounding farmland is untended and held for development. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 39.62971, -84.20049 (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.
Noted as vacant in the nomination. Nomination documents can be decades old; current status may differ. If you are considering buying an empty listed property, read the due-diligence checklist.
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 76001498.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.