Long-Romspert House
Also known as: Oakwood Historical Society
Why it's listed
Set on a knoll about 100 feet back from Far Hills Avenue in Oakwood, Ohio, this house preserves two distinct eras of local life. Henry Long, a farmer who bought the land in 1857, built the brick T-plan farmhouse with Italianate detailing in 1866. He also owned a sand and gravel pit whose gravel paved the Lebanon Turnpike. Between 1917 and 1923 his descendants, the Romsperts, added a second living unit and unified the building with a porch and stucco finish, creating two apartments with distinct interiors. Outbuildings include a summer kitchen, sheds, a springhouse-garden shed and early garages. The house was listed because it shows Oakwood's change from orchards and cornfields to an exclusive Dayton suburb after the 1913 flood. A survey of other mid-19th century houses in Oakwood found none that kept their historic character. The property passed to the Oakwood Historical Society, which operates it as a museum.
Significance in brief: It reflects Oakwood's shift from a rural farming area to a fashionable suburb of Dayton. The 1866 farmhouse and outbuildings are described as the best surviving example of the agricultural period, and a survey found no other properties from that era that kept their character. The Romspert addition, porch and stucco finish represent early 20th century suburban taste, and the interior is largely intact.
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 87001522, listed December 21, 1987. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 1947 Far Hills Ave., Oakwood |
|---|---|
| County | Montgomery County |
| Listed | December 21, 1987 |
| Reference number | 87001522 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1917-1923 |
| Architectural style | Late Victorian; T-plan farmhouse with Italianate influence |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Community Planning and Development |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Bequeathed to the Oakwood Historical Society and now used as a local history museum; the interior is described as essentially intact. |
| Acreage | 1 |
| Coordinates | 39.71398, -84.17224 (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 87001522.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q138638503
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.