Southern Ohio Lunatic Asylum
Also known as: Main Building of Old Dayton State Hospital
Why it's listed
Rising on elevated ground above Dayton, this four-story brick building at 2335 Wayne Avenue served as the Southern Ohio Lunatic Asylum and later as the Dayton Mental Health Center. Opened in September 1855 at a cost of about $110,000, it was designed by Dr. Kirkbride, an expert on asylum architecture. Its Victorian Italianate design features a central block with a two-story Ionic portico, a bracketed cornice, and an octagonal cupola, flanked by three-story gabled wings. Later extensions in 1866 and 1868 brought the facade to 940 feet. It was Ohio's second major asylum, built because the Columbus asylum could hold only 300 patients while roughly 2,000 people were thought to need care. By 1872 it housed 609 patients. Conditions declined from the 1960s, and after a new facility was built on the grounds the main building was vacated. Most outbuildings have been demolished. Its architecture and institutional history supported its listing while demolition was a threat.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the building is significant for its elaborate Victorian architecture and its commanding hilltop position over the city, which made it a source of community pride. It also marks the state's second major institution for the insane, created because the only existing asylum, at Columbus, held about 300 patients against an estimated 2,000 people in need.
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 79001902, listed November 15, 1979. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 2335 Wayne Ave., Dayton |
|---|---|
| County | Montgomery County |
| Listed | November 15, 1979 |
| Reference number | 79001902 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1855, 1866, 1868, 1906 |
| Architect / builder | Dr. Kirkbride |
| Architectural style | Victorian Italianate |
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Social History |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Standing empty after the hospital moved to a new facility on the grounds, and described as threatened by demolition. |
| Acreage | 20 |
| Coordinates | 39.73833, -84.16081 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For a publicly owned building or structure, listing mainly matters when federal funds, permits or licences are involved: projects then go through Section 106 review so effects on the property are considered. Listing also strengthens applications for preservation grants and, for leased income-producing uses, can enable the federal rehabilitation tax credit.
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 79001902.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7570217
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.