Buckingham-Petty House
Why it's listed
Built around 1840 near Duncan Falls in Muskingum County, this large ell-shaped brick house rests on a stone foundation and is considered the finest Greek Revival residence in Wayne Township. Its most distinctive feature is a huge Doric wood frieze that runs around the house, except for the garage addition. A hexastyle two-story porch on the south side of the ell is original, while the front portico and the north side portico were later replaced by a hipped-roof porch and a porte-cochere. Original 6/6 windows, many louvered shutters, plaster crown moldings, mantels and eight-panel doors remain inside and out. The house was built under Alvah Buckingham, a Putnam merchant who built Chicago's first grain elevator in 1850. His son James lived on the farm for a decade, and the property later passed to Rev. Ludwell Petty and his son, Rev. Asbury Petty. Greek Revival buildings are rare in this rural area, which adds to the house's importance.
Significance in brief: It is nominated as the finest of the very few Greek Revival houses in Wayne Township, an area where early rural homes were mostly vernacular. Its porticos, classical ornament, proportions and large Doric wood frieze mark it as an unusual example of elite architecture. It is also tied to Alvah Buckingham, a Putnam merchant who built Chicago's first grain elevator, and to the Petty family of ministers.
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 80003182, listed August 11, 1980. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | Mound Rd., Duncan Falls |
|---|---|
| County | Muskingum County |
| Listed | August 11, 1980 |
| Reference number | 80003182 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1800-1899 |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Listed as in good condition, altered, on its original site, and occupied; the grounds are now partly a golf course and no historic outbuildings remain. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Within district | Muskingum River Navigation Historic District |
| Coordinates | 39.88090, -81.91343 (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 80003182.
- 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.