Fairmont Avenue Historic District
Why it's listed
Fairmont Avenue in north Zanesville is a street of 33 detached two- and three-story houses, laid out in 1904 by real estate developer W. Hunter Atha as the most prestigious street of his North Terrace Addition. Atha named it for his West Virginia hometown and imposed unusual restrictions for the time: a 30-foot setback for houses, a 20-foot setback for porches, two stories in height and at least six rooms. Houses went up from 1905 until the last was built in 1939. Early residents included physicians, dentists, merchants, manufacturers and a railroad surgeon. The street shows Colonial, Georgian, Neo-Classical and Tudor Revival designs, some by local architects John Schooley and Harry C. Meyer and built by Alva Vinsel, Mark Moore and the Dunzweiler Brothers. One 1905 house is noted for early use of concrete block. The district has kept its character, with no houses razed and no intrusive new construction.
Significance in brief: The district is nominated for its architecture and for its links to people important to Zanesville's commercial and industrial life in the early twentieth century. It is a well-maintained, cohesive neighborhood showing the tastes of the city's business elite in a mix of revival styles. It also represents the work of local architects and master builders, and early building and setback restrictions shaped its consistent character.
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 82001483, listed November 30, 1982. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | Fairmont Ave., Zanesville |
|---|---|
| County | Muskingum County |
| Listed | November 30, 1982 |
| Reference number | 82001483 |
| Resource type | District |
| Period of significance | 1905-1939 |
| Architect / builder | Architects Harry C. Meyer and John Schooley; builders Alva A. Vinsel, Mark Moore, Howard Handshy and the Dunzweiler Brothers |
| Architectural style | Colonial Revival, Georgian Revival, Neo-Classical Revival and Tudor Revival |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Described as extremely well maintained, with no houses razed in its 75-year history; the condition is marked excellent and altered, and the use is private residence. |
| Acreage | 3 |
| Within district | Muskingum River Navigation Historic District |
| Coordinates | 39.95856, -82.01295 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
This is a historic district. Buildings within its boundary are either contributing (they add to the district's significance) or non-contributing. Owners of contributing income-producing buildings can claim the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit; homeowners should look at state credits. National Register districts impose no design review by themselves; a local historic district ordinance, if one exists, does (the difference explained).
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 82001483.
- 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.