Harper, William Rainey, Log House
Why it's listed
Standing on East Main Street in New Concord, Ohio, this two-story log house was built of square-hewn poplar logs in a double-pen plan, with a slate gable roof and a stone and brick foundation. It measures 28 by 50 feet and was moved to its present site at some unknown time before 1918. Clapboarding has been removed only from the front, exposing the logs, and the gaps between them were later filled with concrete in an attempt at restoration. The house is notable as a well-kept example of the traditional log building used by early settlers in southern Ohio. It is also the birthplace of William Rainey Harper, born there in 1856. Harper graduated from Muskingum College at fourteen, earned a Yale doctorate at eighteen, and became the first president of the University of Chicago in 1891. Muskingum College bought the house in 1918, restored it, and now uses it as a museum of Harper memorabilia.
Significance in brief: The house is a well-preserved example of early nineteenth-century traditional log architecture, once common in southern Ohio. Its greatest significance is as the 1856 birthplace of William Rainey Harper, an internationally known educator and first president of the University of Chicago.
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 78002154, listed April 6, 1978. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | E. Main St., New Concord |
|---|---|
| County | Muskingum County |
| Listed | April 6, 1978 |
| Reference number | 78002154 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1800-1899 |
| Architect / builder | Samuel Harper (?) |
| Architectural style | Traditional log, double pen |
| Areas of significance | Education, Exploration/Settlement, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Excellent condition; occupied and used as a house museum with Harper memorabilia, owned by Muskingum College. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Within district | Muskingum River Navigation Historic District |
| Coordinates | 39.99390, -81.73453 (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 78002154.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q8017334
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.