Hunter, James, Stone House
Why it's listed
Built in 1835 east of Adamsville, this 1½-story farmhouse is constructed entirely of vermiculated sandstone quarried nearby. It sits partly into a hillside, facing uphill toward its farm outbuildings, with the rear overlooking broad bottomland. The builder's initials and the date are carved into the lintel over the main door. Nearby stands a 62-by-40-foot bank barn on a sandstone foundation marked with the initials J.H. and the year 1827, suggesting the barn is older than the house, along with a stone-fenced barnyard. The house is credited to Archibald Boal, a mason from Morgan County who settled near Norwich in 1830 and built stone houses across the region in the late 1830s and early 1840s. Stone houses were uncommon in this poor township, where log and frame were typical. Its hillside-adapted plan also differs from the I-house form common nearby. The 1850 census shows Hunter, a farmer, owning 160 acres.
Significance in brief: It is nominated for architectural significance as the work of local master mason Archibald Boal (1799-1862). Stone houses were rare in the poor township, and this one is one of only two in its quarter of Highland Township. Its form is also unusual, adapted to a hillside rather than following the common I-house plan.
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 80003181, listed January 3, 1980. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | E of Adamsville on Mercer Rd., Adamsville |
|---|---|
| County | Muskingum County |
| Listed | January 3, 1980 |
| Reference number | 80003181 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1800-1899 (specific date 1835) |
| Architect / builder | Archibald Boal |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Listed as in good condition, altered, on its original site; the form marks it occupied and used as a private residence and for agriculture. |
| Acreage | 7.5 |
| Within district | Muskingum River Navigation Historic District |
| Coordinates | 40.07095, -81.79916 (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 80003181.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q14716527
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.