Putnam Historic District
Why it's listed
Putnam is a 45-acre neighborhood of Zanesville, Ohio, that began as the separate village of Springfield in 1801, laid out by Dr. Increase Mathews, Rufus Putnam and Levi Whipple. It competed with Zanesville to become Ohio's capital in 1809-10 and lost, was renamed Putnam in 1814, was incorporated in 1835 and was annexed to Zanesville in 1872. Of about 168 structures, roughly 118 date from the 19th century, mostly 1865 to 1900, and about 23 date from the first half of the century. Those early Federal and Greek Revival buildings sit close together to a degree now rare in Ohio. Notable examples include the 1805 stone Mathews House, the 1809 Stone Academy, the Buckingham House with its recessed Federal doorway, the Henry Mathews House with its portico modeled on the Temple of Minerva, and the 1835 Gothic Revival Presbyterian church. A historic zoning ordinance and design review board were established in 1973.
Significance in brief: Putnam is described as one of Ohio's oldest historic areas, founded as Springfield in 1801 and a rival to Zanesville for the state capital in 1809-10. It retains a rare concentration of Federal and Greek Revival buildings alongside many Victorian structures. It also has associations with early settlement, the abolition movement and a visit by President Monroe in 1817.
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 75001511, listed June 30, 1975. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | Bounded by Penn Central RR. tracks, Van Buren St., and the Muskingum River, Zanesville |
|---|---|
| County | Muskingum County |
| Listed | June 30, 1975 |
| Reference number | 75001511 |
| Resource type | District |
| Period of significance | 1800-1899 |
| Architectural style | Federal, Greek Revival, Gothic Revival and Victorian |
| Areas of significance | Exploration/Settlement, Politics/Government, Architecture, Black |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Mostly occupied, in good condition and altered. The Alvah Buckingham House had fallen into disrepair and was being repaired. Two county buildings built in the past decade and some gas stations and small commercial buildings are listed as intrusions. |
| Acreage | 45 |
| Within district | Muskingum River Navigation Historic District |
| Coordinates | 39.93504, -82.00863 (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 75001511.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q49546925
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.