Tavener-Sears Tavern
Why it's listed
Built in 1841 on Main Street in Mount Sterling, Ohio, this 2-story tavern served travelers on the National Road, which ran through the village from the 1820s. The walls are common-bond brick, but the east gable end is wood frame covered in weatherboard, which suggests the brick building was meant to be extended eastward, though that never happened. The symmetrical three-bay facade has a paneled door and flared brick lintels over the second-story windows, features typical of the Federal style. Tax records show a frame and brick house erected in 1841, and John Tavener, a Virginian, bought the lot that year. Census records list both Tavener and later owner Robert Sears as innkeepers, and an 1866 atlas shows the site as the Lee House. Most buildings in the village are simple frame structures, and only two other brick buildings remain there. This is one of just three known surviving taverns or stage stops on the pike in Muskingum County.
Significance in brief: It is nominated as an early tavern on the National Road and one of the very few brick structures from the settlement period in Mount Sterling. It is one of only three known taverns or stage stops left on the Muskingum County stretch of the old pike. Its early keepers, John Tavener and Robert Sears, are documented as innkeepers in census records.
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 82003621, listed April 29, 1982. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | Main St., Mount Sterling |
|---|---|
| County | Muskingum County |
| Listed | April 29, 1982 |
| Reference number | 82003621 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1800-1899 |
| Architectural style | Federal |
| Areas of significance | Commerce |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Listed as unoccupied, in fair condition, on its original site and altered. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 39.95681, -82.15046 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For an income-producing building, listing (individually or as a contributing building in a district) is the gateway to the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit on qualified rehabilitation costs, often stackable with state credits. Work claiming the credit must follow the Secretary of the Interior's Standards and be approved in advance.
Listing does not restrict a private owner acting without federal money or permits; where federal funding or licensing is involved, Section 106 review applies.
Noted as vacant in the nomination. Nomination documents can be decades old; current status may differ. If you are considering buying an empty listed property, read the due-diligence checklist.
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 82003621.
- 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.