Mitchell, Randolph, House
Why it's listed
Built in 1828, the Randolph Mitchell House is a brick Federal residence in New Reading, the first settlement in Perry County, Ohio. L-shaped and set on a tooled sandstone foundation, it has a five-bay facade with a central entrance featuring an eight-panel door, fanlight, sidelights and slender Ionic columns. A date stone in the east gable reads "R.M. 1828." Inside, a central hall with a molded semi-elliptical archway, an open-string stair, classical mantels, a built-in cupboard and traces of stencilled decoration reflect Adam Style detailing. A brick smokehouse and a large braced-frame barn with two cupolas survive on the property. Mitchell, described in an 1883 county history as a noted old-time merchant, bought several village lots in 1819. The area's first Methodist congregation was organized in his house. The home stayed in his family for more than a century, passing through his wife, his daughter and her physician husband, and later descendants, until its sale in 1951.
Significance in brief: The nomination calls it one of the finest and most intact examples of Federal architecture in the area and an important part of the township's settlement architecture. It stands in New Reading, the first settlement in Perry County, and was home to a merchant whose house hosted the area's first Methodist congregation.
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 78002170, listed December 8, 1978. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | Rush Creek Rd., New Reading |
|---|---|
| County | Perry County |
| Listed | December 8, 1978 |
| Reference number | 78002170 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1828 |
| Architectural style | Federal (Adam Style detailing) |
| Areas of significance | Exploration/Settlement, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Privately owned; listed as a private residence, in good condition and altered; the form marks it occupied or unoccupied only ambiguously. |
| Acreage | 1 |
| Coordinates | 39.81010, -82.35339 (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 78002170.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q14716792
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.