Somerset Historic District
Why it's listed
Somerset, in Perry County, Ohio, is a village whose early core survives largely intact around Public Square and Market Square. The district covers about 70 buildings along Main and Columbus Streets. Its centerpiece is the Old Perry County Courthouse of 1828, a nearly square, two-story whitewashed brick building with a hipped roof, cupola and elliptical-headed federal doorway, designed by James Hampson. Beside it stands the former sandstone jail, now attached to the courthouse. Somerset is one of only two Ohio original county seats that keep their first permanent courthouse. Around the square are mid- to late-19th-century commercial buildings, including Underwood's Hardware and Finck's Store, with its Italianate window hoodmolds and cornice. The district also contains the boyhood home of General Philip H. Sheridan, whose 1905 equestrian statue stands on the square. Only three gasoline stations are classed as intrusions. The village was founded in 1810 and served as county seat until 1857.
Significance in brief: Somerset is one of only two Ohio original county seats that still have their first-generation federal-style courthouse. The nomination also ranks it among Ohio's most intact early county seats, since nearly all its 19th-century commercial buildings and houses survive. Only three intrusions, all gasoline stations, are noted among roughly 70 buildings.
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 75001516, listed September 5, 1975. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | Main St. from High St. to properties facing Market Sq; Columbus St. from jct. with Sheridan and Gay Sts., Somerset |
|---|---|
| County | Perry County |
| Listed | September 5, 1975 |
| Reference number | 75001516 |
| Resource type | District |
| Period of significance | 1800-1899 |
| Architect / builder | James Hampson (Old Courthouse); built by William P. Darst and George Jackson |
| Architectural style | Federal (courthouse); restrained Italianate detailing on Finck's Store |
| Areas of significance | Art, Politics/Government, Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | The old courthouse houses city offices. The old jail, used until the mid-1950s, is vacant except for a portion used as a garage. Most commercial buildings around the square are described as in good repair. |
| Acreage | 30 |
| Coordinates | 39.80904, -82.29940 (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 75001516.
- 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.