Horsey-Barthelmas Farm
Why it's listed
Southwest of Circleville, along State Route 104, a farm complex preserves several buildings from nineteenth century rural Ohio. The centerpiece is a square, 1 1/2 story frame house built about 1825 by Smith Horsey in the Greek Revival style. Its monitor roof is rare among Greek Revival buildings in the state, and the recessed entrances with columns in antis, transom and paneled sidelights add to its distinction. Inside, a curved staircase, door and window architraves, four panel doors and mantels remain intact. A small brick smokehouse stands nearby, and across the road a double pen log barn with steeple notching survives, along with a small braced frame shop on the site of a former blacksmith shop. The land earlier held a distillery, the first manufactory in Wayne Township, owned by Abraham Stipp, who sold it to Stephen Horsey in 1808. George Barthelmas, a German immigrant, acquired the farm in the 1870s, and his descendants still own it. The complex is valued as a well preserved group of buildings.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the farm is a well preserved nineteenth century farm complex in Central Ohio. The house is an excellent example of Greek Revival architecture, with unusual features such as a monitor roof, a recessed entry and columns in antis, and intact interior woodwork and staircase. The site was also the location of the earliest manufactory in Wayne Township, a distillery.
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 80003210, listed July 24, 1980. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | W of Circleville on OH 104, Circleville |
|---|---|
| County | Pickaway County |
| Listed | July 24, 1980 |
| Reference number | 80003210 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1825 |
| Architect / builder | Smith Horsey (built the house in 1825) |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Described as in good condition and occupied; the farm remains in the Barthelmas family. A large pond was excavated in the front yard, and the original blacksmith shop and springhouse are gone. |
| Acreage | 2 |
| Coordinates | 39.55518, -83.00883 (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 80003210.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q138648176
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.