Lawndale Farm Complex
Also known as: Gay-Dreisbach-Pontius Farm
Why it's listed
Lawndale Farm lies about five miles southeast of Circleville in Pickaway County, Ohio, and is still worked as a farm. The nominated 10 acres hold a large 1869 Italianate house and a group of outbuildings built between 1813 and 1915, including a log house, blacksmith shop, hen house, smokehouse, barns, hayshed, corncrib and buggy shed, scale building and tenant house. Several buildings from 1877 form the end of a horseshoe-shaped layout. The land has stayed in one family since John Gay Sr. arrived from Pennsylvania in 1797, and he built the log house, blacksmith shop and hen house in 1813. The farm is significant as a typical corn and cattle operation in a county that led the state in those crops in the second half of the 19th century. The ornate 1869 house, with tall narrow windows, bracketed eaves, a hipped roof and a cupola, is unusual among county farmhouses and reflects the owners' prosperity.
Significance in brief: The complex is argued to be significant under Criterion A as an example of a corn and cattle farm in a county that led Ohio in those products in the later 19th century. Its buildings show a continuous record of farm development from 1813 to 1915. The 1869 house is cited under Criterion C as an outstanding local example of Italianate style reflecting the family's prosperity.
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 84003795, listed April 19, 1984. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 26476 Gay Dreisbach Rd., Circleville |
|---|---|
| County | Pickaway County |
| Listed | April 19, 1984 |
| Reference number | 84003795 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1813-1915 |
| Architectural style | Italianate |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Agriculture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Still a functioning farm; all buildings are in use except the tenant house. |
| Acreage | 10 |
| Coordinates | 39.54698, -82.91913 (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 84003795.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q138648192
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.