Lange Hotel
Also known as: Arcade Hotal; Hotel Alexandria; Town House; Hamilton Hotel
Why it's listed
Built in 1887 by Henry Lange at the corner of West Dayton and Main streets, this Commercial Italianate frame hotel served the village of West Alexandria, Ohio. It replaced an 1817 inn on the same site, which Lange moved around the corner and converted to a double residence. The building has a cut limestone foundation, weatherboard siding now covered with asbestos shingles, a flat roof, and a bracketed cornice. Round-arched windows light the upper half story. A west addition around 1904 enlarged the dining area and added bedrooms. The hotel's importance lies in its link to transportation. The New York Central Railroad reached the town in 1886, and the Dayton and Western traction line followed in 1898, bringing travelers who needed lodging and meals. Passenger service declined in the 1930s, though the hotel later operated as a bus depot. A 1977 fire destroyed part of the building, but the surviving room layout still shows its hotel function.
Significance in brief: It is nominated under Criterion A for its association with West Alexandria's transportation history. The New York Central Railroad arrived in 1886 and the Dayton and Western traction line in 1898, making the town an important regional transfer point for travelers. The hotel housed that passenger traffic and later served as a bus depot.
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 90002213, listed January 25, 1991. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 1 W. Dayton St., West Alexandria |
|---|---|
| County | Preble County |
| Listed | January 25, 1991 |
| Reference number | 90002213 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1887-1936 |
| Architect / builder | Unknown |
| Architectural style | Italianate (Commercial Italianate) |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Commerce, Transportation |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Listed as vacant/not in use. A 1977 fire gutted much of the former commercial building section, leaving only its facade. The remaining part is used for display and storage. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 39.74470, -84.53251 (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 90002213.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q6485845
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.