Unger, George B., House
Also known as: The Collins' House
Why it's listed
This house at 29 East Dayton Street in West Alexandria, Ohio, was built in two stages and has an L-shaped plan. A plain, one-story vernacular wing at the rear was completed in 1830 by pioneer Jacob Sorber, who set up a sawmill on Twin Creek and built much of the town's early architecture. The two-story front section, dating to 1847, has a symmetrical five-bay Flemish bond brick facade facing south, a stone-linteled doorway with pilasters, transom and sidelights, and star-shaped tie rod ends. Inside, a central hall separates single rooms on each side, with austere Greek Revival trim. George B. Unger, a Pennsylvania native who became a clerk and later married his employer's daughter, owned the property when the front was built, and his home was considered a local showplace. The house is described as the best example of its type in the area, and its location on U.S. 35, part of the Dayton cutoff of the Old National Road, gives it wide visibility.
Significance in brief: The nomination calls the house an excellent example of a Greek Revival influenced town house and the best example in its locale. Its position on U.S. 35 gives it high regional visibility. The 1830 wing is tied to pioneer builder Jacob Sorber, and the front section to George B. Unger, a local clerk and merchant's son-in-law.
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 78002176, listed November 15, 1978. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 29 E. Dayton St., West Alexandria |
|---|---|
| County | Preble County |
| Listed | November 15, 1978 |
| Reference number | 78002176 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1800-1899 |
| Architect / builder | 1830 - Jacob Sorber (spelled Serber in earlier drafts); 1847 - John Zitzer (spelled Sitzer in earlier drafts) |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival influence (L-plan town house) |
| Areas of significance | Commerce, Exploration/Settlement, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Private residence, occupied; a frame garage/workshop was added to the rear of the 1830 wing. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 39.74441, -84.53065 (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 78002176.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q138657154
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.