Greenlawn Cemetery Chapel
Also known as: Old Stone Chapel
Why it's listed
Greenlawn Cemetery Chapel is a small stone building on the main driveway near the entrance to Portsmouth's city-owned cemetery. Measuring 20 by 28 feet, it has a steeply pitched slate gable roof, coursed ashlar walls with smooth stone quoins, water table and cornice, and eight narrow Gothic-arched windows, several still with original wooden shutters. Inside, three large stone slabs with iron rings once covered a cellar where bodies were held in vaults when bad weather delayed burial. Cemetery records, council minutes and maps suggest construction between 1883 and 1895. By 1926 it was being used for tool storage. A brick addition from the twentieth century detracts from its lines. It was nominated for architecture, as a pure example of Gothic Revival design that contrasts with the city's larger brick Gothic churches, and as the last nineteenth-century building in the cemetery.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the chapel is a fine and pure expression of the Gothic Revival style. Its small scale, austere stone construction and subdued lines set it apart from the city's larger brick Gothic Revival churches, and suit its cemetery setting. It is also the only nineteenth-century building left in the cemetery.
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 80003216, listed January 3, 1980. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | Offnere St., Portsmouth |
|---|---|
| County | Scioto County |
| Listed | January 3, 1980 |
| Reference number | 80003216 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | ca. 1883-1895 |
| Architectural style | Gothic Revival |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Now used only for storage; a twentieth-century brick addition on the east side serves as a garage/storage area, and the city is considering removing it to restore the original appearance. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 38.74389, -82.98444 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
Religious properties are listed for their architectural or historical significance, not their religious use. Listing is honorary and does not restrict the congregation's use of the building. The federal rehabilitation credit is generally unavailable unless part of the building is income-producing; some state programmes and preservation grants do cover religious buildings. Federal funding or permits trigger Section 106 review.
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 80003216.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q138670566
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.