Moore, Philip, Stone House
Also known as: The Stone House
Why it's listed
Built in 1797 near West Portsmouth, this fieldstone house in Scioto County, Ohio, has a two-story rectangular front section and a 1 1/2 story rear wing over a partial two-room stone cellar. The front walls are squared rubble, and the windows and central door have stone arches with keystones. Inside, restoration uncovered solid oak ceiling beams, hand-hewn rafters joined with wooden pegs, and three fireplaces with keystone construction. The house matters mainly for its religious role. In the early 1800s the first Methodist society in the Scioto County area was organized here, and those who attended became the first members of Bigelow's Methodist Episcopal Church. The house served as a haven for circuit riders, and accounts record preaching there by Henry Smith, Henry Bascom, Peter Cartwright and Bishop Asbury. It originally belonged to the town of Alexandria, later lost to flooding. The nomination also stresses the building's early date.
Significance in brief: The house hosted the first Methodist society organized in the Scioto County area in the early 1800s. Its congregation became the first members of Bigelow's Methodist Episcopal Church, and traveling preachers including Bishop Asbury and Peter Cartwright preached there. The nomination also notes the structure's considerable age.
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 75001531, listed October 21, 1975. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | S of West Portsmouth on OH 239, West Portsmouth |
|---|---|
| County | Scioto County |
| Listed | October 21, 1975 |
| Reference number | 75001531 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1797 |
| Architectural style | Vernacular |
| Areas of significance | Religion |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Restoration in progress at the time of nomination; basic structure described as in good condition. Listed as a private residence. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 38.74331, -83.03372 (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 75001531.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7184098
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.