Odd Fellows Hall
Why it's listed
Odd Fellows Hall, at 500-506 Court Street in Portsmouth's Boneyfiddle neighborhood, is a three-story brick Italianate building completed in 1871. Its west main facade and south side each have seven bays with alternating triangular and semicircular pressed-metal pediments, original two-over-two windows, and a cornice with paired brackets and frieze panels. The ground floor has storefronts with Doric stone piers and a central entrance leading to the upper floors. The Scioto Lodge of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows formed in 1844 and grew from five members to 150 by 1896. The lodge bought the lot in the 1850s and built the hall at an estimated cost of $25,000. Early on it held a grocery and warehouse, offices, and the lodge hall on the third floor. The storefront and upper stories remain unchanged, and the building still serves as a meeting hall. It was listed for its architectural integrity and its role as a fraternal headquarters.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the building meets Criterion C as an excellent example of Italianate commercial architecture in Portsmouth, with its storefront, cornice and window treatments intact. It is also a representative 19th-century fraternal headquarters combining lodge and commercial space. Its corner location outside the commercial districts, in a residential neighborhood, sets it apart from smaller commercial buildings.
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 87002090, listed December 8, 1987. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 500--506 Court St., Portsmouth |
|---|---|
| County | Scioto County |
| Listed | December 8, 1987 |
| Reference number | 87002090 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1871 |
| Architectural style | Italianate |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Condition is listed as good inside and out; it remains in fraternal ownership and is used as a meeting hall by local groups. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 38.73415, -83.00033 (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 87002090.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7077358
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.