Coffeen, Goldsmith, House
Why it's listed
Built around 1860 at 419 Cincinnati Avenue in Lebanon, Ohio, this three-story brick house has six sides rather than the usual rectangular plan. It was built for Dr. Goldsmith Coffeen, who had emigrated from New York State and was probably familiar with the type of structure popularized there by Orson Fowler in the octagon mode. The house does not appear on an 1854 map of Lebanon, so it was presumably built soon afterward. Its design is simple, with plain stone lintels over the windows, single brackets in the wood frieze, and a full-width front porch with square posts and turned balusters. Inside are 13 rooms with 13 pie-shaped closets, and a small 19th-century brick addition sits at the rear. Coffeen was known for his eccentric character and bred fine horses, owning "Shanghai Mary," called the mother of the trotting horse world. The house has changed little and sits on a spacious lot.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the house is significant for its unusual six-sided shape, built in the same period that Orson Fowler popularized the octagon mode in New York. It is also tied to Dr. Coffeen, a man known for his eccentric character and as a breeder of fine horses. The house has seen little alteration.
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 84000165, listed October 10, 1984. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 419 Cincinnati Ave., Lebanon |
|---|---|
| County | Warren County |
| Listed | October 10, 1984 |
| Reference number | 84000165 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architectural style | Hexagonal (six-sided) plan, related to the Octagon Mode |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | State, Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Exterior condition is described as good; the house is in residential use and has seen little alteration. |
| Acreage | 1.4 |
| Coordinates | 39.42990, -84.21548 (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 84000165.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q138754730
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.