Barker, Judge Joseph, Jr., House
Why it's listed
Overlooking the Ohio River southwest of Newport, this two-story Flemish bond brick house rests on a cut sandstone foundation. Built in 1832, it has a five-bay south facade with a central doorway under an elliptical fanlight and sidelights, a gable roof now covered in metal, and decorative half-elliptical fanlights high in the gable ends. Later additions include a rear two-story wing, a small single-story addition, and a modern cement block section at the north end. Col. Joseph Barker, one of Ohio's earliest master builders, built it for his son, Joseph Barker Jr., a judge of the Court of Common Pleas and state legislator who lived there until his death in 1859. Barker came to Marietta in 1789 and worked on many of its fine Federal style buildings, several of which have since been demolished. The house is among the few remaining examples of his work in the area and is now used by the Army Corps of Engineers.
Significance in brief: The house was built by Col. Joseph Barker, one of Ohio's earliest master builders, for his son Joseph Barker Jr., a Court of Common Pleas judge. It is one of the few surviving examples of Barker's work in the area. Barker was responsible for some of the finest Federal style buildings in Marietta.
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 79001979, listed July 26, 1979. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | SW of Newport on OH 7, Newport |
|---|---|
| County | Washington County |
| Listed | July 26, 1979 |
| Reference number | 79001979 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1800-1899 |
| Architect / builder | Col. Joseph Barker (1765-1843) |
| Architectural style | Federal |
| Areas of significance | Exploration/Settlement, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Owned by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and used as part of its Willow Island Lock and Dam installation; marked occupied on the form. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 39.35800, -81.32889 (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 79001979.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q6302580
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.