Curtis, Walter, House
Why it's listed
Built in 1827 along the Ohio River south of Little Hocking, this two-story brick farmhouse was constructed for Walter Curtis, whose father settled the land in 1796. The house replaced an earlier log homestead. Its main block has three bays, common-bond brick, a gable roof, and an offset trabeated doorway with an eight-panel door, transom and sidelights typical of Midwestern Greek Revival. Original 6/6 and 12/12 windows, stone lintels and louvered shutters survive. A narrower two-story wing with front and back porches was apparently added or raised later. Most high-style houses of the period stood in larger towns such as Marietta and Belpre, while rural dwellings were usually log or simple frame, so this house is a notable exception. Curtis built keelboats for river trade, served as an associate judge and state representative, and later as county commissioner. The property was listed for its architecture and its link to local politics and river commerce.
Significance in brief: It is nominated as an unusually intact early Greek Revival farmhouse that stands out among the log and simple frame rural dwellings of the area. It is also tied to Walter Curtis, a legislator and judge who was active in early Ohio River keelboat trade.
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 80003244, listed October 3, 1980. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | S of Little Hocking, Little Hocking |
|---|---|
| County | Washington County |
| Listed | October 3, 1980 |
| Reference number | 80003244 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1800-1899 |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival |
| Areas of significance | Politics/Government, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Listed as in good condition and altered, on its original site; marked unoccupied. A later porch and a raised two-story wing are noted. No historic outbuildings remain. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 39.22149, -81.71055 (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.
Noted as vacant in the nomination. Nomination documents can be decades old; current status may differ. If you are considering buying an empty listed property, read the due-diligence checklist.
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 80003244.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7964629
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.