Harmar Historic District (Boundary Increase)
Why it's listed
Harmar is a riverside village neighborhood of Marietta, Ohio, where the Muskingum and Ohio Rivers meet. This boundary increase enlarges the original 1974 district to take in a fuller picture of the community that grew around the site of Fort Harmar, a military post from the late 1780s. The streets follow a grid centered on a town square. Buildings range from the 1805 David Putnam sandstone house and the brick Levi Barber House of 1829 to Greek Revival, Gothic Revival, Queen Anne and Richardsonian Romanesque houses, plus shotgun houses, lodge halls and a former lockhouse. Two 1914 truss bridges, the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Bridge and the Putnam Street Bridge, cross the Muskingum. Also included are Harmar Cemetery, established in 1796, and a former industrial site. Together they show how homes, schools, churches and businesses supported by industry developed here over time. The expansion adds 199 contributing buildings.
Significance in brief: The district preserves the village of Harmar, which predates the 1788 settlement of Marietta and developed as a community apart from it. Its buildings include early Federal and Greek Revival houses and later Victorian and vernacular buildings. Bridges, railroad structures and an industrial site document its commercial and industrial base. The expansion adds 199 contributing buildings, 3 structures and 2 sites to the original 1974 district.
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 93000987, listed September 16, 1993. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | Roughly bounded by Lancaster, Harmar, Putnam and Franklin Sts. and the Ohio R., Fort Harmar Dr. and the Muskingum R., Marietta |
|---|---|
| County | Washington County |
| Listed | September 16, 1993 |
| Reference number | 93000987 |
| Resource type | District |
| Architect / builder | Joseph Barker (believed designer of the Levi Barber House); Douglas Pattin (Hart-Huling House) |
| Architectural style | Federal, Italian Villa, Greek Revival, Gothic Revival, and late 19th and 20th century vernacular |
| Areas of significance | Industry, Commerce, Transportation, Exploration/Settlement, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | The district remains a mix of residential, commercial, religious, educational and transportation uses. The Putnam Street Bridge is still in use with a load limit and is due to be razed. |
| Acreage | 147.5 |
| Coordinates | 39.41150, -81.46164 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
This is a historic district. Buildings within its boundary are either contributing (they add to the district's significance) or non-contributing. Owners of contributing income-producing buildings can claim the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit; homeowners should look at state credits. National Register districts impose no design review by themselves; a local historic district ordinance, if one exists, does (the difference explained).
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 93000987.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.