Ohio Company Land Office
Also known as: Campus Martius Museum State Memorial; See Also:Marietta Histo
Why it's listed
This small hewn-log building in Marietta, Ohio, served as the Ohio Company Land Office. It is a one-story, gable-roofed structure measuring 27 by 19 feet, with a single fireplace and a sided exterior. It is thought to be one of the first buildings put up by the Ohio Company, along with the Campus Martius blockhouses, in the summer and fall of 1788. Rufus Putnam, a professional surveyor and company superintendent, worked here surveying and dividing the company's 1,800,000-acre grant in the Northwest Territory into parcels for its members. Marietta was the first permanent settlement and seat of government established in the territory after the Ordinance of 1787. After the lots were sold to individual members in 1796, Putnam himself owned the building. The Colonial Dames of America presented it to the State of Ohio in 1953. The Ohio Historical Society repaired and furnished it, and it is now open to the public behind the Campus Martius Museum.
Significance in brief: The building is thought to be among the first erected by the Ohio Company in 1788, near the walls of the Campus Martius fort. Rufus Putnam used it while surveying and dividing the Company's 1,800,000-acre grant among its members. It is tied to the first permanent settlement and seat of government in the Northwest Territory after the Ordinance of 1787.
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 70000523, listed November 10, 1970. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | Washington and 2nd Sts., Campus Martius Museum, Marietta |
|---|---|
| County | Washington County |
| Listed | November 10, 1970 |
| Reference number | 70000523 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1788 |
| Areas of significance | Politics/Government |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Rated in good condition; repaired and furnished by the Ohio Historical Society after its 1953 acquisition and open to the public as part of a memorial and museum. Owned by the State of Ohio. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Within district | Marietta Historic District (Boundary Increase) |
| Coordinates | 39.42126, -81.46140 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For an income-producing building, listing (individually or as a contributing building in a district) is the gateway to the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit on qualified rehabilitation costs, often stackable with state credits. Work claiming the credit must follow the Secretary of the Interior's Standards and be approved in advance.
Listing does not restrict a private owner acting without federal money or permits; where federal funding or licensing is involved, Section 106 review applies.
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 70000523.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7080782
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.