Marshall, Thomas, House
Why it's listed
Built about 1865 in Dayton, Armstrong County, this two and one-half story gable-roofed frame farmhouse follows a Georgian plan, with two rooms on each side of a central hall on both floors. A later addition of about 1880 extends the rear, giving the house an L-shaped footprint. Its main architectural interest lies in the cut scroll double brackets on the cornice and gable ends, and in the matching double brackets over the front window heads. These details show urban Italianate styling carried into a large rural farmhouse. The interior is plain, with little decorative woodwork and a notable wooden barrel in the attic that once stored water pumped up by a windmill. Thomas Marshall, a farmer and merchant in the Dayton area, managed a store with his brother William, who is said to have assisted fugitive slaves at another location. The house is regarded as an example of refined architectural trends reaching a rural county. Restoration as a community landmark was being planned by the Dayton Borough Bicentennial Committee.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the house is significant mainly for its architecture, bringing Italianate detailing such as cut scroll double brackets to a large rural farmhouse in an area then largely rural. It also connects the property to Thomas Marshall, a farmer and merchant in the Dayton area, and to a brother said to have assisted fugitive slaves at another location.
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 76001602, listed April 22, 1976. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | State St., Dayton |
|---|---|
| County | Armstrong County |
| Listed | April 22, 1976 |
| Reference number | 76001602 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1800-1899 |
| Architectural style | Italianate motif on a Georgian plan |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | The Dayton Borough Bicentennial Committee was applying for a grant-in-aid to restore the house and planned it as a community landmark. |
| Acreage | 2 |
| Coordinates | 40.88060, -79.24253 (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 76001602.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q16894687
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.