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Historic
Homes of Ironton, Ohio
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Lawrence County Courthouse
Courthouse Square. The stone Greek Revival style courthouse was
completed by builder J. C. Unkefer & Co., in 1907, and replaced the
federal style courthouse which burned. The fifth street annex was added in
1978.
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122 South 4th Street
Built in 1872 by DeWitt Clinton Wilson, physician, for his residence.
His office was at 4th and center. He once remarked that he married Electa
Alderman and voted for President U.S. Grant on the same day, Nov. 8th,
1872. This house later was the residence of the John Rist family. In
recent times it has been the office of attorneys. Wilson subsequently
built at 422 So 6th St.
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403 Railroad Street - Memorial Hall
Constructed in 1892 as a memorial to the Grand Army of the Republic,
the building was partially destroyed by the fire in 1905. Only the tower
and the stone facade remain from the original structure. It originally
housed Briggs Library and club rooms. Later the building housed the city
jail and city government offices. It is now vacant.
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416 Lawrence Street
This is Ironton's oldest farm house, built in 1840 by James Fraley,
before the city was organized in 1849, and then sold by Ohio Iron &
Coal Co. to John Glidden. This Greek Revival two-story brick has pillars
and wrought iron castings that support a porch. The decorative wrought
iron gives the house a "New Orleans" effect. When the city was
laid out, much of the land in front of the house became sidewalk and
street. It was known as the Henry Staab home from 1905-1979.
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424 Lawrence Street
Probably built in the mid 1800's by Dr. William D. Wilson, who was
the medical examiner in 1852. His office was in this house, also. He and
his wife, Jerusha, both died here in 1898. Another resident was Ebenezer
Moore. He operated Moore's Stogie Factory at Second and Lawrence Sts. The
business's slogan was "None but an expert can tell a Moore's Stogie
from a Key West!" Descendents of Moore owned the house until recent
years when the Lawrence County CAO bought it, restored and renovated it
and moved the JTPA offices here. It is now privately owned and used for
business offices.
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510 Lawrence Street
Built in the mid 1800's by Joe Campbell, son of Hiram. Joe left the
firm of H. Campbell & Sons to become a feature writer for the
Cincinnati Enquirer, and sold the house to Nicholas McMahon in 1893. The
McMahon family lived in the home until 1978. Wilbur and Joyce Rapp,
present owners, spent three years restoring the house, uncovering lovely
floors, discovering a back stairway, restoring the front stairway, etc.
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516 Lawrence Street
It is not clear who built this Italianate style two-story brick. One
source credits Captain Harry Brown, an Ohio River Packet Boat Operator.
Another source states it was built by J. H. Bothwell, a director of
Belfont Iron Works and owner of the first cut nail factory in the Hanging
Rock Iron Region. both lived in the house...the question is "Who was
first?"
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605 Lawrence Street
This Federal-Greek Revival one-story brick house was built by the
Lanhan family in 1857. Mrs. Lanham was a school teacher. The bricks used
were produced on Lawrence St. in the same brickyard that manufactured
those used in the Campbell house. Henry Horn, a butcher, bought the house
in 1891 and his family owned it until the 1980's when it was purchased and
restored by the Lawrence County CAO and resold and is now a private
residence.
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321 North Fifth Street
The 24 room French second empire style mansion, noted for its mansard
roof, was built in 1850 by Hiram Campbell, cousin of John. President
Rutherford B. Hayes was entertained here. Hiram operated Mt. Vernon
Furnace
and was the builder of Sarah Furnace in South Ironton, near the location
of Ironton Iron, and served in the Ohio Legislature.
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305 North Fifth Street
305 No Fifth St. - John Campbell and his wife, Elizabeth Clark
Campbell, built this 22-room Early Victorian brick home in 1850. While the
porch is not original, the house does retain many original features,
including an impressive solid black walnut staircase to the third floor.
The bricks with which the house was built were molded and fired on the
grounds, from clay dug on site. An active abolitionist, Campbell aided
many runaway slaves traveling north through Lawrence County. Campbell had
an interest in 14 furnaces in the Hanging Rock iron region. He is known as
the founder of Ironton, due to the fact that he organized and served as
president of Ohio Iron & Coal Company, the group that purchased the land
and laid out the city. He was the prime mover behind the Iron Railroad
which carried iron from the furnaces in remote areas of the county, to the
Ohio River for shipment all over the country, and indeed the world.
Subsequent occupants were the Bingaman-Jones Funeral Home and later, Baker
Funeral Home. The Lawrence County Community Action Organization offices
are now located here, and care has been taken to maintain the original
plan of the historic building.
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