National Register of Historic Places

Marsh, George H., Homestead and the Marsh Foundation School

Van Wert, Van Wert County, Ohio
Listed
November 28, 1980
Type
Building
Period
Industrial
Ref No.
80003239

About this property

The Marsh Foundation School is an alternative school in Van Wert, Ohio, United States. Housed in a complex of historic buildings along the former Lincoln Highway, the school and an associated children's home were founded to serve impoverished children throughout northwestern Ohio. Born in 1833, George H. Marsh settled in Van Wert at the age of twelve with his father. Growing to adulthood, he erected the present farmhouse in the first half of the 1860s; a two-story brick structure, it is a built in the plan of a cross. As the years passed, Marsh became very wealthy, and he became determined to use his wealth to help others. According to locals, Marsh and his family were returning home from Fort Wayne, Indiana on a winter night and saw two impoverished children, and consequently his wife Hilinda suggested dedicating their estate to children such as those two. After Marsh's death, his will provided more than $5,000,000 for the establishment of a foundation to administer the school. In 1923, the trustees contracted with Langdon, Hohly, and Gram, a Toledo architectural company, to build six school buildings on the Marsh farm. Since that time, the school and home have served the community of Van Wert, while the original house has been converted into a museum. In 1980, the Marsh homestead and school buildings were listed on the National Register of Historic Places; twenty-one buildings across the complex qualified as contributing properties. The property qualified for inclusion on the Register both because of its distinctive architecture and because of its connection to Marsh: he was one of Van Wert's leading citizens, and the school buildings are among the best Jacobethan structures in western Ohio.

Location

Van Wert, Van Wert County, Ohio
40.87306, -84.56422

Categories

EDUCATIONARCHITECTURESOCIAL HISTORY
National Register nomination ›
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

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Nearby Historic Sites

Van Wert County Courthouse
Industrial
0.9 mi
Downtown Van Wert Historic District
Listed
1 mi
Brumback Library
Industrial
1.1 mi
Van Wert Bandstand
Industrial
1.6 mi
Convoy Opera House-City Hall-Firehouse Building
Industrial
8.1 mi

Questions about this property

When was Marsh, George H., Homestead and the Marsh Foundation School listed on the National Register?

Marsh, George H., Homestead and the Marsh Foundation School was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on November 28, 1980.

What type of historic resource is Marsh, George H., Homestead and the Marsh Foundation School?

Marsh, George H., Homestead and the Marsh Foundation School is classified as a building in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Marsh, George H., Homestead and the Marsh Foundation School?

The period of significance for Marsh, George H., Homestead and the Marsh Foundation School is recorded as the industrial era.

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