National Historic Landmark

McGuffey, William H., Boyhood Home Site

Coitsville Township, Mahoning County, Ohio
Listed
October 14, 1966
Type
Site
Period
Listed
Ref No.
66000617

About this property

The William H. McGuffey Boyhood Home Site is a National Historic Landmark in Mahoning County, Ohio. It is the location where William H. McGuffey (1800-1873), lived for much of his youth. McGuffey is best known as the creator of the McGuffey Readers, a hugely popular set of educational primers. The site, now a regional park known as the McGuffey Wildlife Preserve, was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1966. The William H. McGuffey Boyhood Home Site is located in a rural setting of northwestern Coitsville Township east of Youngstown, on the south side of McGuffey Road east of Ohio State Route 616. It is a basically rectangular parcel about 73 acres (30 ha) in size. The parcel is basically flat, with a low ridge running north-south in its eastern part. The original log cabin built by Alexander McGuffey was probably located on that ridge, but there is scholarly disagreement over its precise location. The original 165.5-acre (67.0 ha) property was first occupied by the McGuffey family as early as 1802, but the family did not purchase it until 1814. William McGuffey was born in Pennsylvania in 1800, and spent his youth on this property. McGuffey was a prominent proponent of public school education, and taught at Miami University for many years. While there, he published his series of McGuffey Readers, a series of grade school educational texts that were so widely used that they rivalled The Bible in sales. The 73-acre property of the McGuffey homestead that has survived subdivision was acquired by a nonprofit organization around the time it was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1966, and was donated to the county for use as a nature preserve in 1998. The property has hiking trails open to the public.

Location

Coitsville Township, Mahoning County, Ohio
41.11656, -80.55890

Categories

LITERATURE
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.

Unlimited access

Everything a full report reveals about McGuffey, William H., Boyhood Home Site

This page lists McGuffey, William H., Boyhood Home Site. A full Aubrey report for an address near it pulls together this listing alongside battlefield records, land patents, and every other historical record within a chosen radius:

Overview
An interactive map of the location with historic sites, battles and Native heritage plotted, and its full story era by era.
The Land
The historic sites and place names around the location, and how this land was settled and used.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.
LiDAR Terrain
Laser-scanned terrain that reveals earthworks and old features hidden in the landscape.
Conflict & War
The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.
The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.
Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
The people born, buried or genuinely tied to this exact place, with their stories.
Historical Maps
Historic maps of the location layered over how it looks today.
Finds & Access
Museum objects tied to the area, and the laws on searching, collecting and access here.
Literature
The old books, county histories and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Spotlight
A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.
Points of Interest
The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from first peoples to the present day.
First month just $5.99, then $11.99 a month. Unlimited locations, cancel anytime.

Every location is different. Not every section appears for every place, only what the historical record actually holds turns up in a report.

Start your McGuffey, William H., Boyhood Home Site report
Or see a real report first

Nearby Historic Sites

Youngstown Sheet and Tube Company Housing
Listed
3.6 mi
Welsh Congregational Church
Civil War
4 mi
Rayen School
Industrial
4.1 mi
McCrory Building
Industrial
4.1 mi
Strouss-Hirschberg Company
Industrial
4.1 mi

Questions about this property

When was McGuffey, William H., Boyhood Home Site listed on the National Register?

McGuffey, William H., Boyhood Home Site was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on October 14, 1966.

What type of historic resource is McGuffey, William H., Boyhood Home Site?

McGuffey, William H., Boyhood Home Site is classified as a site in the National Register of Historic Places.

Is McGuffey, William H., Boyhood Home Site a National Historic Landmark?

Yes. McGuffey, William H., Boyhood Home Site has been designated a National Historic Landmark (NHL), the highest level of federal recognition for historic properties in the United States.

What is the period of significance for McGuffey, William H., Boyhood Home Site?

The period of significance for McGuffey, William H., Boyhood Home Site is recorded as the listed era.

Can I research the history near McGuffey, William H., Boyhood Home Site?

Yes. Aubrey Research reports search National Register listings, battlefield records, land patents, and other primary historical sources within any radius of a US address. A report for an address near McGuffey, William H., Boyhood Home Site will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.

More in Mahoning County

Historic places, battles, and census history across Mahoning County.

Explore MahoningCounty ›

More historic places in Ohio

Browse all historic places in Ohio.

View Ohiohistoric sites ›

Conflict records

Explore 19,000+ military engagements across American history.

Browse US conflicts ›

Ohio history

Colonial settlement, territorial period, and statehood narrative.

Ohiohistory ›

Research the history near this site

An Aubrey US report for an address near McGuffey, William H., Boyhood Home Site will include this listing alongside battlefield records and other historical sources within your chosen radius.

Research your locationView a free sample report