National Register of Historic Places

Mount Oval

Circleville, Pickaway County, Ohio
Listed
July 24, 1974
Type
Building
Period
Industrial
Ref No.
74001593

About this property

Mount Oval is a historic farmhouse in the south central part of the U.S. state of Ohio, south of the city of Circleville. Built in the 1830s, it was home to some of the region's more prominent farmers, and it has been named a historic site. The first settler at the site of Mount Oval was John Boggs, who purchased the property from the U.S. government in 1806; the deed for the property was signed by Thomas Jefferson and James Madison, at that time President of the United States and United States Secretary of State. Arriving at the property, he discovered extensive evidence of aboriginal occupation at the site: localities such as Chief Cornstalk's Town, Camps Charlotte and Lewis, Grenadier Squaw Town, and Logan Elm were all near Boggs' new property. Boggs remained on the property until 1832, when William Renick married Jane Boggs and built the present house. During the period that the Renicks owned Mount Oval, it became a prominent center of cattle farming: the Renicks became the first farmers in the region to supply their cattle to the East Coast. Later owners included the families of Bernard Young, Mary Tolbert, and Jacob Ludwig, although for several decades the Ludwigs rented the property to tenants. Mount Oval itself is a brick building with metal roof and elements of wood and stone. Architecturally, the house is a pure example of the Palladian style of architecture, displaying some elements that are patterned after Villa Capra, a grand Palladian mansion in northern Italy. Among its more distinctive elements is an interior room dedicated to caring for the needs of cattlemen; the Renicks' cattle farming prompted them to construct dedicated facilities within their home. In 1974, Mount Oval was listed on the National Register of Historic Places, along with a single outbuilding; it qualified for inclusion because of its distinctive historic architecture. More than twenty-five different locations in Pickaway County are listed on the National Register, and Mount Oval achieved this distinction earlier than all but two of the others.

Location

Circleville, Pickaway County, Ohio
39.52834, -82.96617

Categories

ARCHITECTURE
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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Overview
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The Land
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Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.
LiDAR Terrain
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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
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Finds & Access
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Literature
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Spotlight
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The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
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Nearby Historic Sites

Lawndale Farm Complex
Industrial
2.8 mi
Horsey-Barthelmas Farm
Industrial
2.9 mi
Bellevue
Industrial
4.6 mi
Circleville High School
Industrial
4.7 mi
Morris House
Industrial
5 mi

Nearby Battles

Battle of Chillicothe / Shawnee Town Aug 1780
1780Revolutionary War
12.9 mi

Questions about this property

When was Mount Oval listed on the National Register?

Mount Oval was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on July 24, 1974.

What type of historic resource is Mount Oval?

Mount Oval is classified as a building in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Mount Oval?

The period of significance for Mount Oval is recorded as the industrial era.

Can I research the history near Mount Oval?

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