Listed on the National Register of Historic Places in
1973. A historic map-sheet match is not published yet. The record needs a coordinate-quality review before it can be joined to a sheet boundary.
From the record
“The John Snow House, also known as the Snow House, is a historic residence in Worthington, Ohio. Constructed around 1815, it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on July 26, 1973.”
Wikipedia article John Snow House, CC BY-SA 4.0.
one of 295 National Register listings in Franklin County · listed in 1973 · category: Building · one of 3 National Historic Landmarks in Franklin County.
Also known as. Worthington MRA (AD); Worthington MRA
Township. Columbus city
Architectural style. Federal architecture
National Register reference number.73001445- the number the National Park Service assigned this property when it was listed, and the key its nomination file is catalogued under at the National Archives.
What happened here
An account from the chapter on Columbus city, The inset identifies its exact
source book and publication year.
The Mound Builders and Indians - First White Settlements and Struggle for Possession - Indian Village at the Forks of the Scioto Attacked by Crawford and Dispersed - The Ohio Company, the Scioto Company and Symmes Purchase - Indian Power Broken and British Hopes Blasted - First Surveys - Topography, Geology and Soil of Franklin County.
The chapter on Columbus City in History of Franklin County [Ohio]:, published 1858 names Worthington. This is what it says, exactly as the scans read.
In February, 1810, the Legislature, desirous to establish a more central and permanent seat of government for the State, by joint resolution appointed five commissioners, namely James Findlay, W. Silliman, Joseph Darlinton, Reisin Beall and Wm. McFarland, to meet in Franklinton on the first day of September, then following, to examine and select the most eligible site for the estab- lishment of the permanent seat of government for the State. On December 11th, 1810, the commissioners made their report and say, " That they have diligently examined a number of different places within the circle prescribed, and the majority of said commissioners are of opinion that a tract of land, owned by John and Peter Sells, situated on the west bank of the Scioto River, four miles and three quarters west of the town of Worthington, in the county of Franklin, and on which said Sells now resides, appears to them the most eligible."^^ Dated at Newark, the 12th of September, 1810, and signed by all the commissioners.
No further definite action, however, was had on the subject until February, 1812, when the law was passed establishing it at Columbus. Various proposals were received, offering inducements for its establishment at different points, and amongst the rest were the proposals of Lyne Starling, James Johnston, Alexander McLaughlin and John Kerr, for establishing it on the '-' high bank of the Scioto River, opposite Franklinton," which site was principally a native forest. Franklinton was then at its apex, and a town of considerably more consequence than it now is, and was one of the sites proposed ; but the plan upon which it was laid out, and more particularly its low situation, were considered sufficient objections to its adoption. Worthington and Delaware were also among the sites proposed.
Regional context, not property-specific
evidence. Museums hold 10,276 specimens
collected within 10 miles of Snow, John, House between 1804 and
1975: 8,280 Animalia, 1,275 Fungi, 573 Plantae, 117 Chromista, 30 Unrecorded, 1 Protozoa. 12 distinct Species records are shown.
Collected by 19 V 1938 in original publication, Knull, =, ? and others. Each is a
physical object with a catalogue
number, and each entry opens the museum's record. This is what was
collected and kept, not a survey of what lives here - nothing can be
concluded from a species being absent.
Regional context, not property-specific
evidence. The National Weather Service names
Worthington, the town this property stands in, in 11 storm reports between 1996 and 2022: 5 thunderstorm wind, 3 hail, 2 flood, 1 heavy rain.
No death or injury is recorded in these reports. Each account below is quoted exactly as the forecast office
filed it, from the NOAA Storm Events Database, and each date
opens the federal record of that event.
No historic map-sheet match is published
for this property yet. That does not mean no map exists. This record needs
a coordinate-quality review before it can be joined to a sheet boundary.
Browse the county's mapped places while that work is
pending.
From the nomination file
2,143 words on record
When this property was proposed for the
National Register, someone wrote the case for it: what the building is,
and why it matters. That document is a federal record in the public domain.
It is quoted below word for word, never summarised. The text was read off the scanned case file by machine, so the
occasional stray character is the recogniser's and the 1970s
typewriter's.
Description of the property
Above the door is a semi-elliptical fan light topped by a jack arch. dried up, but the cellar remains cool the year 'round. Visible treads. Black walnut woodwork is employed throughout the house, but Interior: Though somewhat modified, the Snow House interior is Excellent Masonic lodge meetings were held here until the Worthington Masonic is consistant with that of the original house.Basic features of it is now obscured be several coats of paint.As with most early containsa fireplace flanked by two alcoves.Each alcove is OF
Statement of significance
Born February 15, 1780 in Providence, Rhode Island, John Snow Despite popular local legend, John Snow did not build the named William Thompson purchased the land including the lot for Snow House in 1804. In 1807 he sold the land, which encompassed several acres, to Asa Gillet for thirty-five dollars. Gillet receive needed recognition, which may cause the Evans' Investment Engineering Commerce Conservation Communications Aboriginal Architecture Literature losophy Education itarian Religion/Phi Theater Prehistoric Agriculture Music Social/Human- his life working for and with Masonic organizations.
of Knights Templar in the Northwest Territory--The Mount Vernon Sculpture It is indeed unfortunate that the present owner of the property Industry circa 1816 Snow was instrumental in the formation of the first commandery hopes the house will be completely restored and preserved for the was a jewelry maker and later was engaged in the mercantile business. cares little about the fate of this fine house. erected the house circa 1816,and a tannery was constructed ad- build the Worthington Masonic Temple which houses New England house that he and his descendants occupied for 138 years.A man who rents the first floor for her antique shop, is concerned and Landscape Invention Military ception of its Civil War vintage addition on the south side.
sold the land and buildings to Colonel Kilbourne who in turn sold Commandery Number 1.Deeply involved in Masonry, Snow helped Company to have a change of heart. Mrs. Helen Heintz, jacent to and west of the house at the same time.In 1817 Gi1let it to John Snow. Other PERIOD (Check One or More as Appropriate) Snow married Mary Thurston, a grandniece of E. Warton, the first 1973 Art NATIONAL Snow House today remains basically unaltered with the ex- in 1817. colonial governor of Rhode Island, in 1802.They emigrated to Ohio
Quoted from the National Register nomination
for reference 73001445, 17 pages, held by the National Archives in Record
Group 79. See the
catalogue record.
Listed places nearby
6 within 8 miles
Other National Register properties close
enough to walk or drive between, ordered by distance from this one. Both
positions come from the same geocoding pass that matched these properties
to their map sheets.
Listing record. National Park Service National Register of Historic Places, listed-properties dataset, current to 2026-05-22.
Map join. Address geocoded through the United States Census geocoder, then tested against the published boundary of every sheet in the USGS Historical Topographic Map Collection.
How this page is made. Listing fields come from federal records; map-sheet coverage is a labelled coordinate-to-boundary calculation, not a source-field claim.
Specimens. Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF), https://www.gbif.org/. Only records licensed CC0 or CC BY are used. Records licensed CC BY-NC are excluded because this site carries advertising. Images are checked individually and any whose licence is non-commercial, no-derivatives or unreadable is refused.
Storms. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/stormevents/ A work of the United States government, no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105. Narratives are quoted verbatim from the National Weather Service report and are not edited or summarised.
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