Miami County Ohio has 45 places on the National Register of Historic Places including 1 place of National significance and 20 places of Statewide significance. Significant places include Piqua Historical Area State Memorial, African Jackson Cemetery, Arrowston, Baumgardner, William, House and Farm Buildings and Dye, John Minor, Stone House.
Prehistoric cultural affiliation(s) include Hopewell and Miami dating back to 500.
Many famous people are associated with these Miami County historic places including John Johnston, Benjamin Overfield, York Rial, Darius W. Weddle, Benjamin Iddings and William K. Dunlap.
Some of the country's most noteable architects helped create the Miami County places including John Keyt, Hobart Welded Steel House Co., Yost,J.W,, T.B. Townsend, A.M. Fry, Benjamin Overfield, William Baumgardner, R. Gilmore Hanford, Schenck & Williams and Norman Sumner. Prominent architectural styles found in Miami Country are Colonial Revival, Late Victorian and Federal.
Historic Significance:
Information Potential, Architecture/Engineering, Person
Architect, builder, or engineer:
Keyt,John, Et al.
Architectural Style:
No Style Listed
Historic Person:
Johnston,John
Area of Significance:
Military, Transportation, Architecture, Historic - Aboriginal, Prehistoric, Social History
Cultural Affiliation:
Hopewell, Miami
Period of Significance:
1800-1824, 1750-1799, 1700-1749, 1499-1000 AD, 1000-500 AD
Historic Function:
Domestic, Government
Historic Sub-function:
Camp, Government Office, Single Dwelling
Current Function:
Recreation And Culture
Current Sub-function:
Museum
The Piqua Historical Area State Memorial, also known as the Johnston Farm & Indian Agency, is historically significant as the home of Colonel John Johnston, a prominent federal Indian Agent who served in the region from 1811 to 1842. Appointed by President Thomas Jefferson, Johnston utilized this strategic farmstead as a central hub for federal relations with the Shawnee, Miami, Wyandot, and Delaware nations. During the War of 1812, the site served as a vital neutral ground, hosting thousands of Native Americans who sought peace and refuge under Johnston's care, which prevented them from aligning with British forces. This historic property reflects the complex socio-political dynamics of the Old Northwest Territory, early federal-tribal diplomacy, and the eventual forced displacement of Native American populations from Ohio.
Physically, the property preserves layers of Ohio's history spanning over two millennia, from pre-contact Adena earthworks to 19th-century agricultural and transportation infrastructure. Built around 1815, the John Johnston home is a remarkably preserved two-story federal-style brick farmhouse, accompanied by an immense 1808 double-pen log barn that stands as one of the oldest and largest of its kind in Ohio. The site also encompasses a restored section of the Miami and Erie Canal, complete with a working lock and a replica mule-drawn canal boat that demonstrates the critical role of waterways in early Ohio's commercial development. Together, these diverse elements offer an immersive look at early American frontier life, indigenous heritage, and the evolution of transportation in the Midwest.
