Harrison House
Sullivant Land Office
Deardurff Post Office

In Franklinton, three pioneer buildings remain today, all on Gift Street. A nod to the founder, Lucas Sullivant who offered all lots on Gift Street free to those willing to work the land and build a home.

 

The Harrison House is located at 570 West Broad Street, built on the east half of lot 123 at the corner of West Broad and Gift Streets. Broad Street was originally named Franklin Street before the National Road came through. The Federal Style house was built in 1807 by Jacob Overdier for Colonel Robert Culbertson and his family who lived in the house until he died in 1821. After his death, the house had numerous owners, many wealthy landowners, storekeepers, butchers, and a watchman for the railroad. Michael L. Sullivant, Lucas's son, was another owner, and finally, the Kuhn family, was the longest residents of the house and the last family to live there. The house got its current name from General William Henry Harrison who most likely did visit the house during the War of 1812 while using the settlement for his headquarters. Most importantly the moniker saved the house from destruction during the 1970s leaving us with the notion that he did have a dinner or two in the house with his friend, Colonel Robert Culbertson.

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The Sullivant Land Office was built by Lucas Sullivant and used for land management business. It is the only remaining structure associated with the founder left in Franklinton. The building originally built at 714 West Gay Street was moved behind the Harrison House at 13 Gift Street in 1986 after the building was slotted for demolition. 

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The Deardurff House also known as the Franklinton Post Office, is the oldest structure in Franklinton and was built of hand-hewed logs by David Deardurff in 1807 and the oldest building in Columbus on its original limestone foundation. The Deardurff father and son arrived from Pennsylvania to settle and plant a plot of land. Abraham left his fourteen-year-old son, David, in Franklinton to tend to the corn and cut the hewing logs for the house while he traveled back for his wife. The Deardurffs ran the first post office from the west room of the house. Mail was picked up here and the recipient paid for postage with costs determined by the distance covered. While delivering mail in 1815, David's father Abraham was robbed and killed; his rider-less horse returned to Franklinton on its own. The post office operated here until October 1834.