National Register of Historic Places Registration Form

Southington Local School District Campus
Name of Property
Trumbull County
Ohio
County and State
Historically, the primary concentration of population was toward the center of the community, but residential
development has occurred throughout the township since early in the twentieth century, especially south of the
center, in proximity to U.S. Rt. 422. Sanitary sewers and water lines have not been introduced to this portion of
Trumbull County to date, instead, township residents rely on the use of dug water wells and septic tanks. While
this has been adequate for steady residential development, it stifled commercial growth with little new
construction occuring near the center of the township. The lack of city utilities also affected how residential
development occurred. In contrast to the large, planned neighborhoods built in neighboring Champion and
Warren Townships, Southington’s new housing construction consisted mainly of single family homes sited on
varying sized lots along established state, county or township routes. Only two very modest allotments were
constructed; Kyser’s Park Allotment and Janice Drive, both constructed mid-to late 1950s through the 1970s
and each contained approximately fifteen to twenty homes.
A description of the township in 1882, notes that the center had two stores, a post office, blacksmith shop, three
church buildings and about ten houses. 1 A contemporary description is quite similar. Currently, the center of
the community still retains the same two primary businesses that have operated there for over a century. Owned
and operated by pioneer decendents, Hurds General store is located at the northeast corner of the intersection at
the center of the community, just east of the school. Harshman’s Service and Towing has operated on the
southwest corner since about 1910, run by generations of the Harshman family. Unfortunately, an early
structure formerly located at the Harshman property was demolished early in the 1980s. Also located near the
center is the 1959 post office, the 1820 Methodist Church,1878 Christian Church and ca.1949 volunteer fire
department station. As a result, the community retains the same basic rural look and feel found there at the time
of the construction of the centralized school campus.
The school buildings face a sprinkling of residences across SR 305, with the ca. 1900 Methodist Church
parsonage adjacent to the school property to the east, now a private residence. To the west of the Chalker
Building, the open field was converted to baseball fields, beginning in the 1930s and a football field with
running track and bleachers that date to the mid-1970s. These fields are still currently in use for the school high
school athletic teams. A ca. 1980 playground is located to the north of elementary building. Overall, the setting
reflects the historic and current use of the complex, sited within a small rural community.
The campus is centered on the Civil War Monument which is flanked by the Chalker Building to the west, and
two-story 1906 elementary building to the east. The 1928-29 Tudor Revival style elementary building was
placed just to the north, (behind) the monument. The Chalker Building is encircled by a paved driveway, with a
parking lot to the north; additional parking is to the east of the 1906 elementary building and between the
monument and 1928 building. The property is landscaped with mown grass and shrubbery. The boundary of
this nomination encompasses the area immediately surrounding the Chalker Building, elementary building and
Civil War Monument and includes property originally donated by Newton Chalker, the high school’s namesake.
This site has served as the sole high school and elementary campus for the community since their construction.
Narrative Description
1 H. Z. Williams, History of Trumbull and Mahoning Counties. Vol. II, (Cleveland, 1882) p. 519.
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