{"nrhp_refnum":"00000845","name":"Star Barn Complex","other_names":["Motter, John, Barn and Outbuildings","Walnut Hill"],"category":"building","location":{"address":"Nissley Dr. at PA 283","address_restricted":false,"city":"Lower Swatara","county":"Dauphin County","state":"PA","lat":40.22360725400006,"lon":-76.77097502099997,"geom_source":"nps_gis"},"listed_date":"2000-07-27","is_nhl":false,"nhl_designated_date":null,"areas_of_significance":["Agriculture","Architecture"],"significance_levels":["local"],"summary":{"what_it_is":"The Star Barn Complex is the outbuilding complex of a former farm in Lower Swatara Township, Dauphin County, Pennsylvania, along Nissley Drive near State Route 283. The main barn, locally known as the Star Barn, is an 1872 Gothic Revival frame bank barn built for John Motter, with outbuildings constructed in the same period.","why_significant":"The nomination argues the complex is significant for its association with Motter's horse breeding operation and later dairy farming under agriculture, and as a locally significant example of Gothic Revival farm architecture in Dauphin County under architecture. The barn's star-shaped ventilators and cupola are cited as distinctive features, and the nomination states it is the last known surviving barn constructed by its builder, Daniel Reichert.","narrative":"Built in 1872 for horse breeder John Motter, the Star Barn stands beside State Route 283 in Lower Swatara Township, Dauphin County. It is a five-bay frame bank barn on a stone foundation, measuring roughly 67 by 105 feet, with a centered cross gable, a square cupola topped by an octagonal spire, and large star-shaped ventilators in its gables. Several smaller outbuildings of the same year, including a pig barn, carriage house and chicken coop, repeat the Gothic Revival detailing at a smaller scale. The barn was designed by Daniel Reichert, a mortician and master carpenter. It is regarded as a locally important example of Gothic Revival farm architecture in South Central Pennsylvania. The complex is also associated with the agricultural history of the region, including Motter's horse trade and the farm's later use as a dairy operation under the Nissley and Hoffer families.","period_of_significance":"1872-1950","architect_builder":"Reichert, Daniel","architectural_style":"Gothic Revival","criteria":["A","C"],"status_note":"The barn and its historic outbuildings are described as in sound condition but threatened by ongoing deterioration and encroaching development; the nomination also notes the barn was vacant.","vacant_flag":true,"machine_generated":true,"model":"claude-haiku-5-5","prompt_version":"v1.1-2026-10-29","generated_at":"2026-10-29 17:11:37.331698-05","source_pdf":"https://s3.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/lz/electronic-records/rg-079/NPS_PA/00000845.pdf"},"photo":{"url_800":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/media/00000845/12890b8fcc-800.webp","url_1600":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/media/00000845/12890b8fcc-1600.webp","licence":"CC BY-SA 3.0","author":"JoeRed","credit_html":"<a href=\"https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Star_Barn.jpg\" rel=\"noopener\">JoeRed</a>, <a href=\"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0\" rel=\"license noopener\">CC BY-SA 3.0</a>, via Wikimedia Commons","source_page":"https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Star_Barn.jpg"},"district":null,"sources":{"nps_snapshot_date":"2026-05-22","nara_catalog":"https://catalog.archives.gov/id/71996345","wikipedia":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Star_Barn_Complex","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q7600634"},"indexable":true,"url":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/pennsylvania/dauphin-county/star-barn-complex-00000845/"}