{"nrhp_refnum":"80003470","name":"Butler House","other_names":[],"category":"building","location":{"address":"228 W. Miner St.","address_restricted":false,"city":"West Chester","county":"Chester County","state":"PA","lat":39.94958210600004,"lon":-75.59678524899994,"geom_source":"nps_gis"},"listed_date":"1980-07-23","is_nhl":false,"nhl_designated_date":null,"areas_of_significance":["Military","Politics/Government","Architecture"],"significance_levels":["local"],"summary":{"what_it_is":"A three-story house at 228 West Miner Street in West Chester, Chester County, Pennsylvania. It is described as essentially Federal in style, with later Victorian fireplace work.","why_significant":"The nomination argues the house is architecturally significant as one of the few fine Federal style examples in the area, with plaster ceiling molding and medallions. It is also historically significant as the home of Congressman Thomas Stalker Butler, who served 32 years and chaired the Naval Affairs Committee, and it is linked to military history through his son Smedley Darlington Butler.","narrative":"A three-story house at 228 West Miner Street in West Chester is described as essentially Federal in style, with later Victorian fireplace work. Its interior features include plaster ceiling molding in several rooms, ornamental medallions in the parlor and living room, and a mahogany stairway rising three flights. Thomas Stalker Butler moved in with his wife, Maud Darlington, in 1885, and the deed was formally transferred to him in 1893. He was a judge in Chester County before winning election to Congress in 1896, where he served from 1897 until his death in 1928. He chaired the Naval Affairs Committee from the 66th Congress onward and is credited with pressing for steel warships, earning him the title father of the steel navy. The house hosted visiting figures including President Taft, Speaker Joseph Cannon and Vice President Charles Fairbanks. His son Smedley Darlington Butler grew up there and later became a prominent Marine Corps officer.","period_of_significance":"1800-1899","architect_builder":null,"architectural_style":"Federal","criteria":["B","C"],"status_note":null,"vacant_flag":null,"machine_generated":true,"model":"claude-haiku-5-5","prompt_version":"v1.1-2026-10-29","generated_at":"2026-10-29 17:11:33.934277-05","source_pdf":"https://s3.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/lz/electronic-records/rg-079/NPS_PA/80003470.pdf"},"photo":{"url_800":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/media/80003470/9434b20260-800.webp","url_1600":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/media/80003470/9434b20260-1600.webp","licence":"Public domain","author":"Smallbones","credit_html":"<a href=\"https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Butler_House_West_Chester_PA.JPG\" rel=\"noopener\">Smallbones</a>, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons","source_page":"https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Butler_House_West_Chester_PA.JPG"},"district":null,"sources":{"nps_snapshot_date":"2026-05-22","nara_catalog":"https://catalog.archives.gov/id/71998658","wikipedia":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Butler_House_(West_Chester,_Pennsylvania)","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q5002622"},"indexable":true,"url":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/pennsylvania/chester-county/butler-house-80003470/"}