Ridgewood Farm
Why it's listed
Red sandstone farm buildings dating from 1809 to 1811 form the core of Ridgewood Farm, a 136-acre working farm beside the Schuylkill River in Cumru Township, Berks County. Jacob Dick, who owned the farm from 1806 to 1858, built a barn, a vaulted produce storage building, a house with a side-hall plan and a summer kitchen in this period. The main house wing is in the Federal style, with a pedimented doorway and interior features that the nomination describes as largely unaltered. The barn is a triple-decker design with ramps at two levels, a type regarded as uncommon in the county. The farm was held by the Dick family until 1947 and later passed to several owners and tenants. Its surviving fields and fence-row pattern are also cited as reasons for listing, along with its archaeological interest.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · catalog entry. Generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29).
| Period of significance | 1809-1940 |
|---|---|
| Styles | Federal |
| Areas of significance | Agriculture, Architecture |
| Acreage | 136 |
| Boundary source | NPS cultural-resource GIS polygon |
| Full listing page | Ridgewood Farm (property record) |
What listing means for this property
This is a historic district. Buildings within its boundary are either contributing (they add to the district's significance) or non-contributing. Owners of contributing income-producing buildings can claim the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit; homeowners should look at state credits. National Register districts impose no design review by themselves; a local historic district ordinance, if one exists, does (the difference explained).
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.