Davies House
Also known as: Twin Spruce
Why it's listed
Built of roughcut fieldstone between 1767 and 1772 by William Parvin, this 2½ story house stands on the Old Centre Turnpike in Ontelaunee Township. The original three-bay section has quoined corners and a pedimented north gable with a bulls eye window. A two-bay addition to the south and later additions to the west extend the building. The eastern facade has a double door with transoms and a porch with octagonal columns. Interior features include a Georgian entry hall, a Federal fireback in the original front room, and an ornate gougework mantel in the southern library addition. The property also retains a stone smokehouse and an outhouse. The Parvin family owned the nearby grist and saw mills, and the Davies family took over the property in 1806, enlarging and refining the house by about 1835. The house is valued for its regional Georgian character and its link to the economic development of East Berkley along the road between Reading and Leesport.
Significance in brief: The house is presented as an excellent example of regional adaptation of the Georgian style, with Federal detailing added in the early nineteenth century. It is described as the only remaining building associated with the Parvin and Davies families, who were important to the economic development of East Berkley in the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries. It is one of the few Georgian houses in East Berkley that retains its stylistic features inside and out.
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) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 82001530, listed November 14, 1982. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | Berkley Rd., East Berkley |
|---|---|
| County | Berks County |
| Listed | November 14, 1982 |
| Reference number | 82001530 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1767-1872 |
| Architect / builder | William Parvin |
| Architectural style | Georgian with Federal detailing |
| Areas of significance | Commerce, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Altered; original fieldstone portion, later additions and features are described as still existing. |
| Acreage | 0.3 |
| Coordinates | 40.42772, -75.93461 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
National Register listing is honorary for a privately owned home: it does not by itself restrict what an owner may do with their own money, and it does not require public access. Restrictions come from local landmark or historic-district ordinances, which are separate (how they differ).
Owner-occupied houses are not eligible for the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit, which applies to income-producing buildings, but many states offer credits for homeowners. Listing also opens the door to preservation easements and to buying a plaque. Start with what listing means for homeowners, renovating a listed house and selling one.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 82001530.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5241733
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.