Deisher, H. K., Knitting Mill
Why it's listed
Built in 1881 as a dairy and cheese plant by a group of forty-one farmers, this three-story, L-shaped common brick building at 56 Noble Street in Kutztown was later converted to hosiery knitting. Deisher gained sole control of the business in 1892 and moved it into the building, where he installed more than thirty knitting machines. The mill was raised three feet and a third story was added around 1900, and annexes were built at the rear in 1903 and 1907. Its features include a corbelled brick cornice along Noble Street, segmental soldier-course arches over most openings, four-over-four sash windows, and a cupola with a weathervane dated 1881. Knitting ended in 1956, and the building is now vacant. It is important for its largely intact industrial architecture and for its role in the borough's textile industry.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the mill is significant for its largely intact nineteenth-century industrial architecture and for its role in Kutztown's economic development. It is described as one of the most important remaining nineteenth-century industrial buildings in the borough, and its knitting operations, begun by J.L. Eck and continued by H.K. Deisher, reflect the growth of textile manufacturing in the community.
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 85001963, listed September 5, 1985. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 56 Noble St., Kutztown |
|---|---|
| County | Berks County |
| Listed | September 5, 1985 |
| Reference number | 85001963 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1881-1956 |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Industry, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Knitting operations stopped in 1956; the building was later used as a warehouse and is now vacant. |
| Acreage | 0.3 |
| Coordinates | 40.51619, -75.77623 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For an income-producing building, listing (individually or as a contributing building in a district) is the gateway to the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit on qualified rehabilitation costs, often stackable with state credits. Work claiming the credit must follow the Secretary of the Interior's Standards and be approved in advance.
Listing does not restrict a private owner acting without federal money or permits; where federal funding or licensing is involved, Section 106 review applies.
Noted as vacant in the nomination. Nomination documents can be decades old; current status may differ. If you are considering buying an empty listed property, read the due-diligence checklist.
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 85001963.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5627960
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.