Kissling Farm
Why it's listed
Located in the rolling hills of Heidelberg Township in Berks County, the Kissling Farm is a working dairy property whose core dates to the late eighteenth century. Its two-and-one-half story stone farmhouse, completed in 1798 by Jacob and Catharina Klob, has Federal details including crossetted door surrounds, a fan light, jack arch lintels and an ornate parlor cupboard. A stone cabin, believed built in 1793, stands south of the house, and a frame bank barn was rebuilt in 1890 after a fire. Outbuildings include a stone-lined storage arch, a beehive bake oven and a butcher house. The farm is listed for its association with agriculture and for its architecture. It is presented as an example of a late eighteenth and nineteenth century family farm that converted to dairying in the early twentieth century, with its house and farmstead largely unchanged.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the farm represents late 18th and 19th century diversified family farms that shifted to dairying in the early 20th century. Its house is cited for high-style Federal woodwork and the farmstead for its intact cluster of outbuildings. The fields, meadows, fence rows and streams are described as reflecting the property's significance and integrity.
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 92000934, listed July 29, 1992. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | Brownsville Rd. E of Robesonia, Heidelberg Township, Robesonia |
|---|---|
| County | Berks County |
| Listed | July 29, 1992 |
| Reference number | 92000934 |
| Resource type | District |
| Period of significance | 1793-1941 |
| Architectural style | Federal |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Agriculture, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | The farm remains a working dairy operation with modern additions; the historic core buildings are described as intact. |
| Acreage | 220 |
| Coordinates | 40.36657, -76.10188 (NPS GIS) |
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.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 92000934.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q6417277
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.