Levan Farm
Also known as: Issac Levan Tract; Jacob Levan Farm
Why it's listed
Fieldstone farm complex in St. Lawrence, Berks County, centred on a two-story Georgian farmhouse built in 1837 with a carved date stone and quoins of light stone and red sandstone. The land was granted to the LeVan family circa 1730 by the Penns, and the family settled there in 1731 after leaving France. The property was listed for its value as a working, self-sufficient pioneer farm. Two lime kilns, built without mortar and fed by limestone quarried a short distance away, produced the mortar used on the other buildings. The barn is banked into the hillside, with storage above and animal shelter below. The springhouse has two levels and a passage said by family tradition to have served as a hiding place during Indian attacks in the 17th and early 18th centuries. The farm today comprises 54 acres of the original 1,000.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the farm is a good example of a self-sufficient working farm, with its structures showing how local materials shaped construction. The lime kilns and quarry illustrate near self-sufficiency, and the springhouse contains a hidden passage tied to family legend of protection from Indian attacks. The family's descent from French Reformed émigrés who settled in Berks County in 1731 is also part of the case.
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 78002348, listed December 19, 1978. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | PA 562, Exeter Township, St. Lawrence |
|---|---|
| County | Berks County |
| Listed | December 19, 1978 |
| Reference number | 78002348 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architectural style | Georgian |
| Areas of significance | Agriculture, Exploration/Settlement |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | The farmhouse has been unoccupied for about 20 years and has deteriorated; the springhouse is in extreme deterioration; the barn is in good condition and used by a farmer who leases the land. |
| Acreage | 54 |
| Coordinates | 40.32241, -75.85902 (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.
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 78002348.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q6534847
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.