Moyer, John Nicholas and Elizabeth, House
Also known as: Richland
Why it's listed
Built around 1817 of local limestone in Jefferson Township, western Berks County, the Moyer House is a two-and-a-half-story farmhouse with a four-bay facade and two front doors, a traditional Pennsylvania German arrangement. John Nicholas Moyer and his wife Elizabeth had it constructed on the family's Richland farm, a property patented to him in 1809. Its features blend Georgian and Federal styling: dentils and block modillions on the cornice, a carved Federal-style front doorway, and four-over-four double-hung windows with wooden keystone crowns. The interior has a four-room plan with corner fireplaces that have hand-carved surrounds, plastered walls and wainscoting. A stone summer kitchen was added to the rear around 1818-20. The house is one of the few surviving structures from the Tulpehocken Settlement's early period, and it is valued for its well-preserved interior woodwork and its representation of a regional building type.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the house is a locally significant example of early-19th-century stone farmhouse design that blends Georgian and Federal elements with Pennsylvania German vernacular traditions. It is described as an excellent example of local Pennsylvania German vernacular architecture with strong Georgian and Federal features, and its interior woodwork and carved details are cited as distinctive. The Moyer family's ties to the Tulpehocken Settlement and its church add historical context.
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 01000459, listed May 2, 2001. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 152 Hetrick Rd. (Jefferson Township), New Shaefferstown |
|---|---|
| County | Berks County |
| Listed | May 2, 2001 |
| Reference number | 01000459 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | C. 1817-c. 1820 |
| Architectural style | Georgian, Federal and Pennsylvania German vernacular |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | The house is described as retaining integrity; two frame additions were built in 1998 and the other farm buildings have been lost. |
| Acreage | 3.5 |
| Coordinates | 40.42480, -76.17576 (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 01000459.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q6250421
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.