Spicker, Peter, House
Why it's listed
Built of native limestone in three sections between about 1740 and 1800, the Spicker House near Stouchsburg shows the shift from Pennsylvania German building traditions to the Georgian style. The oldest western section, dating from about 1740, has an asymmetrical door and window arrangement, a basement kitchen and a bake oven, all housed under one roof. The central portion from about 1750 has segmented and jack-arched lintels, and the eastern section from about 1800 has keystones, red sandstone quoins and symmetrical bays. Peter Spicker lived in the house from 1755 to 1789 and served as the first Justice of the Peace and later the first President Judge of Berks County. The house was used as an assembly point for local militia during the French and Indian Wars, and his son Henry served as a colonel in the Berks County militia during the Revolutionary War.
Significance in brief: The house is significant as the home of the Spicker family before and during the Revolutionary War, particularly of Peter Spicker, the first Justice of the Peace and later the first President Judge of Berks County. It is also an unusual example of the transition from Germanic to Georgian architectural style, with each of its three sections showing a different stage of that shift.
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 83002217, listed April 22, 1983. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 150 Main St., Stouchsburg |
|---|---|
| County | Berks County |
| Listed | April 22, 1983 |
| Reference number | 83002217 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1740-1800 |
| Architectural style | Germanic to Georgian transition; Pennsylvania German and Georgian features |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Politics/Government, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Acreage | 2.9 |
| Within district | Tulpehocken Creek Historic District |
| Coordinates | 40.38110, -76.23677 (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 83002217.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7177052
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.