Wilhelm Mansion and Carriage House
Why it's listed
Built in 1877 as a three-story Gothic Revival residence of granite on a landscaped lot at Centre Avenue in Reading, the Wilhelm Mansion is a rare single-family example of its style in the city. Two rear rooms added in 1888 follow the original design. Its interior includes a ballroom, a solarium with an oriel window, a dining room paneled in oak with terra cotta fireplace, and a library with a Teutonic fireplace dated 1884. Art glass, bargeboard trim and molded plaster ceilings appear throughout. The first occupant was Mark Anthony DeWolfe Howe, Episcopal bishop of the Reading diocese from 1877 to 1880. Later, paint manufacturer Charles Wilhelm lived there for about fifty years until his death in 1936. The house is valued for its craftsmanship and its link to Reading's industrial era. The carriage house, dated 1890, stands on the rear of the lot.
Significance in brief: The nomination describes the Wilhelm Mansion as one of the outstanding landmarks in Reading and one of the few single dwellings in the Gothic Revival style in the city. It cites the craftsmanship of its interiors and its determination as an outstanding city building by the Pennsylvania State Comprehensive Historical Site Survey. It also links the house to Bishop Mark Anthony DeWolfe Howe, its first occupant, and to Charles Wilhelm, a paint company president who lived there for about 50 years.
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 82003763, listed March 1, 1982. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 730 Centre Ave., Reading |
|---|---|
| County | Berks County |
| Listed | March 1, 1982 |
| Reference number | 82003763 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1877 |
| Architectural style | Gothic Revival |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | The first floor was converted to doctors' offices around 1973, and the upper floors and carriage house were left vacant; restoration was planned. |
| Acreage | 6.3 |
| Within district | Queen Anne Historic District |
| Coordinates | 40.34658, -75.93078 (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 82003763.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q8002248
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.