Welles, Ellen and Charles F., House (Boundary Increase)
Also known as: Grovedale Farm; Welles and Bixby Houses
Why it's listed
Built circa 1843 by Charles F. Welles for his children, the Bixby House is a two-story painted brick dwelling in Wyalusing Township, Bradford County, Pennsylvania, about 60 yards north of the Welles House. Its two-story master side rises above a one-and-a-half-story servants' side, and it has pitched hipped roofs, multiple porches supported by fluted columns, and a walnut spiral staircase. Its servants' quarters, a feature not seen elsewhere in the area according to the documentation, are part of its significance under architecture, which reflects both Greek Revival and Italianate influences. The farm it anchors, Grovedale, grew from land Charles Welles managed for Mathias Hollenback from 1820. It was assessed at 635 acres in 1850 and 674 acres in 1880, and was regarded as an exceptional operation for its scale, with crops, dairy herds and a gristmill. The farm's agricultural history from 1822 to 1953 is the basis for its listing.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the Bixby House and its outbuildings contribute under Criterion C in architecture, combining Greek Revival and Italianate influences and featuring distinct servants' quarters, and that the farm is significant under Criterion A in agriculture as an exceptionally large diversified operation from 1822 to 1953. The Bixby House is described as one of the oldest homes in the Wyalusing area and unique to it.
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 03001156, listed November 15, 2003. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 3 Grovedale Ln., Wyalusing |
|---|---|
| County | Bradford County |
| Listed | November 15, 2003 |
| Reference number | 03001156 |
| Resource type | District |
| Period of significance | 1822-1953 |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival and Italianate influences |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | The master side of the Bixby House now houses the Wyalusing Valley Museum, Inc., and the house was divided into two sections in 1948. |
| Acreage | 99.7 |
| Coordinates | 41.66050, -76.26128 (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 03001156.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.