Gilbert, Thomas and Lydia, Farm
Also known as: Datestone Farm
Approximate location: the National Park Service places this pin arbitrarily within the property, not at a surveyed point (stated accuracy ±12 m).
Why it's listed
Set in a thirty-one acre tract in rural Buckingham Township, Bucks County, the Gilbert farmstead is built around a stone farmhouse begun in 1711 by Thomas Gilbert. The house grew in stages: a two-and-a-half story, three-bay stone block with segmental arches and datestones, a 1735 section added to its west gable, and a later kitchen wing carrying a datestone of 1812. A stone springhouse dated 1808 contains a corner fireplace and a second-floor room, reflecting its use as a milk house with lodging rooms. A mid-nineteenth century frame and stone bank barn and a wagon house of about 1840 complete the group. The Gilbert family held the land from before 1707, and later owners included the Worthingtons and Shepherds. The house is regarded as a representative example of regional farmhouse building, and the farm's preserved buildings and open fields keep its historic character intact.
Significance in brief: The house is presented as an excellent example of an early to mid-eighteenth century vernacular stone farmhouse of southeastern Pennsylvania, built in additive stages with a three-bay facade, central door, and segmental arches. The farmstead's 1808 springhouse and mid-nineteenth century barn, together with the setting well off the road, are said to reflect the evolution of central Bucks County farmsteads and its period of significance.
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 89000351, listed May 5, 1989. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 5042 Anderson Rd., Holicong |
|---|---|
| County | Bucks County |
| Listed | May 5, 1989 |
| Reference number | 89000351 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1735-ca. 1840 |
| Architect / builder | Thomas Gilbert (builder of the 1711 and 1735 sections of the house); G. Edwin Brumbaugh (restoration architect, 1972 addition) |
| Architectural style | COLONIAL/Georgian |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Restored between 1970 and 1972; the farm retains its historic appearance. |
| Acreage | 9.8 |
| Coordinates | 40.33744, -75.05966 (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 89000351.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7795429
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.