Hough, John and Phineas, House
Also known as: Twin Arches
Why it's listed
Built in stages on a Lower Makefield Township lot in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, this stone house began about 1700 as a two-bay dwelling built by Richard Hough the Elder. In 1801 his great-grandson John Hough added an arcade of two Roman arches to the facade, and about 1840 his son Phineas Hough added a two-bay side-hall section to the east, unified under one roofline and cornice. The original great parlor, with its stone fireplace, windows, moldings and enclosed staircase, survives. The Roman arches are an unusual feature in private houses, and six houses in the area share the feature. The house is regarded as an excellent example of the vernacular Federal style with Roman arches, and it is valued for showing how Bucks County builders extended earlier houses in the Federal manner.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the house embodies a vernacular Federal style through its three-stage development, and that its arcade of two Roman arches is unusual in private houses and peculiar to Bucks County. It also incorporates what the nomination describes as the oldest documented stone house in Bucks County.
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 92001721, listed December 24, 1992. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 20 Moyer Rd., Lower Makefield Township, Yardley |
|---|---|
| County | Bucks County |
| Listed | December 24, 1992 |
| Reference number | 92001721 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1801-1840 |
| Architectural style | Early Republican - Federal (vernacular Federal style) |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Modernized in the 1940s with electricity, plumbing, central heating and a reproduction fireplace; the form describes the house as occupied and in use. |
| Acreage | 1.1 |
| Coordinates | 40.22862, -74.83324 (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 92001721.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q6265431
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.