Langhorne Library
Why it's listed
Built in 1888 on a large, well-landscaped corner lot at West Maple and Hill Avenues, the Langhorne Library is a brick building of Victorian-Romanesque Revival design, laid out in a cruciform plan with a steep hipped slate roof and a cross gable over the entrance. Its architects were Newton H. Culver and T. Mellon Rogers of Philadelphia, partners for only about two years when the commission came. The exterior is decorated mainly through its brickwork, with molded terra-cotta pilasters, corbelled brick, and diamond-pointed diaperwork above the entrance. Inside, the building keeps grained woodwork, custom oak-grained bookcases, and two back-to-back fireplaces faced with glazed Pompeian brick. The library is regarded as significant because it is the only surviving documented building by this firm in Bucks County, and its original blueprints survive. The library's roots reach back to a Friends meeting library of the 1700s and a charter of 1802, and the 1888 building was funded by a bequest from Anne Mary Williamson.
Significance in brief: The building is an architect-designed structure in a community otherwise dominated by vernacular homes and businesses. It is described as the only remaining documented structure designed by Culver and Rogers in Bucks County, and its original blueprints are held by the Historic Langhorne Association. Its interior retains close to 90% of its original appearance.
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 86000038, listed January 9, 1986. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 160 W. Maple Ave., Langhorne |
|---|---|
| County | Bucks County |
| Listed | January 9, 1986 |
| Reference number | 86000038 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1888 |
| Architect / builder | Newton H. Culver & T. Mellon Rogers |
| Architectural style | Victorian-Romanesque Revival |
| Criteria |
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| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Maintained by the Historic Langhorne Association; the document describes it as well maintained and in use as a library with a later metal front door. |
| Acreage | 0.4 |
| Within district | Langhorne Historic District |
| Coordinates | 40.17535, -74.92303 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For a publicly owned building or structure, listing mainly matters when federal funds, permits or licences are involved: projects then go through Section 106 review so effects on the property are considered. Listing also strengthens applications for preservation grants and, for leased income-producing uses, can enable the federal rehabilitation tax credit.
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 86000038.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q6486106
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.