Moland House
Also known as: Washington's Headquarters
Why it's listed
Built of stone in the mid-eighteenth century, the Moland House is a two-bay, two-and-a-half-story double-pile main block with a three-bay kitchen wing, on Old York Road in Warwick Township, Bucks County. Its later alterations include a raised summer kitchen and a 1940-era L-shaped addition, and the interior was largely remodeled between 1939 and 1941. The house is significant for its Revolutionary War association. General George Washington used it as his headquarters from August 10 to August 23, 1777, while the American army camped at Neshaminy on the way toward Philadelphia. The encampment was the setting for the Marquis de Lafayette assuming his command, Count Pulaski meeting Washington, and Captain Henry Lee facing a court martial that ended in acquittal. Lafayette's first council of war was held at the house on August 21, 1777. The house is the only documented building used during that encampment, and the surrounding landscape retains rural character.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the house is locally significant for its Revolutionary War association. General George Washington used it as his headquarters from August 10 to August 23, 1777, during the Neshaminy encampment. The house is described as the sole documented building used during that encampment, where Lafayette, Count Pulaski and Light Horse Harry Lee had key events in their careers.
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 89000352, listed May 19, 1989. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 1641 Old York Rd., Hartsville |
|---|---|
| County | Bucks County |
| Listed | May 19, 1989 |
| Reference number | 89000352 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1777 |
| Architectural style | Georgian |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Military |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Vacant, condemned for human habitation by local code enforcement officials, and often broken into. |
| Acreage | 1 |
| Coordinates | 40.23621, -75.09231 (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.
Noted as vacant in the nomination. Nomination documents can be decades old; current status may differ. If you are considering buying an empty listed property, read the due-diligence checklist.
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 89000352.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q6895670
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.