Moravian Pottery and Tile Works
Also known as: Dr. Henry Chapman Mercer's Tileworks; See Also:Fonthill; Merce
Why it's listed
Built in 1912 in Doylestown, Bucks County, the Moravian Pottery and Tile Works is a U-shaped reinforced concrete factory arranged around an open courtyard. Dr. Henry C. Mercer directed its construction as a replacement for his earlier works, Aldie, which burned. He chose concrete for fireproofing, following the example of his own home, Fonthill. The exterior borrows features from several Southern California mission churches, including bell tower and cornice elements from Santa Barbara and San Juan Capistrano, while the interior mixes English manor house fan windows with Latin inscriptions. The plant has five kilns and was built in tiers. Mercer, an anthropologist and archeologist, founded it to produce ornamental tiles after finding the local clay unsuitable for pottery. The works is significant for its early industrial use of reinforced concrete, its architecture, and its tiles, which won a gold medal at the 1904 St. Louis Exposition. It later became a museum operated by the Bucks County Historical Society.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the building is significant for its founder, its structure, and its product. It cites Mercer's work in anthropology and archeology and his collection of pre-industrial Pennsylvania crafts, the premier industrial use of reinforced concrete, its adaptation of California mission church forms, and tiles that won awards.
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 72001098, listed June 1, 1972. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | Court St. and PA 313, Doylestown |
|---|---|
| County | Bucks County |
| Listed | June 1, 1972 |
| Reference number | 72001098 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1912 |
| Architectural style | Adaptation of California Mission Church style |
| Areas of significance | Art, Education, Architecture |
| Level of significance | National |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Currently open as a museum illustrating Mercer's tile-making techniques and wares. |
| Acreage | 7.2 |
| Within district | Fonthill, Mercer Museum and Moravian Pottery and Tile Works |
| Coordinates | 40.32328, -75.12345 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For an income-producing building, listing (individually or as a contributing building in a district) is the gateway to the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit on qualified rehabilitation costs, often stackable with state credits. Work claiming the credit must follow the Secretary of the Interior's Standards and be approved in advance.
Listing does not restrict a private owner acting without federal money or permits; where federal funding or licensing is involved, Section 106 review applies.
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 72001098.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q6909350
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.