Newtown Friends Meetinghouse and Cemetery
Why it's listed
A Quaker meetinghouse in Newtown, Bucks County, Pennsylvania, the main part of which was built in 1817 after the Bucks Quarterly Meeting of Friends granted permission at the request of Edward Hicks and other Newtown Friends. The building is plain and undecorated, reflecting the simple style Quakers required, and it has changed little since construction, retaining most of its original hardware and furnishings. A long horse shed, built in 1819 so members could shelter their horses during meetings, stands alongside; six stalls remain, three of them enclosed for storage. A small cemetery next to the meetinghouse holds many early stones. Edward Hicks, the founder and first minister of the meeting, is buried there. He was a sign painter who turned to easel painting after becoming a Quaker and moving to Newtown, and he became known as a leading American primitive painter. The meetinghouse is regarded as important to his life and work, and as a fine example of a nineteenth-century religious complex central to its members' lives.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the meetinghouse is an excellent example of a 19th-century Quaker meetinghouse, with simple, uncomplicated design and little alteration since construction. It is tied to Edward Hicks, the primitive painter who helped found the congregation and served as its first minister. The meetinghouse, horse shed and cemetery are presented as a fine example of a 19th-century religious complex.
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 77001129, listed July 21, 1977. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | Court St., Newtown |
|---|---|
| County | Bucks County |
| Listed | July 21, 1977 |
| Reference number | 77001129 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Areas of significance | Art, Architecture, Religion |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | In excellent condition, with little alteration since construction and most original hardware and furnishings; six horse shed stalls remain, three of which have been enclosed and are used for storage. |
| Acreage | 3 |
| Within district | Newtown Historic District |
| Coordinates | 40.22563, -74.93567 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
Religious properties are listed for their architectural or historical significance, not their religious use. Listing is honorary and does not restrict the congregation's use of the building. The federal rehabilitation credit is generally unavailable unless part of the building is income-producing; some state programmes and preservation grants do cover religious buildings. Federal funding or permits trigger Section 106 review.
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 77001129.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7020709
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.