Richardson, Joseph, House
Also known as: Langhorne Community Memorial Building
Approximate location: the National Park Service places this pin arbitrarily within the property, not at a surveyed point (stated accuracy ±12 m).
Why it's listed
Built in 1738 for merchant Joseph Richardson at the crossroads later known as Langhorne, this plastered fieldstone house combined a formal family residence with a working store. Its datestone reads J R M 1738, and the house is regarded as one of the oldest surviving buildings in Bucks County. Its pre-Georgian plan, with an asymmetrical five-bay facade and unmatched room sizes, predates the full Georgian style. The second-floor north chamber retains Queen Anne paneling considered the best preserved example of that treatment in the county. The gambrel-roofed kitchen wing, a stone cellar with a milk cellar, and 1772 inventory records of goods sold in the shop add to its value. Richardson was a wealthy local banker and merchant, and the house is valued for illustrating eighteenth-century commercial life in the region.
Significance in brief: The house is argued to be one of the earliest identified historic structures in Bucks County and one of its earliest stores. Its pre-Georgian house plan, surviving Queen Anne paneling, and combined home and commercial use are presented as rare survivals from the first half of the eighteenth century. Its association with merchant Joseph Richardson and his family is also cited.
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 85003159, listed December 26, 1985. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | Bellevue and Maple Aves., Langhorne |
|---|---|
| County | Bucks County |
| Listed | December 26, 1985 |
| Reference number | 85003159 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1738 |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Commerce, Exploration/Settlement, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Donated for community use by the Richardson family in the early 20th century |
| Acreage | 0.6 |
| Within district | Langhorne Historic District |
| Coordinates | 40.17607, -74.91974 (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 85003159.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q6286567
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.