Riegel, Benjamin, House
Why it's listed
Built in 1832 of brick on a stone-founded basement, this two and one half story, five bay house stands on a strip of land between the Delaware River and the Delaware Division Canal in Riegelsville. Its Flemish bond front facade, centered entrance with dentilled entablature and fluted pilasters, and 1/1 sash windows give it the vernacular Georgian character that sets it apart from the stone and frame houses typical of Upper Bucks. Interior features include a center hall with a mahogany handrail staircase, ten foot ceilings, long leaf yellow pine floors up to 18 inches wide, and handcut joists. Miller Benjamin Riegel, who owned several area mills, built the house after moving back from New Jersey. He helped found the community's first bridge company, churches, and postal service, and he donated land for the town cemetery. The house is regarded as a notable survivor of the early settlement period, with its original form largely intact despite flood damage and later alterations.
Significance in brief: The house is significant as an excellent example of a vernacular Georgian style house, built for a successful miller whose brick construction and decorative detailing were uncommon in the area. It is also significant for its association with Benjamin Riegel, a locally prominent miller and entrepreneur who was instrumental in the development of Riegelsville.
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 86003569, listed January 6, 1987. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 29 Delaware Rd., Riegelsville |
|---|---|
| County | Bucks County |
| Listed | January 6, 1987 |
| Reference number | 86003569 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1832-1860 |
| Architectural style | Vernacular Georgian |
| Areas of significance | Exploration/Settlement, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Altered by successive floods and restored in 1985; the document states it is occupied by a descendant of Benjamin Riegel. |
| Acreage | 1.2 |
| Coordinates | 40.59486, -75.19273 (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 86003569.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q4889167
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.