Springdale Historic District
Why it's listed
Set along Old York Road and Ingham Creek on the western edge of New Hope Borough, this district grew from a late 18th-century grist mill complex into a small rural industrial settlement. William Maris built a stone cotton mill there in 1820, and it was later converted to silk production in the late 19th century. Most of the roughly 29 properties are simple workers' houses of stone, stucco or frame built between about 1820 and 1880. The Huffnagle-Hood Mansion incorporates the Robert Heath House, and in 1856 Charles Huffnagle added a ballroom and library designed by Philadelphia architect Samuel Sloan. The Conrad Hartman Store, dating to about 1820, and the Magill House, built about 1790 in the Federal style, are among the older survivors. The district's layout reflects a reversal of the usual pattern, with owners' houses nearest the mills. It is valued as a well-preserved example of a mid-19th-century rural industrial village.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the district is an example of a rural industrial community that shaped New Hope's development, with its owners' mansion and workers' housing forming a collection of structures from small vernacular dwellings to a Federal-era mansion enlarged with a Samuel Sloan addition. It is also tied to William Maris, who built the cotton mill and helped create the industrial development.
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 85000461, listed March 6, 1985. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | Mechanic St., Old York, S. Sugan, and Stoney Hill Rds., New Hope |
|---|---|
| County | Bucks County |
| Listed | March 6, 1985 |
| Reference number | 85000461 |
| Resource type | District |
| Period of significance | 1755-1880 |
| Architect / builder | Samuel Sloan (architect, for the 1856 Huffnagle addition); William Maris (mill and mansion owner and developer) |
| Architectural style | Federal; Italianate influenced; vernacular |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Industry, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Ruins of the grist mill and cotton-silk mill survive; the district is now totally residential. |
| Acreage | 25.3 |
| Coordinates | 40.36682, -74.95830 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
This is a historic district. Buildings within its boundary are either contributing (they add to the district's significance) or non-contributing. Owners of contributing income-producing buildings can claim the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit; homeowners should look at state credits. National Register districts impose no design review by themselves; a local historic district ordinance, if one exists, does (the difference explained).
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 85000461.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7580847
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.