Springtown Historic District
Why it's listed
Springtown is a linear rural village along Main Street in Springfield Township, Bucks County, set on a limestone valley where springs feed Silver Creek and Cook's Creek. Settlement began in the 1730s around Stephen Twining's mill, and the surrounding roads made the village a commercial center by the late 18th century. Its earliest houses are two-and-a-half-story stone buildings, including Kooker's Tavern, with German and English building traditions visible side by side. Eight large barns, twenty wagon houses and several stone springhouses survive alongside the houses, hotels and stores. Commercial activity included a tannery, lime burning, coach and wheelwright shops, and a hotel that operated into the 20th century. The village is listed for its commercial and agricultural history and for the concentration of well-preserved early architecture in one continuous streetscape.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the village is significant under Criterion A for Commerce and Agriculture, tracing its early growth to springs, the Silver Creek and Cook's Creek mill, and the road network that made it a commercial center. It is also significant under Criterion C for a blend of English and German architectural traditions in its houses, barns and outbuildings, with a notable concentration of pre-1815 stone buildings.
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 07001379, listed January 10, 2008. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | Main St. between Drifting Dr. & Springtown Hill Rd. (Springfield Township), Springtown |
|---|---|
| County | Bucks County |
| Listed | January 10, 2008 |
| Reference number | 07001379 |
| Resource type | District |
| Period of significance | 1736-1956 |
| Architectural style | Georgian; Federal; Italianate; Victorian Gothic; Queen Anne; Colonial Revival; Tudor Revival; Cape Cod; Bungalow |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Commerce, Agriculture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Acreage | 161.5 |
| Within district | Eakin, John, Farm |
| Coordinates | 40.55239, -75.28373 (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 07001379.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7581212
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.