Thompson, John, House
Also known as: Hip Roof House
Why it's listed
Built of stone with an elongated gambrel roof, this Richboro house in Bucks County was probably constructed about 1740 by the Cummings family, and John Thompson is documented as its occupant by 1765. Measuring 38 by 23 feet with chimneys at both ends, it has shed dormers on its roof and a tin-topped upper roof section over shingles. A stone addition on one gable end burned about 1883 and was replaced with a two-story frame section covered in wood siding. Thompson served as the first sheriff of Bucks County from 1777 to 1779, operated a flour mill he bought later, and served as a wagonmaster for George Washington during the Revolutionary War. The house is regarded as a relatively rare example of its type in the county. It is also known for a robbery in which Thompson fought the robbers, lost his money and silverware, and then pursued them to New York, where he captured them.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the house is one of the few examples of the gambrel type in Bucks County and is larger than the average gambrel structure of its area and time. It is also associated with John Thompson, a county sheriff, Revolutionary War wagonmaster, and mill operator, and with a robbery at the house. The form describes it as a relatively rare house of its style for the county.
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 73001595, listed July 16, 1973. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 1925 Second Street Pike, Northampton Township, Richboro |
|---|---|
| County | Bucks County |
| Listed | July 16, 1973 |
| Reference number | 73001595 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | C. 1740 |
| Architectural style | Gambrel roof house |
| Areas of significance | Military, Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Stands in good condition according to the significance statement; the description checks condition as Fair and notes the original 1½-story stone addition was destroyed by fire about 1883 and replaced with a frame section. |
| Acreage | 1.8 |
| Coordinates | 40.24574, -75.00843 (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 73001595.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q6260680
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.