Ayres, Bucher, Farm
Why it's listed
Built in 1858 on Whitehall Road in Ferguson Township, about a mile and a half east of Pennsylvania Furnace, this farm complex includes a main house of three connected sections, a servants' quarters block, a pumphouse and cistern, and several outbuildings, among them a smoke house and an unusually large outhouse with seven seats. The main block follows a Georgian plan with a Greek Revival portico of fluted Ionic columns, and its fireplaces have marble mantels. Contractor George Reynolds built it for Bucher Ayres, a railroad official and colonel, and his wife Jane Lyon, daughter of ironmaster John Lyon, who gave the couple the farm tract as a wedding gift. Its importance rests on its consistent architectural detailing and its functional planning, including porches that gave covered access to the outbuildings. The farm is also tied to the early development of Pennsylvania Furnace. It is regarded as one of the best-preserved affluent historic farms in Centre County.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues that the farm is significant for its aesthetic planning and detailing, which it calls an excellent example of fashionable rural living of the mid-to-late 1800s, and for its functional layout, especially porches that served as covered circulation to the outbuildings. It also links the farm to ironmaster John Lyon and to Colonel Bucher Ayres, two figures in the development of early Ferguson Township. The Greek Revival influence is described as unusual in Centre 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 80003453, listed December 1, 1980. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | SW of Pine Grove Mills on Whitehall Rd., Pennsylvania Furnace, Pine Grove Mills |
|---|---|
| County | Centre County |
| Listed | December 1, 1980 |
| Reference number | 80003453 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | George Reynolds (builder) |
| Architectural style | Georgian with Greek Revival elements |
| Areas of significance | Agriculture, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Occupied by descendants of the family that bought the farmhouse in 1913. |
| Acreage | 295 |
| Coordinates | 40.72413, -77.96505 (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 80003453.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q4982689
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.