Gray, John, House
Why it's listed
Built of stone in the late eighteenth century, the John Gray house stands in Port Matilda, Centre County, Pennsylvania. It is a two and one-half story, five-bay structure with an exposed basement, a dressed stone front wall, rubble stone side and rear walls, and a steep gable roof with a chimney at each end. The front and north walls are sheltered by a porch, and the nine-over-six windows have raised panel shutters on the first floor. A small one-story board and batten wing from the twentieth century projects from the rear. Inside, a center hall divides two rooms on each side, following the typical Georgian plan. The stair is distinctive for its sawn flat balusters and gouged ornament on the string facings. Most of the woodwork, doors, trim, chair rails, floors and hardware survive original, and the house was restored under the direction of a qualified restoration architect. Its listing rests on its value as a well-preserved example of rural eighteenth century stone architecture in Central Pennsylvania. The house was built by John Gray, one of the early settlers of the region.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the house is a fine example of late eighteenth century rural Pennsylvania architecture and a record of rural stone building design and craftsmanship based on the traditional Georgian floor plan. It is described as having come down to the present practically unchanged, with its solid stone exterior and original interior woodwork, doors, hardware and stair intact.
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 75001628, listed April 3, 1975. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | E of Port Matilda off PA 550, S of U.S. 220, Halfmoon Township, Port Matilda |
|---|---|
| County | Centre County |
| Listed | April 3, 1975 |
| Reference number | 75001628 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1793 |
| Architect / builder | John Gray (builder) |
| Architectural style | Georgian |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Restored under the direction of a qualified restoration architect; the document lists the condition as good. |
| Acreage | 6 |
| Coordinates | 40.82453, -77.97451 (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 75001628.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q15229663
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.