Neff, Maj. John, Homestead
Why it's listed
Set on a farm in Centre Hall, Centre County, the Neff Homestead combines a log house and a large stone barn built in the second half of the nineteenth century, based on architectural evidence since no documents date the buildings precisely. The two and one-half story log house is four bays wide and two bays deep, with six-over-six sash windows, a centrally located enclosed stairway, and interior horse hair plaster walls on hand-split oak lath. A rear ell has a log first story thought to predate the house. The stone barn measures 84 by 50 feet, is built of rubble stone, and contains two threshing floors and six pinned framing beams, each fifty feet long. John Neff, born in 1791 in Lebanon County, settled in Centre County and was a blacksmith before buying the land in 1832 and turning to farming. The complex is valued as one of the earliest large farm complexes in the Penns Valley area and for its barn, which is one of very few of its size in the county.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues that the complex is one of the earliest large farm complexes in the Penns Valley region. The stone barn is described as one of very few in Centre County and the only other comparable in size, style and condition is noted. The log house is said to retain craftsmanship in its interior and exterior details.
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 77001142, listed April 11, 1977. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | SW of Centre Hall, Centre Hall |
|---|---|
| County | Centre County |
| Listed | April 11, 1977 |
| Reference number | 77001142 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 2nd half of the 19th century |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Acreage | 1 |
| Coordinates | 40.82156, -77.72706 (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 77001142.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q15243915
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.