Potter-Allison Farm
Why it's listed
Along Potter's Run near Potters Mills, the Potter-Allison Farm holds a brick house built in two stages: a Georgian section from about 1817 and an 1850s Victorian addition built under William Allison, who had acquired the property from James Irvin. The house keeps its symmetrical facade, side hall plan, 12-over-12 facade windows and a panelled entrance door, along with Victorian cabinetwork and a mantled parlor fireplace. The farm stands on land tied to General James Potter, an early settler who arrived around 1768 and built a log house in 1788. The property was a continuous working farm into the early 20th century and includes a large bank barn with hand-hewn timbers, several outbuildings, and archeological traces of grist, saw, woolen and tanning mills. Its surviving buildings and integrity are considered rare for the county.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the farm is one of the county's oldest and best preserved farm complexes, descending from General James Potter's early landholdings. Its house is described as an exceptional hybrid of Georgian and Victorian design with high integrity. The farm also retains evidence of early mill and tanning industries and a rare two-level outbuilding with overhang.
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 77001143, listed December 6, 1977. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | SE of Centre Hall on PA 144, Potter Township, Centre Hall |
|---|---|
| County | Centre County |
| Listed | December 6, 1977 |
| Reference number | 77001143 |
| Resource type | District |
| Period of significance | 1800-1899 |
| Architectural style | Georgian with Victorian addition |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Industry, Commerce, Agriculture, Exploration/Settlement, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | The house is described as standing in excellent condition; the nomination notes the farm was in continuous use as a farming operation until the early 20th century. |
| Acreage | 136 |
| Coordinates | 40.80073, -77.63056 (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 77001143.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7235239
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.