Colebrook Manor
Why it's listed
Colebrook Manor is a farm complex near the Lancaster Turnpike in West Whiteland Township, Chester County, Pennsylvania, with a core house dating to the mid-1800s. Richard I. Downing acquired the 130-acre tract from John Roberts in 1842 and probably built the house soon after, and it served as his principal residence while he farmed about 700 acres across West Whiteland and East Caln townships. The two-and-a-half-story stuccoed stone house has a double-pile plan, a veranda with decorative wrought iron columns, and triple-sash six-over-six windows. Its interior includes black marble fireplace surrounds, fluted window reveals and a parquet hall floor. The stone and frame bank barn, entered by a bridge, is a variant not common in the area. The property is regarded as a well-preserved example of a mid-nineteenth century farm complex and is still in agricultural use.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the farmstead is a well-preserved example of a mid-nineteenth century farm complex with clear agricultural significance, one of the last relatively intact farms along the Lancaster Turnpike. The house follows a traditional four-room, double-pile, center-hall plan and retains an early Victorian interior with black marble fireplace surrounds and parquet floors. The stone and frame bank barn, with its bridge entrance, is described as a variant not common in the area.
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 84003239, listed September 6, 1984. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 637 W. Lincoln Hwy., Exton |
|---|---|
| County | Chester County |
| Listed | September 6, 1984 |
| Reference number | 84003239 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1840-1859 |
| Architectural style | Vernacular |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Agriculture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Still in agricultural use according to the document |
| Acreage | 14 |
| Coordinates | 40.02296, -75.66422 (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 84003239.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5142710
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.