Collins Mansion
Why it's listed
Built in 1727 for Quakers Joseph and Mary Collins, the Collins Mansion stands on the Goshen Road, one of the main routes west from Philadelphia, in what is now West Chester, Pennsylvania. Its facade is dressed serpentine stone quarried locally, with fieldstone side walls, and its balanced door, datestone, hood and pedimented gables follow the Philadelphia house tradition of the late seventeenth and early eighteenth centuries. Between 1758 and 1760 a one and one-half story fieldstone kitchen wing was added on the north side, and the interior was remodeled, including new plaster partitions and a paneled stairway. A 1940 restoration used plans by Philadelphia architect Walter Durham, and the 1946 work recreated the original red, gray and blue paint. The house is regarded as the oldest in West Chester and one of the earliest country residences in southeastern Pennsylvania, and it is valued for how little it has changed since 1760.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the house is the oldest in the borough of West Chester and one of the earliest country residences in southeastern Pennsylvania. It is one of the first in the area to use locally quarried serpentine stone, and it is significant for its well-preserved state, substantially unchanged since renovations in 1760. Its rural setting makes its Philadelphia-style sophistication notable.
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 72001110, listed November 9, 1972. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 633 Goshen Rd., West Chester |
|---|---|
| County | Chester County |
| Listed | November 9, 1972 |
| Reference number | 72001110 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1727 |
| Architectural style | Philadelphia Style |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Restored to appear as it did in 1760, including 1727 elements not changed at that time. |
| Acreage | 3.5 |
| Coordinates | 39.97514, -75.60345 (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 72001110.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5147391
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.