Cressbrook Farm
Also known as: Former Quarters of Brigidier General Duportail
Why it's listed
Cressbrook Farm is a two and a half story stucco farmhouse at Valley Forge in Chester County, Pennsylvania. The original portion was built by John Havard shortly after 1740 as a small farmhouse typical of early Chester County settlers. An addition was built to the front in 1825, with large evenly spaced windows, arched dormers, and a fanlight above the central door. During the winter encampment of Washington's forces in 1777-1778, French engineer Louis Lebegue Duportail, Chief of Engineers for the Continental forces, used the house as his quarters. He planned the defenses used at Valley Forge, and he is believed to have stayed in the room above the original kitchen. Drawings he made for those defenses were later found in the rafters of that room. The property was donated in 1932 to the University of Pennsylvania by an alumnus as a site for future expansion.
Significance in brief: The house is associated with the winter encampment of Washington's forces at Valley Forge in 1777-1778, when French engineer Louis Lebegue Duportail used it as his quarters and planned the defenses. The nomination notes that his drawings were later found in the rafters of the room he occupied. The nomination also points to the 1825 addition's classical treatment.
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 72001106, listed October 26, 1972. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | S of Valley Forge, off U.S. 76, Valley Forge |
|---|---|
| County | Chester County |
| Listed | October 26, 1972 |
| Reference number | 72001106 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1740s and 1825 |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Military |
| Level of significance | National |
| Acreage | 1 |
| Within district | Valley Forge National Historical Park |
| Coordinates | 40.07719, -75.45034 (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 72001106.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5184490
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.