East, Nicholas, House
Why it's listed
Built in 1820 by Nicholas East, this two-and-one-half-story house in Valley Forge, Chester County, is constructed of random fieldstone with heavy corner quoins. It has a gable roof, a fieldstone chimney at each gable end, and a center hall plan with an original open stairway whose step ends are scrolled. East bought the property in 1804, and a stone barn had stood there since at least 1798. After the property passed out of the East family, an 1863 newspaper advertisement described a stone dwelling house, a stone barn, a wagonhouse and a blacksmith shop, suggesting that the owners combined blacksmithing with farming. The house is regarded as a recently restored example of the most characteristic farmhouse type of the early nineteenth century in the area. It also retains a late nineteenth-century one-story wooden porch that runs the full length of the south elevation. Rear additions were made in two stages.
Significance in brief: The house is presented as a recently restored example of the most characteristic area farmhouse type of the early nineteenth century. It also shows a characteristic Late Victorian modification, a one-story flat-roofed wooden porch added across the front elevation. The property's history includes an earlier stone barn dating to 1798 and later blacksmithing use.
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 73001614, listed April 2, 1973. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | W of Valley Forge on Kimberton Rd., Valley Forge |
|---|---|
| County | Chester County |
| Listed | April 2, 1973 |
| Reference number | 73001614 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1820 |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Restored by the present owner, who remodelled the kitchen and removed a stucco coating from the exterior. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Within district | West Vincent Highlands Historic District |
| Coordinates | 40.11361, -75.65406 (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 73001614.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7025333
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.