Ferron, John, House
Why it's listed
Banked stone house on St. Malachi Road in Londonderry Township, Chester County, built about 1838 on a tract of 10 3/4 acres. Its two-bay, two-story form with attic follows the Penn Plan, a layout that spread from Philadelphia through the surrounding rural counties in the colonial period. Because the house is set into the hill, its cellar serves as a kitchen, and the original cellar cooking fireplace and evidence of a bake oven survive. The front and back rooms, side winder staircase, woodwork, and mantels remain intact, and modern plumbing and heating were not added until the late 1970s. The house was built by John Ferron, carpenter of St. Malachi Church, and his heirs held it for 64 years. Later owner William Shank served as the church's sexton for more than thirty years. The property is significant for its architecture and its ties to the Catholic settlement of the area.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the house is architecturally important as a well-preserved banked version of the regionally popular Penn Plan, with its original cellar kitchen and fireplace largely intact. It also points to its long association with St. Malachi Church, whose members, including its builder and a long-serving sexton, owned the house.
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 85003049, listed November 26, 1985. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | Saint Malachi Rd., Londonderry Township |
|---|---|
| County | Chester County |
| Listed | November 26, 1985 |
| Reference number | 85003049 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1800-1899 |
| Architect / builder | John Ferron (builder) |
| Architectural style | 43 Penn Plan |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Excellent condition; residence; a frame addition and a root cellar are present, with the cellar listed as contributing. |
| Acreage | 10.8 |
| Coordinates | 39.89915, -75.85139 (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 85003049.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q6233042
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.