Garrett Farmstead
Also known as: Garrett, Issac House; Garrett, Amos and Anna, House
Why it's listed
Located in Willistown Township, Chester County, the Garrett Farmstead is a cluster of farm buildings set in open fields and woodland. The oldest part is the stone Isaac Garrett farmhouse, a Penn Plan core that the nomination dates to about 1755, later enlarged with a stone section around 1826 and a kitchen wing around 1937. A double-decker stone barn was built around 1850, when the earlier barn was converted into a tenant house. In 1872 Amos and Anna Garrett built a stuccoed Second Empire house nearby, and its date stone reads "A & AM Garrett 1872." The farmstead is regarded as a representative example of Chester County farm building from the mid-eighteenth through the early twentieth century. Its houses, barn and springhouse show how farm buildings were added to and altered as crop output grew and as the land later passed to owners who did not farm it commercially. The buildings retain much of their original interior and exterior fabric.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the farmstead is a representative example of local farm architecture in Chester County from the mid-18th to the early 20th century. It shows how a Penn Plan core was enlarged over time, how the original barn was replaced by a larger double-decker barn, and how a prosperous family built a stylish Second Empire house in 1872. The buildings are described as highly intact inside and out.
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 03000076, listed February 27, 2003. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 808 and 816 Warren Ave., Newtown Square |
|---|---|
| County | Chester County |
| Listed | February 27, 2003 |
| Reference number | 03000076 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1755 - 1937 |
| Architectural style | Colonial; Second Empire |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | The land is no longer farmed, and the Amos and Anna Garrett house has been owned by the Walls since 1981. |
| Acreage | 24.7 |
| Coordinates | 39.99577, -75.48739 (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 03000076.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q115803102
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.