Harvey, Peter, House and Barn
Why it's listed
Built of local stone laid in random pattern, the Peter Harvey House near Kennett Square began as a two and one-half story, three-bay by two-bay farmhouse with a gable roof and two gable-end stone chimneys. Peter Harvey, grandson of William Harvey, who had bought 300 acres on the west side of the Brandywine River in 1715, is credited with building it between 1773 and 1777. A date of November 27, 1777, inscribed in the plaster during a 1940 restoration, is linked to his marriage. The house gained stone additions in 1940 that brought it to eight bays. Across the site stands a stone and wood bank barn with a date stone of 1834, built by Isaac Mendenhall. Both buildings are valued for their plain, simple and well-proportioned Quaker-associated styling and for their use of local stone.
Significance in brief: The house is presented as a fine example of the local stone farmhouse, with simple and gracious styling. The barn is described as a fine example of local stone barn construction, with large quoins and random laid stonework. The nomination links both buildings to Quaker families, whose plain and simple styling is seen in the house and barn.
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 78002371, listed April 20, 1978. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | E of Kennett Sq. on Hillendale Rd., Mendenhall, Kennett Square |
|---|---|
| County | Chester County |
| Listed | April 20, 1978 |
| Reference number | 78002371 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1773-1777, 1834 |
| Architect / builder | Peter Harvey (house); Isaac Mendenhall (barn) |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | The barn is currently being used as a studio and storage area. |
| Acreage | 1 |
| Coordinates | 39.86502, -75.62341 (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 78002371.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7174569
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.