Hopewell Farm
Also known as: Lower Farm; Hopedell Farm
Why it's listed
Hopewell Farm occupies about 52.5 acres in the Chester Valley of Valley Township, Chester County, Pennsylvania, and is made up of thirteen contributing resources. The farmhouse was built in stages beginning around 1760, when a stone house was constructed for Robert Hope, and was enlarged around 1787, about 1820 and about 1835. A barn and silo complex dates from circa 1825 to circa 1930, and a separate tenant house built in 1940 stands on a rise across Valley Road. The farm's lime kiln, which operated into the early 1900s, reflects the abundant limestone of the township. Production shifted from general farming to butter and milk, and then to poultry, and the buildings were altered to suit these changes. The property is regarded as a representative example of how Southeastern Pennsylvania farms adapted over the late eighteenth to early twentieth centuries.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the farm is significant under Criteria A and C at the local level for its association with agriculture in Valley Township and Chester County. Its buildings and field layout are presented as reflecting changes in dairy and poultry farming practices from the late eighteenth to mid-twentieth centuries. The farmhouse also shows successive construction periods that document the architectural history of the township.
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 09001215, listed January 11, 2010. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 1751 Valley Rd., Valley |
|---|---|
| County | Chester County |
| Listed | January 11, 2010 |
| Reference number | 09001215 |
| Resource type | District |
| Period of significance | 1785-1959 |
| Architectural style | Pennsylvania Farmhouse |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Agriculture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | All of the resources are described as being in good to excellent condition. |
| Acreage | 50 |
| Coordinates | 39.96751, -75.86926 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
This is a historic district. Buildings within its boundary are either contributing (they add to the district's significance) or non-contributing. Owners of contributing income-producing buildings can claim the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit; homeowners should look at state credits. National Register districts impose no design review by themselves; a local historic district ordinance, if one exists, does (the difference explained).
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 09001215.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5900342
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.