Kimberton Village Historic District
Also known as: See also:Kimberton Village Historic District (Boundary Incre
Why it's listed
Kimberton Village is a crossroads settlement in Pikeland Township, Chester County, Pennsylvania, made up of three surviving buildings. The tavern, a white stucco-over-stone structure, was built by George Chrisman, probably after 1750, and was licensed in 1771 as a tavern called the Sign of the Bear. During the Revolution it was a resting place for armies moving between Valley Forge and an army hospital. The grist mill, of random fieldstone with a datestone reading 1796, was also built by Chrisman. The boarding school grew from a first phase possibly built in 1787. Under Quaker schoolmaster Emmor Kimber, from 1817, it became known for a liberal atmosphere, open to students of all religious denominations and drawing pupils from as far as the West Indies. Kimber was also an antislavery figure, and his daughter Abigail later attended the 1840 London anti-slavery convention.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the village is significant for its eighteenth and nineteenth century commerce and for its role in education and social reform. The tavern served Revolutionary armies traveling between Valley Forge and the army hospital, and the Kimber boarding school was unusually liberal and open to students of all religious denominations. Emmor Kimber's antislavery activity and his daughter Abigail's anti-slavery work are also cited.
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 76001626, listed May 6, 1976. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | Both sides of Hares Hill Rd. between Kimberton and Cold Stream, East Pikeland Township, Kimberton |
|---|---|
| County | Chester County |
| Listed | May 6, 1976 |
| Reference number | 76001626 |
| Resource type | District |
| Period of significance | 18th Century-19th Century |
| Areas of significance | Commerce, Education, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | The tavern now houses a pharmacy, the mill has been remodeled for a post office and commercial and residential use, and the school building includes a 20th century commercial wing. |
| Acreage | 4 |
| Within district | Kimberton Historic District (Boundary Increase) |
| Coordinates | 40.12979, -75.57640 (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 76001626.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q15238490
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.