Lapp Log House
Also known as: Hopper Log House
Why it's listed
Built about 1800 as a two-story, one-bay square log house with saddle-notched corners, chinking, and a massive stone chimney, the Lapp Log House is attributed to Jacob Lapp or John Norris. It sits in northeastern Chester County, where most houses of the period were built of local quarried stone, making a log dwelling of this size unusual. A frame addition, a later north wing, and a 1976 enclosure of a porch and patio extended the house over time. Beside it stands a stone Pennsylvania bank barn, also dating to about 1800, with a cantilevered forebay and a lower incline plane. The Lapp family, who were members of the Swiss Amish congregation that built the only Amish church in the United States, owned the house. The nomination treats the house and barn as a rare survival of German Swiss building and community work in an English and Welsh settled county.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues that a substantial log house built around 1800 is unusual in an area of local stone construction and late settlement. It links the house to the Lapp family, members of the Swiss Amish congregation that built the only Amish church in the United States. It also describes the Switzer-type bank barn as a notable feature of Swiss immigrant farm building.
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 80003455, listed January 23, 1980. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | S of Chester Springs at Conestoga and Yellow Springs Rds., East Whiteland Township, Chester Springs |
|---|---|
| County | Chester County |
| Listed | January 23, 1980 |
| Reference number | 80003455 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | c. 1800 |
| Architect / builder | Jacob Lapp or John Norris |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Described as in good condition; the additions are described as in excellent condition. |
| Acreage | 9.5 |
| Coordinates | 40.05514, -75.59342 (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 80003455.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q6488326
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.