Wilkinson House
Also known as: Site #63-1
Approximate location: the National Park Service places this pin arbitrarily within the property, not at a surveyed point (stated accuracy ±12 m).
Why it's listed
A two-story frame house in Pocopson Township, Chester County, built about 1884 in the Rural Gothic style beside a coal and bran business that Lewis P. Wilkinson ran along the Wilmington and Northern Railroad. Wilkinson had established the coal business on two acres carved from his father's 125-acre farm in 1880, and in 1882 he built a bran house that is likely the present stable. The house has a central cross gable, decorative wood quoins, a front porch on a stone foundation with turned posts and jigsaw work, and original paneled and louvered shutters. Inside, its center hall, kitchen pantry, pass-through window, random-width floors and original light fixtures survive. The house is regarded as the most intact example of the Rural Gothic style in the Scenic River Corridor. The business was active until the early 1900s and reflects the railroad's freight trade, mainly coal hauled from the Reading area to Wilmington, Delaware.
Significance in brief: The house is described as a pure example of the Rural Gothic style in the West Branch Brandywine Scenic River Corridor, where most houses are Colonial or Georgian. It retains original exterior and interior features, including siding, window sash, floors, kitchen pantry and light fixtures. The nomination also ties it to the Wilkinson coal business, which served the railroad's freight trade, and it is called the most intact house of its type in the corridor.
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 85002379, listed September 16, 1985. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | Rt. 482, Pocopson Twp. |
|---|---|
| County | Chester County |
| Listed | September 16, 1985 |
| Reference number | 85002379 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1800-1899 |
| Architectural style | Rural Gothic |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Acreage | 2 |
| Coordinates | 39.92587, -75.66563 (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 85002379.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q8002544
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.