Williams, Ellis, House
Why it's listed
Built in stone in East Goshen Township around 1754 and doubled in size around 1790, this two-story, four-bay farmhouse on East Boot Road is a Penn Plan house enlarged into what is locally called the "four-room house." The original two-bay section has a stone-walled main block with large quoins, stucco-clad end chimneys, and a pent roof that was later removed, while the addition carries six-over-six and six-over-nine sash. Much of the interior survives, including cabinetry, mantels, working fireplaces, doors, hardware and the floor plan. A stone workshop dating to about 1820 stands on the property, where local tradition links the family to Robert Williams and later to the Garrett family. The house is regarded as a well-preserved example of eighteenth-century rural Pennsylvania farmhouse building, and its plan illustrates a common pattern of additive farmhouses in southeastern Pennsylvania. It was listed for its architectural distinction and its preserved interior.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the house is a highly intact, key example of rural domestic architecture, showing the Penn Plan core of c. 1754 and the enlarged "four-room house" plan of c. 1790. Its interior retains most eighteenth-century details, and the document describes it as an important and highly preserved example of colonial architecture.
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 04000835, listed August 11, 2004. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 1711 E. Boot Rd., East Goshen |
|---|---|
| County | Chester County |
| Listed | August 11, 2004 |
| Reference number | 04000835 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | c. 1754 - c. 1820 |
| Architectural style | Colonial |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Highly intact; a c. 1930 section was demolished in 1977 and a powder room addition and terrace were built in 1997. |
| Acreage | 1 |
| Coordinates | 39.99945, -75.52872 (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 04000835.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5366024
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.