Winings, Jacob, House and Clover Mill
Why it's listed
Random fieldstone farmhouse in Phoenixville, Chester County, built in the late eighteenth century, with a two-and-a-half-story original section three bays wide and two bays deep under a gable roof with a west gable-end stone chimney. Jacob Winings, an ironmaster, bought the property in 1783 from Thomas Rutter and Samuel Potts. Local tradition holds that the house predates that sale and served as a hospital for wounded Continental soldiers. A tax assessment of 1796 records a large stone house valued at 45 pounds under the name Jacob Winands. The house has an addition on the east gable end, built of coursed stone with its own separate entrance. Because of its position on French Creek, the property held various mill buildings over time, and a small stucco-over-stone clover mill survives across James Mill Road. An 1825 advertisement lists a grist mill and a sawmill on the site. The house is regarded as a well preserved example of a typical Chester County farmhouse and exemplifies a pattern of growth common to the area's eighteenth-century farmhouses.
Significance in brief: The nomination describes the house as a well preserved example of a typical Chester County farmhouse of the late 18th century, and notes its growth pattern is common among 18th century farmhouses in the area. It also cites local tradition that the house served as a hospital for wounded Continental soldiers and that the property held mill buildings, including a surviving clover mill, due to its mill seat on French Creek.
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 79002203, listed August 17, 1979. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | SW of Phoenixville on James Mill Rd., Phoenixville |
|---|---|
| County | Chester County |
| Listed | August 17, 1979 |
| Reference number | 79002203 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1700-1799 |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | The original and additional house are described as in excellent condition. |
| Acreage | 1.7 |
| Coordinates | 40.15032, -75.76419 (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 79002203.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q6119468
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.