Wisner, Jacob, House
Also known as: Rapp House
Why it's listed
Built of reddish quartzite laid in random fashion with large quoins, this two-and-a-half story stone farmhouse stands in Charlestown Township, Chester County, Pennsylvania. Its north section is said to have been standing in 1761, and a later addition to the south was made, possibly in the 1840s. The original part has a massive internal chimney at each end, exposed and carefully beaded joists, and a walk-in fireplace. Jacob Wisner, a cabinet maker and farmer who bought the house in 1834, had enlisted at sixteen as a fifer in the 4th Pennsylvania Regiment, survived Brandywine, Germantown and Valley Forge, and escaped the Paoli Massacre. The addition served as a saddle and harness shop and, from 1897, as the Sidley Post Office. The house is regarded as surpassing other local buildings in craftsmanship. It was owned by the Wisner-Rapp family for 122 years and has never been modernized.
Significance in brief: The house is noted for its craftsmanship and detailed construction, which the nomination says surpasses other structures in the locality. It is also tied to Jacob Wisner, a Revolutionary War fifer who survived Valley Forge and escaped the Paoli Massacre, and it served as a farmhouse, harness shop and post office. The house has never been modernized or restored.
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 79002201, listed August 6, 1979. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | NW of Malvern on Yellow Springs Rd, Malvern |
|---|---|
| County | Chester County |
| Listed | August 6, 1979 |
| Reference number | 79002201 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Partly roofless after vandalism and fire; reroofed in 1978 by the Charlestown Historical Society; stood vacant for over 20 years and is undergoing restoration by that society. |
| Acreage | 2.5 |
| Coordinates | 40.07304, -75.57440 (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.
Noted as vacant in the nomination. Nomination documents can be decades old; current status may differ. If you are considering buying an empty listed property, read the due-diligence checklist.
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 79002201.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q6119470
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.