Allerman, Conrad and Margaret, House
Also known as: Old Reliance Farm
Why it's listed
Built in 1788 of local grey limestone by Conrad Alleman, a German-born farmer, this two and a half story house in Lower Swatara Township, Dauphin County, combines German building traditions with English Georgian details. A date stone in the east gable reads "Built C A 1788," and the house has a center hall, double pile plan, a vaulted brick cellar, and a queen post roof truss known as a stehender stuhl. Flat arches of red sandstone and limestone keystones sit over the first floor openings, and the mortar is colored with crushed red sandstone. A c.1800 east wing added a two-story wood porch. The Alleman family owned the property from 1788 until 1978. The house is regarded as a significant surviving example of Pennsylvania German vernacular architecture in the county, showing how families of modest means adopted English styles while keeping German construction methods. Its high degree of integrity in structure and interior details is cited as a key reason for its significance.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the house is a locally significant example of 18th century German vernacular domestic architecture that incorporates English Georgian elements such as the center hall, double pile plan, and flat arches. It cites German construction features including the date stone, queen post roof truss, vaulted cellar, and bi-colored mortar, and states that it is one of few surviving pre-1800 buildings in the county with such German vernacular elements.
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 11000644, listed September 8, 2011. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 1412 Farmhouse Ln. (Lower Swatara Township), Ebenezer |
|---|---|
| County | Dauphin County |
| Listed | September 8, 2011 |
| Reference number | 11000644 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1788-c.1800 |
| Architectural style | Colonial: Georgian; German vernacular |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | The document states that the house has a high degree of integrity; a terraced patio was built in 2009 and the original barn collapsed in 1984. |
| Acreage | 2.8 |
| Coordinates | 40.23919, -76.76253 (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 11000644.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5162639
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.