Matlack, Enoch, House
Why it's listed
Built in the latter part of the nineteenth century in Hummelstown, this two-and-one-half-story brick house sits on the town's main street in a T-plan with a two-story rear wing and cross-gable roof. Heavy paired brackets, dentils and carved scrollwork ornament the cornices, and the front facade has a center door with a segmental arched fanlight and carved window frames. Its interior includes an open central stairway with turned balusters and a mahogany rail, and solid oak floors. The house was pictured in the 1875 Combination Atlas Map of Dauphin County, a sign of its prominence at the time. Enoch Matlack, a tanner whose works lay along the Swatara Creek, built it, and later occupants included William and Mary Fox, carriage makers, from 1887 to 1907. Dr. Simon F. Earnest, an ear, nose and throat physician, lived and practiced there until his death in 1935. The nomination regards it as an example of the wealth tied to Hummelstown's brownstone quarrying industry.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the house is one of the truly impressive late-19th-century buildings in Hummelstown, pictured in the 1875 Combination Atlas Map of Dauphin County, and one of perhaps ten larger mansion-type structures in the borough. It is described as the only house of its style in the town and as reflecting the money available during the height of the Hummelstown brownstone quarrying industry.
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 79002219, listed June 22, 1979. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 250 E. Main St., Hummelstown |
|---|---|
| County | Dauphin County |
| Listed | June 22, 1979 |
| Reference number | 79002219 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1800-1899 |
| Architect / builder | Enoch Matlack |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Altered; a one-story porch was added after 1875, a small brick office addition was made to the west facade, and a modern three-car garage stands at the rear of the lot. Currently being considered for use as a community library. |
| Acreage | 0.3 |
| Coordinates | 40.26590, -76.70187 (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 79002219.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5379314
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.