Downer Tavern
Also known as: Downer,Jonathan,House
Why it's listed
Built around 1826 on the western slope of Chalk Hill, Fayette County, this five-bay, two-and-a-half story brick house has a center hall plan and a two-story kitchen ell along its west gable end, set about forty-five feet from U.S. Route 40. Its brick walls are laid in Flemish bond on the front and common bond elsewhere, and its interior keeps oak floors, a Federal-period open staircase with bracketed stringers, and Doric-columned mantels in the parlors. The building was associated with Jonathan Downer, who was taxed as an innkeeper in Wharton Township from 1816 until his death in 1833. Its size and large kitchen ell mark it as a tavern, and the property is regarded as representing the earliest commercial period of the National Road. Among the few masonry taverns of that era to keep so many Federal details, it has been valued for both its commercial history and its vernacular architecture.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the tavern is significant for its association with the early commercial development of the National Road and for its architecture as a good example of vernacular tavern design with Federal style details. It is presented as one of a small group of surviving taverns from the early National Road era, and the nomination notes that few masonry taverns of the period retain as many Federal details.
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 95001351, listed November 27, 1995. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | US 40, Wharton Township, Chalkhill |
|---|---|
| County | Fayette County |
| Listed | November 27, 1995 |
| Reference number | 95001351 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | C. 1826 - C. 1852 |
| Architect / builder | Jonathan Downer (builder of tavern, per nomination's attribution) |
| Architectural style | Federal |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Commerce, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 39.84410, -79.61730 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For an income-producing building, listing (individually or as a contributing building in a district) is the gateway to the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit on qualified rehabilitation costs, often stackable with state credits. Work claiming the credit must follow the Secretary of the Interior's Standards and be approved in advance.
Listing does not restrict a private owner acting without federal money or permits; where federal funding or licensing is involved, Section 106 review applies.
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 95001351.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5303119
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.