Laughlin, Hugh, House
Why it's listed
Built in stages between about 1785 and 1810 near Brownsville in Fayette County, Pennsylvania, the Hugh Laughlin House is a coursed rubble sandstone dwelling. The older, two-story section is a three-bay Georgian house with a double pile, side hall plan, and the later one-and-a-half-story section adjoins it. Its main interest lies in the mix of regional planning and unusual detail. The plan and window arrangement follow the Georgian houses common in the county around 1800, but the keyed, arched first-floor openings on the front facade are unusual locally, and the built-in eave returns are a singular feature. The interior keeps its original plaster, oak flooring, six-panel doors, wrought iron hardware, and a large cooking fireplace with an iron swivel crane. The house is also associated with Hugh Laughlin, a gentleman farmer who owned four slaves in 1790.
Significance in brief: The house is argued to be significant as a distinctive blend of regional Georgian plan and idiosyncratic details, including keyed arched lintels on the first-floor front facade that are unusual in the local area. Its interior, with a Georgian side hall plan and largely intact eighteenth- and early nineteenth-century woodwork and hardware, is described as exceptionally well preserved. It is also presented as the home of a late eighteenth/early nineteenth century gentleman farmer who owned slaves.
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 87000659, listed April 30, 1987. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | TR 422, Brownsville |
|---|---|
| County | Fayette County |
| Listed | April 30, 1987 |
| Reference number | 87000659 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1785-1810 |
| Architectural style | Georgian |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Altered in the 1950s renovation, including removal of late nineteenth-century additions and asbestos shingle roofing; the document describes the building as having good integrity. |
| Acreage | 0.7 |
| Coordinates | 39.99809, -79.84098 (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 87000659.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5931430
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.