Searights Tollhouse, National Road
Why it's listed
West of Uniontown, a two-story octagonal brick tower built in 1835 marks a surviving toll house on the National Road. The tower rises about 20 feet, carries a toll board on the road side, is wrapped by a porch on the first floor, and is topped by a small tower. From inside, the toll keeper could watch traffic in both directions, and an iron gate once swung across the road to stop vehicles. Two one-story wings with gabled roofs, each holding a single room with a fireplace, extend from the east and south sides, and a small rear room was added later. Pennsylvania received its section of the road from the federal government and planned six toll houses, two of which survive, to fund maintenance. The state collected tolls for about fifty years, and the building deteriorated after the road declined by the 1870s. The state restored it, and it is now open to visitors as a museum with no original furnishings.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the toll house reflects the National Road's role in westward communication and Pennsylvania's management of the road after the federal government turned its state section over to the state. Its tolls helped pay for road maintenance, and the building is associated with the road's transportation history from the 1830s to about 1885.
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 66000665, listed October 15, 1966. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | W of Uniontown off U.S. 40, Uniontown |
|---|---|
| County | Fayette County |
| Listed | October 15, 1966 |
| Reference number | 66000665 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1835-1885 |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Transportation, Communications |
| Level of significance | National |
| National Historic Landmark | Yes, designated January 29, 1964 |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Restored by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and open to the public as a museum with free admission. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 39.94725, -79.79407 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
National Register listing is honorary: it recognises significance and does not restrict what a private owner may do without federal money or permits. It unlocks the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit for income-producing buildings, state credits in many states, and Section 106 review when federal agencies are involved. See what listing means in practice.
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 66000665.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7441755
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.