Youghiogheny Bank of Pennslyvania
Also known as: Old State Bank
Why it's listed
Built circa 1817 of coursed ashlar sandstone on Liberty Street in Perryopolis, this one-story, front-gabled building is about 25 feet square. It was founded as the Youghiogheny Bank of Pennsylvania, one of the first formally organized banks in western Pennsylvania, during a wave of speculative growth in the trans-Appalachian west. The bank closed in 1819 after the depression of that year. The building was later sold in 1821 to Benjamin Martin and remained in the Martin family until 1928. It housed a school, Methodist services in the 1830s, a store and post office, and other businesses. In 1936 a rear two-story stone addition was built, and the building was converted for use as a doctor's office and residence. It is regarded as a tangible link to early commercial history in Fayette County and as a representative example of stone construction from its period.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the building is significant under Criterion A for commerce as a remnant of the early nineteenth-century banking and speculative growth of Perryopolis. It is described as one of the first formally organized banks in western Pennsylvania and as a tangible link to early commercial history. Its ashlar sandstone construction is presented as a representative example of the period.
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 97001245, listed October 24, 1997. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | S. Libety St., S of Washington Diamond, Perryopolis |
|---|---|
| County | Fayette County |
| Listed | October 24, 1997 |
| Reference number | 97001245 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1817-1819 |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Commerce |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | The building was used as a museum maintained by the Perryopolis Area Heritage Society. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 40.08662, -79.75057 (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 97001245.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q8057749
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.