White House Inn
Why it's listed
Built by Patrick McDowell between 1804 and 1807 on high ground at the base of Mt. Parnell, the two-story stuccoed stone inn faces south over the Cumberland Valley. A one-and-a-half-story rubble stone wing at the rear predates it, probably dating to the later 18th century and built by William McDowell. The interior retains much of its early woodwork, including part of the original bar and registration desk in the barroom, reeded mantelpieces, and a central stair hall. The second-floor sleeping room, partitioned in the late 19th century, still shows the original plan. The inn served travelers on the Chambersburg and Bedford Turnpike, part of the route from Philadelphia to Pittsburgh, and an 1868 atlas showed eight hotels along the road between Chambersburg and Ft. Loudon. It is valued for its rare survival of an inn's public and sleeping arrangements.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the inn is a well preserved example of a 19th century inn on an early turnpike between Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, illustrating travel and commerce of that era. It is also significant as a little-altered example of early 19th century regional architecture combining Georgian form with Federal decorative elements, including an original bar and registration desk and a largely intact second-floor sleeping room.
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 86000304, listed February 27, 1986. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 10111 Lincoln Way W, St. Thomas Township |
|---|---|
| County | Franklin County |
| Listed | February 27, 1986 |
| Reference number | 86000304 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | c. 1805 |
| Architect / builder | Patrick McDowell |
| Architectural style | Georgian form with Federal elements |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Commerce, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Acreage | 0.3 |
| Coordinates | 39.90343, -77.85390 (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 86000304.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7994887
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.