Leas, Benjamin B., House
Also known as: Shirleysburg Female Seminary; Fort Shirley Site; Rockview; The
Why it's listed
Built about 1850 on a small rise above Fort Run in Shirleysburg, this two and a half story brick house is a Greek Revival building measuring 41 by 32 feet, with an attached kitchen and servants' quarters. Benjamin B. Leas, a merchant and tanner, had bought the tract in 1843 and was later a commissioner to the Pennsylvania Railroad. The house has a central hall with an open stair, twelve rooms and original hardware, and a portico with fluted Doric columns and dentils at the cornice. Its facade is regarded as closely resembling the Grubb Mansion in Lancaster. The land is the site of Fort Shirley, a French and Indian War stockade built in 1755/56, and its archaeological potential has been noted although no testing has been done. The house later served as the Shirleysburg Female Seminary, a home for elderly members of the German Baptist Church, and an academy. Its exterior changes, including new sash, are mostly modest, and the nomination notes that road work on U.S. 522 could affect its setting.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the house is a well preserved and little altered example of a Greek Revival urban townhouse in rural Huntingdon County, with facade features closely resembling the Grubb Mansion in Lancaster. The site is also associated with the 1755/56 Fort Shirley and with a potential historic military archaeological site. Leas's railroad involvement and the later use of the house as a school and home for the German Baptist Church are cited as further historical context.
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 84003401, listed February 23, 1984. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | US 522, Shirleysburg |
|---|---|
| County | Huntingdon County |
| Listed | February 23, 1984 |
| Reference number | 84003401 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1755-1850 |
| Architect / builder | Benjamin B. Leas (house) |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Military, Education, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | The interior is described as in excellent condition; the building now serves as offices for the Aughwick Machine Company. |
| Acreage | 2.8 |
| Coordinates | 40.29908, -77.87126 (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 84003401.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q4888230
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.