Mitchell, James, House
Why it's listed
Built on two Indiana town lots in the late 1840s and 1850s, the two and one half story brick house in Indiana, Pennsylvania, is a vernacular Federal style building with a frame wing added to its rear. James Mitchell bought the lots in August 1849 for $100 and built the brick section, which has six bays across the front and stone lintels over its one-over-one windows. Tax records from 1856 to 1860 list Mitchell as an innkeeper, and an 1859 advertisement names him proprietor of the Mansion House, a hotel or tavern. The house is regarded as one of the few surviving examples of its style within the borough limits. Its listing reflects its architectural character and its association with the commercial and transportation growth that Indiana County experienced after the canal and railroad were completed. Later owners included Hugh W. Weir, H. E. Clark and Dr. Howard B. Buterbaugh, who used the first floor as a doctor's office for many years.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the house is architecturally significant to Indiana because it is one of the few remaining vernacular Federal style buildings within the borough limits. Its owner James Mitchell was an innkeeper who is said to have used the house as an inn, and it is linked to the commercial and transportation growth of the 1850s in Indiana County.
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 78002407, listed December 4, 1978. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 57 S. 6th St., Indiana |
|---|---|
| County | Indiana County |
| Listed | December 4, 1978 |
| Reference number | 78002407 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | circa 1849-59 |
| Architectural style | vernacular Federal style |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Commerce, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Altered: a gable porch over the main doorway has been removed recently, and Victorian-period mantels replaced originals; the interior is basically intact. |
| Acreage | 0.3 |
| Coordinates | 40.62180, -79.15038 (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 78002407.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q6139852
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.