Hall, Joseph E., House
Also known as: Hall-Nicholson House; Rebecca M. Arthurs Memorial Library
Why it's listed
Built about 1848 in Brookville, the Joseph E. Hall House is a Greek Revival house of the "temple with wings" type, with a two-story Ionic porch, four fluted columns, and pilasters that box in its heavy timber frame. Its oval entrance hall, winding stair, and molded plaster ceiling in the great room survive largely intact. Joseph E. Hall, a lumberman and merchant, bought the lot in 1848, and the house was complete by 1851 or 1852. Later residents included John S. King, cashier of the Brookville Bank, and Robert J. Nicholson, one of the region's most active lumbermen. Richard Arthurs, an early county district attorney, later lived here. The house is valued for its architectural quality and for its links to the county's lumbering prosperity and local leadership.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the house is one of few superb examples of the temple-with-wings type in north-central Pennsylvania, with a sound understanding of Greek Revival design and fine craftsmanship. It also ties the house to Jefferson County's 19th-century lumbering economy and to a succession of prominent local residents.
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 78002408, listed December 13, 1978. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 419 W. Main, Brookville |
|---|---|
| County | Jefferson County |
| Listed | December 13, 1978 |
| Reference number | 78002408 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | c. 1848 |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Excellent state of preservation; restoration underway for single-family rental and possible office use. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Within district | Brookville Historic District |
| Coordinates | 41.16083, -79.08441 (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 78002408.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q6282796
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.