Abbeville
Why it's listed
Abbeville is a stone house on a five-acre site near Lancaster, Pennsylvania. Its oldest section, a two-story stone structure about twenty by seventeen feet, dates to 1755 or 1756. A larger Georgian main house of about forty-five feet square was added around 1790, and two one-story side wings followed in 1826. The house retains original marble fireplaces, woodwork, and hardware, along with a hand-carved staircase and hand-blown window glass. Its owners during the early nineteenth century included Langdon Cheves, a South Carolina congressman and second president of the Second Bank of the United States, who gave the property its name after his birthplace. On July 4, 1828, a celebration with a parade and banquet was held on the grounds, and James Buchanan read the Declaration of Independence there. Later, the Abbeville Institute, a boys' school, operated on the property from 1835.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues that the house is significant for its successive stone building campaigns and original interior features, and for its association with Langdon Cheves, a South Carolina congressman and Second Bank of the United States president who named the property Abbeville. It also cites the 1828 Fourth of July celebration held there and later ownership by the Coleman family and the Abbeville Institute school.
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 78002414, listed December 14, 1978. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 1140 Columbia Ave., Lancaster |
|---|---|
| County | Lancaster County |
| Listed | December 14, 1978 |
| Reference number | 78002414 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1755-1899 |
| Architectural style | Georgian |
| Areas of significance | Landscape Architecture, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | The interior is described as in excellent condition, and the present owners furnish it in eighteenth and nineteenth century style. |
| Acreage | 5 |
| Coordinates | 40.03775, -76.33486 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
National Register listing is honorary: it recognises significance and does not restrict what a private owner may do without federal money or permits. It unlocks the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit for income-producing buildings, state credits in many states, and Section 106 review when federal agencies are involved. See what listing means in practice.
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 78002414.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q4663940
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.