American/Consolidated Tobacco Companies
Also known as: Domestic Tobacco Co.
Why it's listed
Two brick tobacco warehouses stand side by side at the southwest corner of North Prince and West Ross Streets in Lancaster. The south building was erected in 1907 by the Federal Cigar Real Estate Co., a subsidiary of the American Cigar Co., and the north building followed about 1910. Both are laid in common bond over stone foundations, and the south building is fireproof, with concrete floors and roof, divided into three warehouse areas by fire walls. The north building was raised from one story to two around 1925, and a rear addition extends both buildings to about 300 feet in depth. The company office occupies the east end of the north building, fronting North Prince Street. Both warehouses are regarded as very good examples of the large, flat-roofed tobacco buildings of the early twentieth century. They were designed for the processing and storage needs of a corporation with out-of-town ownership, and they reflect Lancaster City's tobacco industry at its height. The buildings have been in continuous tobacco use since they were built.
Significance in brief: The buildings are significant under criteria A and C as an integral part of Lancaster City's late nineteenth and early twentieth century tobacco processing and storage industry. They are very good examples of large, flat-roofed tobacco warehouses of the first quarter of the twentieth century and represent the growing involvement of national cigar companies in the local industry.
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 90001398, listed September 21, 1990. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 820--830 N. Prince St., Lancaster |
|---|---|
| County | Lancaster County |
| Listed | September 21, 1990 |
| Reference number | 90001398 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1907-1940 |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Industry, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Operating; the south building is used for storage of chewing tobacco and is a U.S. Customs and bonded warehouse, and the north building's remainder stores tobacco. |
| Acreage | 1.5 |
| Within district | Lancaster City Historic District |
| Coordinates | 40.05037, -76.31034 (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 90001398.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q4742841
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.