Bird-in-Hand Hotel
Also known as: Village Inn of Bird-in-Hand; Rhoad's Hotel
Why it's listed
Built in 1852 by Benjamin Groff, the Bird-in-Hand Hotel is a three-story brick building beside the Old Philadelphia Pike in the village of Bird-in-Hand, Lancaster County. It occupies the site of several earlier wayside taverns, and it was built to serve travelers on the old road between Lancaster and Philadelphia as well as passengers using the Pennsylvania Railroad, which reached the village in the 1850s. Its symmetrical five-bay facade has a second-story porch with Tuscan columns, sheltered entrances, six-over-six sash windows and shutters. The interior keeps Greek Revival trim, shouldered door surrounds, original fireplace mantels and a principal staircase with turned newel posts. The hotel is significant for its association with village hotels that served commerce and the railroad in the mid-nineteenth century, and as a representative local example of Greek Revival vernacular architecture. The building is regarded as having very good integrity.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the hotel is important for its association with village hotels serving the Old Philadelphia Pike and the Pennsylvania Railroad, and as the sole remaining mid-nineteenth-century hotel associated with the railroad in East Lampeter Township. It is also presented as a representative example of local Greek Revival vernacular architecture and a rare survivor of village hotel architecture in the area.
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 92000950, listed July 24, 1992. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 2695 Old Philadelphia Pike (PA 340), East Lampeter Township, Bird-in-Hand |
|---|---|
| County | Lancaster County |
| Listed | July 24, 1992 |
| Reference number | 92000950 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1852-1939 |
| Architect / builder | Benjamin Groff built the present hotel in 1852; no architect is named. |
| Architectural style | MID 19TH CENTURY: Greek Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Commerce, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Rehabilitated in 1989 and kept in use as a hotel and pub; the form notes the property continued in use as a local pub and occasionally as a hotel into the 1930s. |
| Acreage | 2.4 |
| Coordinates | 40.13381, -75.96016 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For an income-producing building, listing (individually or as a contributing building in a district) is the gateway to the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit on qualified rehabilitation costs, often stackable with state credits. Work claiming the credit must follow the Secretary of the Interior's Standards and be approved in advance.
Listing does not restrict a private owner acting without federal money or permits; where federal funding or licensing is involved, Section 106 review applies.
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 92000950.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q4915818
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.