Davies, Edward, House
Why it's listed
Stone Federal house in the village of Churchtown, Caernarvon Township, built in two adjoining sections of sandstone that were combined under one roof around 1805. Edward Davies, a local shopkeeper and postmaster, used the eastern part as a shop and the western part as his dwelling until his death in 1853. He later served in the State Legislature and in Congress. The house is significant for its Federal details, including a recessed pedimented doorway with a pointed fanlight, stone quoins, keystone lintels, unusual carved H-fret cornice trim, a graceful open string staircase, and carved mantels with reeded pilasters. The nomination regards it as an outstanding local example of the style, with a high degree of integrity despite alterations, among them a 1987 conversion to an inn and a 1989 rear infill addition.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the house is an excellent example of regional Federal residential architecture, notable for its fanlight doorway, keystone window arches, and carved woodwork. It is described as an outstanding representative of brownstone vernacular buildings in and around Churchtown, and it retains a high level of integrity. Edward Davies used it as his dwelling and shop from about 1805 until his death in 1853.
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 91001122, listed September 6, 1991. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | S side of PA 23, W of Water St., Caernarvon Township, Churchtown |
|---|---|
| County | Lancaster County |
| Listed | September 6, 1991 |
| Reference number | 91001122 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1805-1815 |
| Architectural style | Federal |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Residential use with a bed-and-breakfast conversion in 1987; the document describes the house as in excellent condition. |
| Acreage | 0.4 |
| Coordinates | 40.13381, -75.96016 (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 91001122.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5342538
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.