Eisenlohr-Bayuk Tobacco Historic District
Also known as: Lancaster Leaf Co.
Why it's listed
Built between 1911 and about 1935 on North Water Street in northern Lancaster, this district is a group of ten brick tobacco warehouses and a 1923 brick smokestack. Otto Eisenlohr & Bros., a Philadelphia firm with Lancaster operations, built the eastern group from 1911 to 1921, starting with Building A, a two-and-one-half story curing and sorting shed with clerestory windows for grading leaf. The Bayuk Cigar Co. built the western group from 1923, with larger flat-roofed buildings of industrial windows and parapets. Buildings G and I were raised by about 1935. The two groups differ in scale and ornament, which shows changes in the tobacco industry. Used for sweating, aging and storing cigar leaf, the district is significant as an intact example of this building type. Its integrity is regarded as very high, and it is among the few operating tobacco processing sites left in the city.
Significance in brief: The district is argued to be significant as an intact group of tobacco buildings representing one of Lancaster City's important late nineteenth and early twentieth century industries. Its two building groups, built by different firms, show the shift from earlier lower gabled buildings with elaborate brickwork to later large flat-roofed industrial buildings with minimal ornamentation. It is also linked to consolidation within the tobacco industry between the two World Wars.
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 90001397, listed September 21, 1990. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | N. Water St., at W. Liberty St., Lancaster |
|---|---|
| County | Lancaster County |
| Listed | September 21, 1990 |
| Reference number | 90001397 |
| Resource type | District |
| Period of significance | 1911-1940 |
| Architect / builder | Otto Eisenlohr & Bros. (eastern buildings, A through E); Bayuk Cigar Co. (western buildings, G through J) |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Industry, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Buildings A through J continue in use in an operating tobacco processing business; Building K is a tavern and union hall. |
| Acreage | 4.8 |
| Within district | Lancaster City Historic District |
| Coordinates | 40.05108, -76.31153 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
This is a historic district. Buildings within its boundary are either contributing (they add to the district's significance) or non-contributing. Owners of contributing income-producing buildings can claim the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit; homeowners should look at state credits. National Register districts impose no design review by themselves; a local historic district ordinance, if one exists, does (the difference explained).
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 90001397.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5349947
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.