Frey, Jacob L., Tobacco Warehouse
Why it's listed
Two-story brick warehouse on West Grant Street in Lancaster, built around 1870 with a stone foundation, a gable-fronted north facade and brick segmental arches over its openings. Its walls are laid in common bond, and the interior retains exposed post-and-beam construction, brick walls and an original manually operated wooden freight elevator that remains in working order. Jacob L. Frey, a Lancaster cigar manufacturer and leaf tobacco dealer, used the building from about 1873 to 1910, first for cigar manufacturing and then as a tobacco warehouse. Later occupants included a leaf tobacco firm in 1912 and 1916, followed by furniture storage and other businesses. The building is significant for its association with the cigar leaf tobacco trade, which was among Lancaster City's major late-nineteenth- and early-twentieth-century industries, and as a representative example of the industrial buildings of that trade. Its integrity is regarded as very good, and it currently houses an advertising agency.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the building is significant for its role in Lancaster City's cigar leaf tobacco processing and storage industry, one of the city's most important late-nineteenth- and early-twentieth-century industries. It is presented as a representative example of the industrial buildings of that trade, and as a good example of the earlier buildings of this property type. Frey is described as a leader in developing the cigar leaf tobacco business in Lancaster City.
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 90001396, listed September 21, 1990. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 210 W. Grant St., Lancaster |
|---|---|
| County | Lancaster County |
| Listed | September 21, 1990 |
| Reference number | 90001396 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | C. 1870-1916 |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Industry, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Presently houses an advertising agency; the form describes the building's integrity as very good. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Within district | Lancaster City Historic District |
| Coordinates | 40.03800, -76.32112 (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 90001396.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q6118898
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.