Friedman, Henry B., Tobacco Warehouse
Why it's listed
Built about 1880 as a leaf tobacco warehouse in Lancaster City, Pennsylvania, this two-and-one-half story red brick building rises over a raised basement on a stucco-covered stone foundation. It stands about 200 feet north of Harrisburg Avenue, near North Mulberry Street, and was constructed for the C. A. Bitner estate, which leased it in 1886 to Henry B. Friedman. The building is valued as an example of Lancaster's late nineteenth and early twentieth century cigar leaf tobacco industry, which processed and stored leaf for local manufacturers. It is also a good surviving example of the low, end-gabled tobacco warehouses built across the city in the last quarter of the nineteenth century. Later lessees included Elias Bach & Sons, beginning in 1904, and Allen R. Cressman Sons and Otto Eisenlohr Co. in the 1916-1925 period. Of the four Bitner tobacco buildings on the north side of Harrisburg Avenue, it is the only one that survives.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the building is significant for its role in Lancaster City's late nineteenth and early twentieth century cigar leaf tobacco processing and storage industry, under criterion A. It is also regarded as a representative and good example of the earlier, low, end-gabled tobacco buildings of its type, under criterion C.
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 90001392, listed September 21, 1990. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 309--311 Harrisburg Ave., rear, Lancaster |
|---|---|
| County | Lancaster County |
| Listed | September 21, 1990 |
| Reference number | 90001392 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | c.1880-1925 |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Industry, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Presently used for storage; a honey processing company previously occupied it. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Within district | Lancaster City Historic District |
| Coordinates | 40.04783, -76.31217 (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 90001392.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5717604
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.