Hibshman Farm
Also known as: Schantz Farm
Why it's listed
Hibschman Farm is a family farm complex near Ephrata in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, built up over several generations from the late 1700s into the 20th century. Its central stone house was begun in the 1750s and completed in 1801 by Wendell and Hannah Hibschman, who marked the date on a datestone. The main section has a symmetrical five-bay facade, a central hall and some of the most intact Georgian-style interior woodwork in the county, including corner cupboards, a chimneybreast with pilasters, and a staircase, with some details thought to draw on eighteenth-century English pattern books. The house also keeps original paint colors and grained doors imitating inlaid mahogany. A large stone end barn, dated 1790, stands nearby, and the complex includes a wash house, several frame outbuildings, and a second farmhouse. The farm is significant as a working family farm that has kept its historic buildings while adding facilities and adopting new crops and methods over time.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the farm is an excellent example of the Pennsylvania family farm complex, with an intact and sophisticated Georgian-style interior in the main house. It also cites the farm's continued operation as a working family farm that has adapted to new farming methods while keeping its historic character.
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 80003517, listed June 27, 1980. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | Springville Rd., Ephrata |
|---|---|
| County | Lancaster County |
| Listed | June 27, 1980 |
| Reference number | 80003517 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architectural style | Georgian interior woodwork in a Federal-period house |
| Areas of significance | Agriculture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Still under cultivation and operated as a family farm |
| Acreage | 78 |
| Coordinates | 40.20500, -76.17576 (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 80003517.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5750894
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.