Kagerise Store and House
Also known as: Harting's Store
Why it's listed
Built in 1827 in Adamstown, Lancaster County, as a combined store and residence for Michael Kagerise and his wife Rachel, this two-and-one-half-story sandstone building spans six bays on its front and forms a U-shape through side ells added within about five years of construction. A c. 1850-1870 addition extends the western leg, and a c. 1890 porch with elaborate brackets and carved bargeboard replaced an earlier shed-roofed porch. The store ran as a dry goods, hardware and general merchandise business from 1827 until June 1985, and the upper floors remain a private residence. Interior features include deep paneled window recesses, carved fireplace mantels, and a main staircase with turned balusters. The building is regarded as one of the best surviving examples of the Federal style applied to a combined commercial and residential structure in Lancaster County, with a high degree of original integrity.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the building is one of Lancaster County's best examples of the Federal style used in a combined commercial and residential structure. It states the store operated continuously from 1827 until June 1985 and retains a high degree of original integrity in fenestration, details, and interior woodwork, including carved mantels and stair ends.
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 88002174, listed November 3, 1988. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 84--86 W. Main St., Adamstown |
|---|---|
| County | Lancaster County |
| Listed | November 3, 1988 |
| Reference number | 88002174 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1827 |
| Architectural style | Federal |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | The store was in continuous operation from 1827 until June 1985; the remainder of the building is still in use as a private residence. |
| Acreage | 3.5 |
| Coordinates | 40.24260, -76.05798 (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 88002174.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q6346473
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.