Lancaster County Courthouse
Why it's listed
Built between 1852 and 1855 in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, the county courthouse was designed by Philadelphia architect Samuel Sloan in the Roman Revival style, chosen in the nineteenth century for government buildings to connect the Roman republic with the American republic. The main Duke Street front has pedimented pavilions with Cocalico sandstone Corinthian columns, and a copper-clad dome with four clock faces rises at the center of the roof. A north wing was added in 1896-98 by James H. Warner, who also designed Lancaster's Central Market, and C. Emlen Urban made revisions and added low wings on King Street in 1926-27. The building has served as the leading center of Lancaster County law and government since 1852. Attorneys Thaddeus Stevens, J. Hay Brown and William Heustis Keller practiced there, and the interior includes marble floors, mid-nineteenth-century wall paintings and a vestibule with two stairways leading to Courtroom Number 1.
Significance in brief: The building is an important example of Roman Revival architecture and is described as a blend of the work of three architects. It has been the leading seat of Lancaster County law, politics and government since 1852. Several prominent lawyers who practiced there, including Thaddeus Stevens, J. Hay Brown and William Heustis Keller, are cited as reasons for its significance.
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 78002415, listed November 7, 1978. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 43 E. King St., Lancaster |
|---|---|
| County | Lancaster County |
| Listed | November 7, 1978 |
| Reference number | 78002415 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1800-1899 |
| Architect / builder | Samuel Sloan (architect); James H. Warner (north wing, 1896-98); C. Emlen Urban (1921-27 revisions and wings) |
| Architectural style | Roman Revival |
| Areas of significance | Law, Politics/Government, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Acreage | 0.6 |
| Within district | Lancaster City Historic District |
| Coordinates | 40.03855, -76.30378 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For a publicly owned building or structure, listing mainly matters when federal funds, permits or licences are involved: projects then go through Section 106 review so effects on the property are considered. Listing also strengthens applications for preservation grants and, for leased income-producing uses, can enable the federal rehabilitation tax credit.
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 78002415.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q6483157
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.