Lancaster Historic District (Boundary Increase II)
Also known as: Old Town Lancaster; See Also:Lancaster Historic District
Why it's listed
Along the 200 block of East King Street in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, most houses are two or three stories tall, built of red brick and set directly on the sidewalk without setbacks, forming a continuous streetscape. The houses reflect Victorian eclecticism from the second half of the nineteenth century, with bracketed and pressed metal cornices, marble and brownstone steps, and nineteenth-century ironwork. The block was lightly settled in the eighteenth century and developed mainly between about 1790 and 1840, when tradesmen and artisans lived in log and frame houses. Between about 1840 and 1900, affluent professionals and merchants built larger homes here, and the Peter Reed House at 230 East King Street survives as a rare brick house of the earlier period. The former Eastern Market, completed in 1883 to designs by John Evans, is the only Second Empire market in Lancaster and its tower marks the vista along the street. The block is also significant for its distinct character compared with the adjoining 300 block.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the block is significant for its role in the city's economic and social history, illustrating nineteenth-century urban development and the gentrification of one block as center city became commercial. Its houses are described as a notable group of Victorian eclectic architecture, including several buildings regarded as individually distinguished, such as the William Peiper Mansion and the former Eastern Market.
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 84003435, listed June 21, 1984. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | E. King St., Lancaster |
|---|---|
| County | Lancaster County |
| Listed | June 21, 1984 |
| Reference number | 84003435 |
| Resource type | District |
| Period of significance | c. 1790-1930 |
| Architect / builder | John Evans (builder-architect of the former Eastern Market) |
| Architectural style | Victorian eclectic; Second Empire (Eastern Market); Eastlake (William Peiper Mansion); Italianate details (David Bair Mansion); Art Deco (Moose Home) |
| Areas of significance | Economics, Architecture, Social History |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Most facades retain original surface materials, woodwork, fenestration and rooflines; formstone covers the facades at 225, 227 and 236 East King Street. |
| Acreage | 3.6 |
| Within district | Lancaster City Historic District |
| Coordinates | 40.03894, -76.30271 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
This is a historic district. Buildings within its boundary are either contributing (they add to the district's significance) or non-contributing. Owners of contributing income-producing buildings can claim the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit; homeowners should look at state credits. National Register districts impose no design review by themselves; a local historic district ordinance, if one exists, does (the difference explained).
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 84003435.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.