Milleysack, J. B. Cigar Factory
Why it's listed
Built about 1898 by cigar manufacturer J. B. Milleysack, this three-story brick building stands behind 820 Columbia Avenue and is addressed on Lake Street as 821 Lake Street in Lancaster. Milleysack, his wife, and the family lived in a brick dwelling fronting Columbia Avenue, and the factory was built in the rear. The building is three bays wide and four bays deep, with a shed roof, a parapet and corbelled cornice on the south facade, and segmental-arched window openings holding two-over-two sash. It operated as a cigar factory until Milleysack sold the property in 1922, after which it was used for toy manufacturing. Later uses included a photography shop and two woodworking firms. It is significant as part of Lancaster's late-nineteenth and early-twentieth century cigar leaf tobacco processing and storage industry. It is a representative example of small, sparsely ornamented industrial buildings of its period, and it is rare in the city as a cigar factory of this size not combined with a dwelling.
Significance in brief: The building is significant as part of Lancaster City's late-nineteenth and early-twentieth century tobacco processing and storage industry. It is regarded as a representative and good example of small, sparsely ornamented parapeted industrial buildings of its period, and a rare example of a building of its size in the city built or primarily used as a cigar factory without being combined with a dwelling.
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 90001401, listed September 21, 1990. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 820 Columbia Ave., rear, Lancaster |
|---|---|
| County | Lancaster County |
| Listed | September 21, 1990 |
| Reference number | 90001401 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | c.1898-1922 |
| Architect / builder | J. B. Milleysack (builder) |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Industry, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Damaged by a fire in January 1990, mostly to the interior; a restoration was planned by the owners. |
| Acreage | 0.1 |
| Within district | Lancaster City Historic District |
| Coordinates | 40.03771, -76.32240 (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 90001401.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q6104729
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.