Mount Hope Estate
Also known as: See Also:Mount Hope Estate (Boundary Increase)
Why it's listed
Built in 1800-1805 of local cut red sandstone for Henry Bates Grubb, the five-bay Mansion at Mount Hope, near Manheim in Lancaster County, was designed as a formal Georgian countryseat with a fully developed five-part plan. Its Federal interiors survive in part, including the circular staircase, gouge-carved woodwork and several mantels with composition ornament attributed to Robert Wellford of Philadelphia. The house was extensively enlarged in 1895 with a ballroom, billiard room, dining room and conservatory, creating an eclectic exterior that combines Second Empire, Francis I and Colonial Revival features. The grounds include an avenue entered through sandstone gateposts, a terraced boxwood garden whose layout dates to the original construction, and stone outbuildings. The property is significant for its architecture, its formal garden and its link to the Grubb family's nineteenth-century iron industry, which was centred on the nearby charcoal furnace.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the house is one of very few Georgian countryseats in Pennsylvania with a fully developed five-part plan, and that its Federal-period interiors, including six mantels with composition ornament attributed to Robert Wellford, are an unusually intact group. It also argues the 1895 remodelling is outstanding in its own right and that the garden plan, dated to 1800-1805, is a rare, largely intact example of a documented American formal garden predating 1840.
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 80003530, listed December 1, 1980. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | NW of Manheim on PA 72, Manheim |
|---|---|
| County | Lancaster County |
| Listed | December 1, 1980 |
| Reference number | 80003530 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1800-1899 |
| Architectural style | Federal; late Victorian additions of 1895 including Second Empire, Francis I and Colonial Revival elements |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Industry, Landscape Architecture, Architecture, Social History |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Listed property with the 1895 remodelling and later alterations noted; springhouse roof is in deteriorated condition and some windows are missing through neglect. |
| Acreage | 56 |
| Coordinates | 40.22711, -76.42929 (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 80003530.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q6921302
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.