Old City Hall
Also known as: County Court House; State House
Why it's listed
Built of Flemish-bond brick with cut-stone accents, this three-and-a-half-story public building on Penn Square in Lancaster was completed in 1797. It was commissioned as a public office and stood on ground originally deeded to the city by Andrew Hamilton for a market. Its five-bay front, stone beltcourse, flat arches with keystones, and a pedimented entrance on the south side reflect the Federal style. The gable is extended to simulate massive chimneys, and a circular window appears in the east gable. From 1799 to 1812 the building housed Commonwealth offices while Lancaster was the state capital. Later it served as a city and county building, a Masonic lodge meeting hall, a post office, and a library. Alterations moved the main doors and reshaped the windows, and a 1924 restoration followed, but the building remains the oldest on the square and is valued for its surviving early architecture and civic history.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the building is significant for its Federal-period architecture, which survives in its exterior despite a 1924 restoration. It also cites its use as the state government offices from 1799 to 1812, when Lancaster was the state capital, and its role as the oldest building on Penn Square, the scene of many local historic events.
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 72001129, listed June 30, 1972. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | Penn Sq., Lancaster |
|---|---|
| County | Lancaster County |
| Listed | June 30, 1972 |
| Reference number | 72001129 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1797 |
| Architectural style | Federal |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Politics/Government, Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Restored in 1924; main door and two east entrances converted to windows, and the interior woodwork largely lost to continuous use. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Within district | Lancaster City Historic District |
| Coordinates | 40.03808, -76.30600 (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 72001129.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7083691
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.