Sherman, L. G., Tobacco Warehouse
Why it's listed
Brick tobacco warehouse on a hill at the southeast corner of North Marshall and East Marion Streets in Lancaster, dating from about 1900. The eight-bay by two-bay building stands two stories over a high basement, with brick segmental arches over all openings, six-over-six wooden sash windows, and a flat roof with stone copings and parapets on the north and south elevations. Its west facade has a shipping entrance at basement level, a raised shop entrance with a wooden platform and double stairs, and a loading dock. The Sherman warehouse is listed as a representative example of Lancaster's tobacco processing industry, which centred on storing and processing cigar leaf in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. By 1912 Jno. McLaughlin & Co. and Jacob Bowman & Bro. occupied the building. A small addition at the southeast end was removed and the southwest indentation filled, and the south elevation was altered around 1910, though the overall configuration, brickwork and fenestration remain largely unchanged. It was sparsely ornamented, which typifies its flat-roof type.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the warehouse is tied to Lancaster's late nineteenth and early twentieth century cigar leaf tobacco processing and storage industry, under criteria A and C. It is presented as representative of a large body of early twentieth century industrial buildings in the city and as a good example of the sparsely ornamented flat-roof version of its property type, with raised parapets.
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 90001405, listed September 21, 1990. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 602 E. Marion St., Lancaster |
|---|---|
| County | Lancaster County |
| Listed | September 21, 1990 |
| Reference number | 90001405 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | C. 1900-1940 |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Industry, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Currently houses an engineering firm; integrity described as good. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Within district | Lancaster City Historic District |
| Coordinates | 40.04138, -76.29317 (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 90001405.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q6456460
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.