Stiegel-Coleman House
Also known as: Elizabeth Farms
Why it's listed
Built in stages beginning in 1756-58 by the ironmaster Henry William Stiegel, the stone house at Elizabeth Farms near Lititz, Lancaster County, was enlarged between 1776 and 1790 by Robert Coleman, who acquired the estate in 1776. The two-story Stiegel section is stone with a gable roof, and the Coleman addition is plastered stone with a dormer and a porch on the front and two sides. The parlor keeps its original handblocked French wallpaper, and the rooms retain their woodwork. Behind the house a terraced garden, dominated by old boxwood, was probably laid out between 1800 and 1810. The estate is important for its link to early American iron making and glass production. Stiegel's Elizabeth Furnace produced iron and glass before the Revolution. Coleman later ran a large group of forges and furnaces, and during the war his furnace made shot, shells, and cannon with Hessian prisoners as laborers. The house is still owned by the Coleman family and used as a residence.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the house is associated with two early industrialists, Stiegel and Coleman, and with more than a century of iron manufacturing on the estate. Coleman is described as probably the largest fortune holder in post-Revolutionary Pennsylvania and as an example of an individual ironmaster who came to control many works. The house is presented as a rare surviving example of that industrial empire's center.
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 66000668, listed November 13, 1966. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | PA 501 and U.S. 322, Brickerville |
|---|---|
| County | Lancaster County |
| Listed | November 13, 1966 |
| Reference number | 66000668 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1756-1790 |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Industry, Commerce |
| Level of significance | National |
| National Historic Landmark | Yes, designated November 13, 1966 |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | The house is still owned by the Coleman family and used as a private residence; the outbuildings may be visited only by special permission. |
| Acreage | 85 |
| Coordinates | 40.23832, -76.29446 (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 66000668.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7616377
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.