Wagner's, Charlie, Cafe
Why it's listed
Built in 1891-1892 on the southwest corner of East Grant Street and Lennox Lane in Lancaster, this three-story red brick building was designed by architect C. Emlen Urban and served as a small hotel and tavern for seventy-one years after its completion. Its corner tower, topped by a pyramidal tiled roof, along with its corbelled brickwork, pressed metal frieze and terra cotta lunettes, gives it a Romanesque Revival character with Queen Anne and Byzantine-inspired details. Favored by lawyers because of its proximity to the Lancaster County Courthouse, it is significant as the only surviving hotel or tavern built in center city Lancaster during the last quarter of the nineteenth century. Its original barroom retains a pressed metal ceiling with bell flowers, anthemions and floral rosettes, an early instance of the revival of Adamesque motifs in the city. The exterior is regarded as entirely intact to its original design, and the building is also the only extant commercial work in the Romanesque Revival style documented as designed by Urban.
Significance in brief: The building is said to be the only surviving hotel or tavern built in center city Lancaster in the last quarter of the nineteenth century. It is also a rare commercial work by C. Emlen Urban from early in his career, and its intact exterior is presented as a fine example of late Victorian eclecticism. The original barroom ceiling of pressed metal is cited as one of the earliest dated revival Adamesque ceilings in the city.
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 83004223, listed December 29, 1983. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 30 E. Grant St., Lancaster |
|---|---|
| County | Lancaster County |
| Listed | December 29, 1983 |
| Reference number | 83004223 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1800-1899 |
| Architect / builder | E. Emlen Urban (architect) |
| Architectural style | Romanesque Revival with Queen Anne and Byzantine-inspired decorative motifs |
| Areas of significance | Commerce, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Excellent condition, unaltered, on its original site. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Within district | Lancaster City Historic District |
| Coordinates | 40.03907, -76.30555 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
National Register listing is honorary: it recognises significance and does not restrict what a private owner may do without federal money or permits. It unlocks the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit for income-producing buildings, state credits in many states, and Section 106 review when federal agencies are involved. See what listing means in practice.
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 83004223.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5085653
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.