Biever House
Why it's listed
Built in 1814 in Annville, Lebanon County, the Biever House is a five-bay stone dwelling in the Georgian style, with quoined corners and a main doorway featuring a broken pediment, reeded pilasters and a sunburst transom. Its surfaces are decorated with pick work, a punched geometric technique used on the door panels, cornice, dormers and an attic fan window with a swag motif. A two-story stone addition was built at the northwest corner in the mid-nineteenth century, and a small brick summer kitchen stands to the north. The Biever family arrived in Annville around 1800 and became one of its leading families. John D. Biever, born 1812, held several political offices and ran a large tanning operation south of the house. The house is regarded as a rural example of Georgian design and as one of three stone houses in the community with extensive pick work. Two corner cupboards in the front parlors survive from the original interior.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the house is an excellent example of the rural Georgian style and displays notable craftsmanship in its main doorway. Its extensive pick-work decoration on doorways, cornice and window frames is said to set it apart, and it is described as one of three stone houses in the community with extensive pick work. The Biever family was also among the leading families of Annville, and John D. Biever held several political offices.
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 78002423, listed February 14, 1978. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 49 S. White Oak St., Annville |
|---|---|
| County | Lebanon County |
| Listed | February 14, 1978 |
| Reference number | 78002423 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1814 |
| Architectural style | Georgian |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | The house is described as well maintained and in good condition; it has been converted into three apartments. |
| Acreage | 0.4 |
| Within district | Annville Historic District |
| Coordinates | 40.32823, -76.51522 (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 78002423.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q4904692
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.