Erpff, Philip, House
Why it's listed
Built of native limestone in Schaefferstown, the Erpff House dates from about 1750 to 1780 and was constructed by Philip Erpff. Erpff and his wife arrived in the colony as redemptioners and grew prosperous, becoming prominent members of the community and of the Lutheran Church. In 1799 the couple deeded a lot on Main Street to the Lutheran Church for use as a church school. The house was bought in 1843 by Abraham Rex, another leading citizen, who was married to Elizabeth Schaeffer, granddaughter of Henry Schaeffer, the town's founder. Rex also built a general store on the square that remained in operation. The house has stayed with Rex's descendants. The two-and-a-half-story dwelling has a center hall plan, large limestone quoins, and a kitchen fireplace. Its outbuildings include a washhouse, a spring house, and an underground cold storage room with a vaulted stone ceiling. The property is valued as a representative example of rural Germanic building traditions in Lebanon County.
Significance in brief: The nomination describes the house as typical of the building styles, techniques and materials of the rural Germanic tradition of Lebanon County. It ties the house to early settlers Philip Erpff and his wife, who arrived as redemptioners and became prominent in the community and the Lutheran Church. It also links the property to Abraham Rex and the Schaeffer family, founders of the town's leading families.
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 79002287, listed November 20, 1979. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | S. Market St., Schaefferstown |
|---|---|
| County | Lebanon County |
| Listed | November 20, 1979 |
| Reference number | 79002287 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | c. 1750-1780 |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | The house, outbuildings, and grounds are in excellent condition and have been changed very little over the years. |
| Acreage | 2 |
| Coordinates | 40.29660, -76.29332 (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 79002287.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7183521
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.