House of Miller at Millbach
Also known as: Mueller House; Illig's Mill
Why it's listed
Built of cut limestone with red sandstone quoins and arches, the house at Millbach bears a date stone of 1752 and rises two and a half stories under a gambrel roof with a double attic. Its three-bay front and two-room depth follow Germanic building traditions, and a log cabin and barn also stand on the property. A stone mill built in 1784 on the foundations of an earlier log structure is attached to the house, forming an L, and shows the close link between small-scale milling and family life. The nomination regards the house as an accurate example of Germanic architecture in Pennsylvania, citing its gambrel roof, asymmetrical plan and central chimney. Much of its richly carved interior woodwork was removed and is now displayed at the Philadelphia Museum of Art, and parts of the mill and exterior millwork remain on site.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the house is a representative example of Germanic architecture in Pennsylvania, with a gambrel roof, asymmetrical floor plan and central chimney. It also presents the attached mill as an example of small industry combined with family life, and notes the house's massive dimensions for its era and location.
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 73001640, listed April 23, 1973. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | SW of Newmanstown off Rte. 1, Newmanstown |
|---|---|
| County | Lebanon County |
| Listed | April 23, 1973 |
| Reference number | 73001640 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architectural style | Germanic architecture |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Industry, Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Original site; altered, with Victorian 4-over-4 sash replacing the original 6-over-6 and some woodwork removed to the Philadelphia Museum of Art. |
| Acreage | 46 |
| Coordinates | 40.33040, -76.23828 (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 73001640.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5915165
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.