Mt. Gretna Campmeeting Historic District
Why it's listed
Mt. Gretna Campmeeting is a summer residential community in West Cornwall Township, Lebanon County, Pennsylvania, begun in 1892 when the United Brethren opened a campmeeting on about thirty wooded acres. Its 228 cottages, most built between 1890 and 1915, are stick-built frame houses by local carpenters, often on small 20 by 24 foot lots set close together. Many show Gothic Revival, Queen Anne and Colonial Revival features, and the earliest examples stand at the northern end of the grounds. The centrepiece is the open-sided circular Tabernacle, built in 1899 by John Cilley, which is 45 feet high, has a roof 300 feet in circumference, and has no interior supporting posts. Its roof thrust is carried to 23 chestnut posts at the rim. The Tabernacle still hosts the weekly Bible Festival programs, and the grounds keep their historic street pattern, cottage relationships and wooded setting.
Significance in brief: The district is significant as a late 19th-century religious campmeeting community whose cottages, grid-like street layout and central Tabernacle reflect the intent of its founders. The document argues that the cottages retain their original character and that the district keeps its setting, feeling and association. The 1899 Tabernacle, built by John Cilley with an unsupported roof, is described as the dominant feature.
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 12000608, listed September 4, 2012. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | Roughly bounded by PA 117, Pinch Rd., Bell Ave., & 1st St. (West Cornwall Township), Mt. Gretna Heights |
|---|---|
| County | Lebanon County |
| Listed | September 4, 2012 |
| Reference number | 12000608 |
| Resource type | District |
| Architect / builder | John Cilley (Tabernacle, 1899; builder and engineer) |
| Architectural style | Late Victorian: Gothic, Queen Anne, Shingle Style; Late 19th & 20th Century Revivals: Colonial Revival |
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Religion |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Tabernacle still in regular use for summer programs; the three hand pumps are no longer operational. |
| Acreage | 16 |
| Coordinates | 40.25277, -76.46863 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
This is a historic district. Buildings within its boundary are either contributing (they add to the district's significance) or non-contributing. Owners of contributing income-producing buildings can claim the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit; homeowners should look at state credits. National Register districts impose no design review by themselves; a local historic district ordinance, if one exists, does (the difference explained).
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 12000608.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.