Gauff-Roth House
Why it's listed
Built in 1880 in Allentown, the Gauff-Roth House is a large Queen Anne dwelling with a wraparound porch, a polygonal turret, multiple gables and a brick veneer over a stone basement. Its interior holds an oak staircase with 116 balusters rising three floors, carved oak woodwork, two decorative fireplaces with patterned tile, and ornamental plaster arches on the second floor. The house was commissioned by sisters Mary Craig and Elizabeth Gauff with money inherited from their grandfather, Jacob Geisinger, and was constructed by William H. Gangewere, a prolific local builder who had recently entered a partnership with Abraham Gangewere & Son. It sits on eight tracts of land with a tear-shaped carriage drive, and its grounds and setting are described as original. The house is valued as a grand example of vernacular Queen Anne design and as one of the few mansions of this type still standing in Allentown.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the house is a good example of a grand, vernacular Queen Anne mansion and one of the few of its kind remaining in Allentown. It is presented as representative of the architectural detail common in Allentown houses of the period, and its large lot and carriage drive are described as original and integral to its design.
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 85001966, listed September 5, 1985. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 427--443 Auburn St., Allentown |
|---|---|
| County | Lehigh County |
| Listed | September 5, 1985 |
| Reference number | 85001966 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1880 |
| Architect / builder | William H. Gangewere (builder/architect) |
| Architectural style | Queen Anne |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Altered; rear porches enclosed and an attached garage added circa 1943; metal roof cresting lost between 1947 and 1982. |
| Acreage | 0.7 |
| Coordinates | 40.59625, -75.46408 (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 85001966.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5527624
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.