Rodale Organic Gardening Experimental Farm
Also known as: Working Tree Center
Why it's listed
Located in Lower Macungie Township, Lehigh County, this 39.2-acre farm grew from a ca. 1830 fieldstone farmstead that J.I. Rodale bought in 1940. He altered the existing buildings and added new ones, including a farm office and greenhouse built ca. 1945, a bank barn, a stone-mulched garden, and a set of sixteen concrete-rimmed Sir Albert Howard test plots installed ca. 1950. Rodale used the site as his home, workshop and experiment station, where he tested organic methods of cultivation and composting. From here he produced writings that promoted organic gardening, including the magazine Organic Gardening and the 1945 book Pay Dirt. The property is important for its connection to Rodale's role in spreading organic farming ideas across the country. Its buildings and gardens have changed little since his death in 1971, and they continue to reflect how he worked and lived there.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the farm is significant for its association with J.I. Rodale, an important proponent of organic gardening and farming in the twentieth century. It states that he helped introduce organic theories to the public through his publications, including Organic Gardening and Prevention, and that the farm was the setting where he developed and tested those ideas. The farm is also described as retaining a high degree of integrity.
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 99000515, listed May 12, 1999. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 2056 Minesite Rd., Lower Macungie township |
|---|---|
| County | Lehigh County |
| Listed | May 12, 1999 |
| Reference number | 99000515 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1940-1971 |
| Architectural style | No style; Federal |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Agriculture |
| Level of significance | National |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Retains a high degree of integrity; no new buildings added since J.I. Rodale's death in 1971; Working Tree Center established on the farm in 1972. |
| Acreage | 39.2 |
| Coordinates | 40.55456, -75.52220 (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 99000515.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7356443
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.