Catlin Hall, Wilkes College
Also known as: Catlin,George,Hall; Reynolds House
Why it's listed
Built in 1843 in Wilkes-Barre, this two and one-half story brick house is a Greek Revival dwelling with a wide wooden cornice, five bays across, six-over-six sashes and a recessed front entrance with fluted tapered columns. Its interior has large, simple woodwork, marble fireplace mantels and a handsome stairway. Reportedly built by merchant Elizah Reynolds, it stayed in the Reynolds family for roughly a century, including Judge William Champion Reynolds and later Edward Sheldon Reynolds, a lawyer and local historian who organized a Yale alumni society there. Victorian alterations were made in the 1880s and a renovation around 1905 restored many original features. Its surviving Greek Revival character makes it one of the few examples of the style in Luzerne County in good condition. Wilkes College acquired the house in 1957 and named it for the painter George Catlin, a Wilkes-Barre native.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the house is a fine example of Greek Revival architecture of the first half of the nineteenth century and one of the few examples of the style in Luzerne County in good condition. It is also presented as representing the home of a prosperous northeastern Pennsylvania family, the Reynolds family, who owned it for about four generations.
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 72001132, listed March 16, 1972. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 92 S. River St., Wilkes-Barre |
|---|---|
| County | Luzerne County |
| Listed | March 16, 1972 |
| Reference number | 72001132 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1843 |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Used as a women's residence hall by Wilkes College; the college acquired it in 1957. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Within district | River Street Historic District |
| Coordinates | 41.24669, -75.88638 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For a publicly owned building or structure, listing mainly matters when federal funds, permits or licences are involved: projects then go through Section 106 review so effects on the property are considered. Listing also strengthens applications for preservation grants and, for leased income-producing uses, can enable the federal rehabilitation tax credit.
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 72001132.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5053567
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.