Herdic, Peter, House
Why it's listed
Built in 1855-56 by Peter Herdic and designed by Eber Culver, this two and one half story house on West Fourth Street in Williamsport is a stucco-over-brick example of the Italian Villa style. Its features include bracketed eaves, ornate window moldings, a large square cupola, and porches with Egyptian Lotus columns, one of which survives. The interior has bay windows on each floor, a long central hall with archways, and decorative plaster ceilings. Herdic arrived in Williamsport in 1853, when it was a town of about 2,000, and went on to hold influence over much of its growth. He owned much of West Fourth Street, which became known as Millionaire's Row, and was involved in the gas and water works, a hotel, a streetcar line, the log boom, a bank, and the city's incorporation in 1866. He was also a benefactor of several churches, including Trinity Episcopal Church, which he built and gave to its congregation.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the house is significant for its Italian Villa architecture, including bracketed eaves, ornate window moldings, a large square cupola and Egyptian Lotus columns on the porches. It is also significant for its association with Peter Herdic, who the nomination credits with developing West Fourth Street and transforming Williamsport in the mid-to-late 1800s through business, utilities, transportation and civic works. The reviewer noted the architectural significance is somewhat weak but accepted the nomination on the strength of Herdic's contributions to the town.
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 78002429, listed November 21, 1978. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 407 4th St., Williamsport |
|---|---|
| County | Lycoming County |
| Listed | November 21, 1978 |
| Reference number | 78002429 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1855-56 |
| Architect / builder | Eber Culver (architect); Peter Herdic (builder) |
| Architectural style | Italian Villa |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Excellent to good condition with some repairable fire damage; a 1955 modern addition was planned for removal. |
| Acreage | 0.3 |
| Within district | Millionaire's Row Historic District |
| Coordinates | 41.23977, -77.00898 (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 78002429.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7174639
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.