Lindsey, Christiana, House
Why it's listed
Built in 1881 on East Butler Street in Mercer Borough, this two-and-a-half-story brick house is a high-style Italianate residence with a sandstone ashlar foundation, a truncated hip slate roof and a full-façade porch. Its cornice is unusual, with brick walls showing between narrow bands of molded wood and paired and jigsawn brackets. Inside, a center hall plan holds hand-grained and molded woodwork, inlaid oak floors, a black walnut staircase and tiled fireplaces, including a parlor fireplace with French hand-painted porcelain tile. Two gas fireplace inserts from the local Reznor firm are still in use. Christiana Lindsey, daughter of a clothing merchant, owned the house in her own right, which was unusual for a married woman in the Victorian period. The house is considered one of very few Italianate residences in Mercer Borough and among the most richly detailed examples of the style in the region.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the house is a very strong local example of high-style Italianate residential design from the late 19th century, with an unusual cornice and abundant interior woodwork and fireplaces. It is described as the only high-style Italianate residence in Mercer Borough. It is also associated with the Lindsey family, prominent merchants, and Christiana Lindsey, who owned the property in her own right.
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 97001655, listed January 15, 1998. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 313 E. Butler St., Mercer Borough |
|---|---|
| County | Mercer County |
| Listed | January 15, 1998 |
| Reference number | 97001655 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1881 |
| Architectural style | Italianate |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | The house is in excellent condition and retains architectural integrity, according to the document. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 41.22547, -80.23514 (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 97001655.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5110429
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.