Pierce, Jonas J., House
Why it's listed
Built in 1868 on East Shenango Street in Sharpsville, this three-story wood-frame house is a full Second Empire residence with a concave Mansard roof, an octagonal tower rising above the third story, and bold bracketed cornices. General James Pierce, whose coal and pig iron businesses made the family the wealthiest in the borough, financed it for his eldest son Jonas and his wife. The house is regarded as an outstanding regional example of the style, and its massing and detailing are considered better preserved than other Second Empire houses in the Shenango Valley. Its design shows the influence of floor plans published in Godey's Lady's Book by Philadelphia designer Isaac Harding Hobbs, though the designer of this house has not been identified. Original chestnut, cherry and walnut woodwork, marble mantels and turned newel posts survive on the main floors. Jonas Pierce lived here until 1918. Around 1942 the house was converted to officers' housing for Camp Reynolds, which added bathrooms and several exterior additions.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the house is an outstanding regional example of the Second Empire style, with bold asymmetric massing, a concave Mansard roof and a tower, and that it retains most of its original interior and exterior detail. It is also linked to the Pierce family, whose wealth from coal and iron shaped the town, and to the Hobbs-designed Godey's Lady's Book house plans that influenced 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 96001206, listed October 24, 1996. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 18 E. Shenango St., Sharpsville |
|---|---|
| County | Mercer County |
| Listed | October 24, 1996 |
| Reference number | 96001206 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | ca. 1868 |
| Architectural style | Late Victorian, Second Empire |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Altered ca. 1942 for officers' apartments at Camp Reynolds and later used as rental apartments |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 41.26602, -80.46974 (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 96001206.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q6272122
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.