Waugh, Alexander P. and James S., House
Why it's listed
Built in 1826 in Greenville, the two-story brick house on West Main Street was constructed for James S. and Alexander P. Waugh, who ran a store and speculated in land in the town. Its features include stepped gables, a fanlight and sidelights at the paired entry doors, and a tripartite window on the second floor. The original center-hall plan survives largely intact, and the interior retains early stair and door details. Evidence of wallpaper and paint layers points to four decorating campaigns, including silver-leafed crown molding. Judge William Waugh, son of James, later served as bank cashier and president and was believed to be the oldest living graduate of the University of Pittsburgh when he died in 1910. The house is regarded as one of the most stylish residences in early Greenville and an important survivor of the town's early history.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the house is the earliest documented surviving residence in Greenville and retains unusually intact exterior appearance and original center-hall plan. It cites stepped gables, a fanlight and sidelights, and a vestigial Palladian tripartite window as rare or notable style features. It also ties the house to the Waugh family's business, political and civic roles in the community.
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 98000402, listed April 23, 1998. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 23 W. Main St., Greenville |
|---|---|
| County | Mercer County |
| Listed | April 23, 1998 |
| Reference number | 98000402 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1826 |
| Architectural style | Federal / Adams |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Front porch restored in 1997 and stepped gables rebuilt in 1996; the house has been converted to apartments and later acquired by the Greenville Area Historical Society. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 41.40240, -80.32507 (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 98000402.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q4719788
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.