Grubb Mansion
Also known as: 1304 High Street
Why it's listed
Built in 1906 for the Pottstown inventor and industrialist William I. Grubb, this three-storey brownstone mansion stands at the corner of High Street and Mt. Vernon Street on Pottstown's east end. Its asymmetric pinwheel plan, octagonal entry tower, wrap-around porch with fluted wooden half-columns, and steep roof forms reflect the Eastlake Queen Anne style. The walls are rubble-coursed brownstone, and the gable ends are stucco. Interior features include an oak parquet floor and wainscot in the entry hall, molded plaster cove ceilings, and art glass windows, probably by the Kase Glass Studio of Reading. The house is regarded as the earliest and only Queen Anne high style mansion in the East End. Its construction helped start a cluster of large homes along High Street within the following decade. Conversion to offices in 1954 and a rear labor hall added in 1956 changed the building, but its exterior massing and detailing remain largely intact.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the mansion is an outstanding example of Late Victorian Queen Anne architecture and was built for prominent inventor and industrialist William I. Grubb. It is described as the earliest mansion and the only Queen Anne high style home built in the East End, and it set the character of development there. Its craftsmanship, asymmetric massing, porch detailing and art glass are cited as preserved features.
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 91000505, listed May 1, 1991. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 1304 High St., Pottstown |
|---|---|
| County | Montgomery County |
| Listed | May 1, 1991 |
| Reference number | 91000505 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1906 |
| Architectural style | Queen Anne (Eastlake Queen Anne with Eastlake detailing) |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Converted to office use in 1954; slate roof replaced with asphalt shingles; west side porch being reconstructed as a new entrance; interior asphalt tile being removed and original wood floors restored. |
| Acreage | 0.3 |
| Within district | High Street Historic District |
| Coordinates | 40.24163, -75.62107 (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 91000505.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5611865
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.