Harriton
Why it's listed
Harriton Farm is a Quaker-derived estate in Villanova, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, whose main house began as a late Federal rubble stone house built around 1840 for Levi Morris, founder of the Morris Iron Works. The estate includes a gothic gatehouse from the 1860s, a barn with a large cupola and a stable with twin cupolas, probably from the 1880s. A bungalow of 1908 designed by William S. Vaux, who died that year, reflects a shift toward summer residence, and Walter Price remodeled the main house in 1923 with Colonial Revival mantels and a large south parlor. The property is regarded as a rare survivor of a Main Line Quaker estate, having kept its significant buildings after most neighboring estates were subdivided following World War II. Its plain, restrained architecture is seen as an expression of Quaker values across more than a century.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues that the estate is a rare, well-preserved survivor of a Quaker gentleman's farm on the Philadelphia Main Line, retaining its full cluster of buildings amid fields and woodland after most such estates were subdivided. It also cites the buildings' link to the Morris family, the Vaux and Price architects, and the continuity of Quaker restraint in design from the eighteenth century onward.
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 85003472, listed October 31, 1985. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 1401--1415 Old Guelph Rd., Villanova |
|---|---|
| County | Montgomery County |
| Listed | October 31, 1985 |
| Reference number | 85003472 |
| Resource type | District |
| Period of significance | 1800-1899 |
| Architect / builder | William S. Vaux (architect, bungalow); Walter Price (architect, 1923 alterations to main house); Walter Durham, Jr. (architect, post-war house) |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Acreage | 25 |
| Coordinates | 40.04136, -75.32155 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
This is a historic district. Buildings within its boundary are either contributing (they add to the district's significance) or non-contributing. Owners of contributing income-producing buildings can claim the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit; homeowners should look at state credits. National Register districts impose no design review by themselves; a local historic district ordinance, if one exists, does (the difference explained).
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 85003472.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.