Lady Washington Inn
Why it's listed
Built in stages beginning in 1761 in Huntingdon Valley, Montgomery County, the Lady Washington Inn is a 2½-story stucco-over-stone and frame building with a gable roof and large gable-end chimneys. The front section contains the tavern room and parlor, along with much original woodwork, hardware and four fireplaces. The center section followed around 1780-85, and a frame rear addition was built about 1850-75. The inn served farmers who carried grain to mills on Pennypack Creek and stood on a road linking agricultural Bucks County with Philadelphia. Jonathan Austin, a member of a milling family, is the earliest innkeeper on record. From 1823 to 1829 the Moreland Post Office operated here, and in the late 19th and early 20th centuries the building hosted political and business meetings. The property is significant for its surviving tavern fabric and its connection to the region's milling and road history. Later alterations include a removed front porch and a converted attic.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the inn is a well-preserved rural way-station that served farmers bringing grain to mills along Pennypack Creek, and the sole surviving inn on an important North-South route known as the Middle, Oxford or Wrightstown Road. It also cites the nearby Austin's Mill connection, a post office from 1823 to 1829, and later use as a center for political and business meetings. Reviewers noted the architectural significance was not firmly established.
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 82001541, listed November 26, 1982. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 2550 Huntington Pike, Huntingdon Valley |
|---|---|
| County | Montgomery County |
| Listed | November 26, 1982 |
| Reference number | 82001541 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | c. 1761-1875 |
| Areas of significance | Commerce |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | The inn was converted to residential use after the garage was built sometime after 1920; the attic stalls have been removed. |
| Acreage | 0.3 |
| Coordinates | 40.12463, -75.06346 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For an income-producing building, listing (individually or as a contributing building in a district) is the gateway to the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit on qualified rehabilitation costs, often stackable with state credits. Work claiming the credit must follow the Secretary of the Interior's Standards and be approved in advance.
Listing does not restrict a private owner acting without federal money or permits; where federal funding or licensing is involved, Section 106 review applies.
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 82001541.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q6470590
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.