McCollum and Post Silk Mill
Why it's listed
Built in 1913 as a silk mill on Madison Avenue in Nazareth, this two-story brick building has a gable roof running between brick end walls with stepped parapets, and its long facades are divided by brick pilasters into bays with large window openings. The McCollum and Post Company, a Paterson, New Jersey firm, opened the mill in February 1913 at the height of the regional silk boom. The mill produced silk until 1936, when competition from synthetic fabrics ended silk production locally. Later tenants included a rug mill, needle-trade firms, and an apparel cooperative. The building's plan and timber framing reflect late nineteenth-century silk mill practice, while its flat brick lintels and lack of ornament show the economic pressures of the industry. The mill is regarded as an example of the silk industry in transition in the Lehigh Valley. In 2001 the building was converted into apartments for elderly residents, and its original form remains legible.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the mill is significant as an example of the silk industry in the Lehigh Valley during its peak years before and during the First World War, when the mill operated until 1936. It also argues the building is significant for its architecture, combining 19th-century industrial forms and construction methods with 20th-century features. The building was adapted for elderly housing in 2001, and the nomination notes that this adaptation kept the original mill form and details visible.
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 05000758, listed July 27, 2005. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 368 Madison Ave., Nazareth Borough |
|---|---|
| County | Northampton County |
| Listed | July 27, 2005 |
| Reference number | 05000758 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1913-1936 |
| Architectural style | Commercial Style, Late 19th and early 20th Century American Movement |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Industry, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Adapted for reuse as housing for the elderly in 2001; the 1967 addition was demolished as part of the adaptation. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 40.73913, -75.31845 (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 05000758.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q6800437
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.