Parsons-Taylor House
Why it's listed
Built between 1753 and 1757 on town lot No. 176 in Easton, this two-bay stone house of two and a half stories with a gable roof is a Georgian structure of random cut stone bonded with burnt limestone mortar. Its framing is pegged, with hand-made nails, and its first floor is a single large room with a circular stairway linking four levels. The house is considered a well-preserved example of the Delaware Valley variation of Georgian architecture, which was common in rural areas of the colony's eastern margin and in neighboring New Jersey. It is regarded as the only survivor of this style in the Lower Lehigh Valley. William Parsons, a surveyor and early associate of Benjamin Franklin, laid out Easton and died in the house in 1757. George Taylor, a signer of the Declaration of Independence and an ironmaster, leased the house in 1780 and died in its upstairs bedroom in 1781. The house was converted to a butcher shop in the 1870s before its rescue in 1906.
Significance in brief: The nomination describes it as a fine survivor of the Delaware Valley variation of the Georgian style and the sole survivor of that style in the Lower Lehigh Valley. It is also linked to William Parsons, a surveyor and founder of Easton, and to George Taylor, a signer of the Declaration of Independence.
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 80003585, listed August 22, 1980. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 4th and Ferry Sts., Easton |
|---|---|
| County | Northampton County |
| Listed | August 22, 1980 |
| Reference number | 80003585 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1753-1757 |
| Architect / builder | William Parsons (architect) |
| Architectural style | Georgian (Delaware Valley variation) |
| Areas of significance | Exploration/Settlement, Politics/Government, Architecture |
| Level of significance | National |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Restored and maintained by the George Taylor Chapter of the D.A.R. after being rescued from conversion to a butcher shop in 1906. |
| Acreage | 0.1 |
| Within district | Easton Historic District |
| Coordinates | 40.68987, -75.21028 (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 80003585.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q3366061
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.