Beck House
Also known as: Old Scott House
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Why it's listed
Built between 1773 and 1796 in Sunbury, Pennsylvania, the Beck House combines a rough fieldstone original section with a later two-story portion dated by a 1796 datestone. The first owner of the surrounding land is believed to be Jacob Doudel. The newer front section has corner quoins, two-over-two sash windows, and a fanlight doorway flanked by pilasters, with a wooden cornice of dentils and fretwork. Its stonework contains inlaid diamonds, circles and rectangles, which the nomination describes as highly unusual and probably unique for fieldstone construction. The house is valued for blending classical features with an individual builder's design, and for its interior, where original plank floors, paneled woodwork, fireplaces and stairways survive in most rooms. It is also considered one of the earliest dwellings in the Sunbury area. The Beck family owned it from 1915, and the Scott family occupied it from 1871 to 1891.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the house is an example of vernacular adaptation of architectural style, with classical detailing combined with unusual geometric designs inlaid in fieldstone. It also states that much of the interior remains intact and that the house is one of the earliest dwellings in the Sunbury area.
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 76001659, listed January 11, 1976. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 62 N. Front St., Sunbury |
|---|---|
| County | Northumberland County |
| Listed | January 11, 1976 |
| Reference number | 76001659 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1700-1799 |
| Architectural style | Vernacular adaptation of classical architecture |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | The interior is described as largely unchanged, with a kitchen fireplace still in use; exterior shutters were removed and a porch was added on the north side. |
| Acreage | 1 |
| Within district | Sunbury Historic District |
| Coordinates | 40.86408, -76.79576 (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 76001659.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q4878605
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.