Cameron, Col. James, House
Why it's listed
Built between 1840 and 1842 on a rise along the West Branch of the Susquehanna River, the James Cameron House is a brick farmhouse in West Chillisquaque Township, north of Milton Borough. Its main section is a three-bay, side-hall building of Flemish bond on the front, with a circa 1860 two-story addition and a frame kitchen at the rear. The interior retains plaster walls, pine floors, and fireplaces with formal mantels. The house was constructed for James Cameron, who purchased the 273-acre farm in 1840. He later served as colonel of the 79th New York Highlanders and was killed at the First Battle of Bull Run in 1861. The house is regarded as an outstanding example of Federal-style residential building in the river-front farms of the area, and it is noted for its well-preserved integrity.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the house is locally important for its Federal-style architecture, which it describes as outstanding among nineteenth-century river-front homes in the area and as having unsurpassed integrity. It also argues the house is associated with James Cameron, a Milton-area figure of the mid-nineteenth century who was a brother of Simon Cameron and who died as a colonel in the Civil War.
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 89000360, listed May 5, 1989. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | PA 405/River Rd., SE of Milton, Milton |
|---|---|
| County | Northumberland County |
| Listed | May 5, 1989 |
| Reference number | 89000360 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1840-1842 |
| Architectural style | Federal |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | The document describes the property as in excellent physical condition, with the Milton Historical Society as later owner in 1981. |
| Acreage | 0.7 |
| Coordinates | 41.00238, -76.86157 (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 89000360.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5141769
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.