Hower-Slote House
Also known as: Fort Freeland House
Why it's listed
Built of brick laid in common bond on a slight rise in Turbotville, Northumberland County, the Hower-Slote House is a 2½-story, five-bay farmhouse in the Pennsylvania German tradition of the early 19th century. Its central door opens to a hall and stairway, with four rooms on each floor. Much of the original interior survives, including mantels, chair rails, kitchen cabinets and door hardware such as Baldwin hinges from the second quarter of the 19th century, along with a Pennsylvania German door lock of the type most often found in the Lebanon Valley. The house is regarded as a representative example of the brick houses built in the Warrior Run area before the 1850s, and it has more original fabric than any comparable house nearby. The site also held Fort Freeland, a Revolutionary War fort, and was part of a plantation worked by the Hower family from 1794 to 1841. Early grist and saw mills dating to 1772 and a fulling mill from 1806 stood there.
Significance in brief: The nomination describes the house as a representative example of brick houses built in the Warrior Run area before the 1850s, and as being in near original condition with more original fabric than any similar house in the area. The site is also significant for the Revolutionary War Fort Freeland, which was located there, and as part of a plantation operated by the Hower family, which included early grist and saw mills and a fulling mill.
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 79002314, listed August 22, 1979. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | W of Turbotville, Turbotville |
|---|---|
| County | Northumberland County |
| Listed | August 22, 1979 |
| Reference number | 79002314 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architectural style | Pennsylvania German farmhouse style |
| Areas of significance | Historic - Non-Aboriginal, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Original woodwork, hardware and mantels remain; the newel post is missing and the rear roof slope is badly deteriorated. |
| Acreage | 15 |
| Coordinates | 41.10208, -76.79545 (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 79002314.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q15226154
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.