Little Buffalo Historic District
Why it's listed
Little Buffalo Historic District lies in a valley between Middle Ridge and Buffalo Ridge, along Little Buffalo Creek in Perry County, Pennsylvania. Its origins lie in Juniata Furnace, an iron community established around 1808 when William Power and David Watts built a small furnace on Limestone Run, reputedly the first iron works in the county. The surviving features include Shoaff's Mill, begun around 1832 and completed by 1840, the ground-level section of the Blue Ball Tavern, several outbuildings, and a cemetery holding graves of members of the Gantt and Kough families. Later additions include a superintendent's house dated 1861 and a Burr arch covered bridge. The district's combination of early and late features, with few modern intrusions beyond a road, gives it a notable degree of integrity for the area and reflects the economic life of the region in the nineteenth century.
Significance in brief: The district preserves the remnants of an iron plantation that developed around 1808 with a furnace reputedly the first iron works in Perry County. Its surviving features, including Shoaff's Mill, the Blue Ball Tavern, a cemetery and a superintendent's house, together show the layout of the iron community with little modern intrusion.
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 78002440, listed April 3, 1978. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | SW of Newport off PA 34, Newport |
|---|---|
| County | Perry County |
| Listed | April 3, 1978 |
| Reference number | 78002440 |
| Resource type | District |
| Period of significance | 1800-1899 |
| Areas of significance | Industry, Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Shoaff's Mill is presently being restored; much of the iron complex has been destroyed. |
| Acreage | 45 |
| Coordinates | 40.45548, -77.16990 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
This is a historic district. Buildings within its boundary are either contributing (they add to the district's significance) or non-contributing. Owners of contributing income-producing buildings can claim the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit; homeowners should look at state credits. National Register districts impose no design review by themselves; a local historic district ordinance, if one exists, does (the difference explained).
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 78002440.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q6649364
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.