Billmeyer, Daniel, House
Why it's listed
Built in stages beginning around 1730 on Germantown Avenue in Philadelphia, the Daniel Billmeyer House consists of a one-and-a-half-story rear section and a two-and-a-half-story front addition constructed in 1793, during the yellow fever epidemic in the city. The two parts are joined by a breezeway originally intended as a firebreak. Original elements of the front addition include the first-floor shutters, all doors, staircases, window sashes and frames, mouldings, nearly all floors, fireplaces and mantels. Its woodwork is joined with wooden dowels rather than nails. The house is regarded as an excellent example of federal architecture. During the 1777 Battle of Germantown it was occupied by British troops and served as a fort against the American attack under George Washington. In the later nineteenth century, the noted Philadelphia architect Walter Cope lived there. The property is also located within a National Historic Landmark district along the avenue.
Significance in brief: The nomination describes the house as an excellent example of federal architecture. It was occupied by British forces during the 1777 Battle of Germantown and was used as a fort against the American attack under George Washington. Later, the noted Philadelphia architect Walter Cope occupied it during the latter part of the 19th century.
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 71000719, listed December 13, 1971. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 6504 Germantown Ave., Philadelphia |
|---|---|
| County | Philadelphia |
| Listed | December 13, 1971 |
| Reference number | 71000719 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1793 |
| Architectural style | Federal |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Military, Architecture |
| Level of significance | National |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Good condition; altered with later kitchen wing and rear wood shed additions. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Within district | Colonial Germantown Historic District |
| Coordinates | 40.04864, -75.18379 (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 71000719.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5216567
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.