Turn Store and the Tinsmith's Shop
Also known as: Turn's Bushkill General Store
Why it's listed
Two frame commercial buildings on U.S. 209 in the center of Bushkill, Pike County, Pennsylvania, record the village's commercial history from the 1830s onward. The Turn General Store was built in two sections, the earlier ca. 1837 and the front addition ca. 1916, when the older wing was moved to the rear and the building was roughly doubled in size. Henry Peters was the first proprietor, and the store passed through a succession of owners and partnerships over the next century. Beside it stands the Tinsmith's Shop, a two-story frame building of about the same date with a slate roof, a central brick chimney, and Greek Revival corner pilasters on its second-story overhang. Little is documented about its original tinsmith. The Tinsmith's Shop is regarded as one of the best detailed and best preserved Greek Revival buildings in this part of Pennsylvania. Together the buildings show the shift from serving local farmers to serving summer visitors, a change tied to the nearby Poconos and to the highway built along the old River Road.
Significance in brief: The complex is argued to illustrate Bushkill's growth as a commercial center serving the local agricultural economy in the 19th century and its transition in the 20th century into a service center for the resort and vacation trade. The Tinsmith's Shop is described as one of the best detailed and best preserved Greek Revival buildings in the area, and the store's enlargement is seen as symbolizing the village's changing role.
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 78000260, listed September 18, 1978. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | U.S. 209, Bushkill |
|---|---|
| County | Pike County |
| Listed | September 18, 1978 |
| Reference number | 78000260 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1800-1899 |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Commerce, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | The Tinsmith's Shop is described as uninhabited and serving as an annex for the store; the store is in use with essentially the same function today. |
| Acreage | 0.5 |
| Coordinates | 41.09229, -75.00259 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For an income-producing building, listing (individually or as a contributing building in a district) is the gateway to the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit on qualified rehabilitation costs, often stackable with state credits. Work claiming the credit must follow the Secretary of the Interior's Standards and be approved in advance.
Listing does not restrict a private owner acting without federal money or permits; where federal funding or licensing is involved, Section 106 review applies.
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 78000260.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7855718
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.