Miller's Store
Also known as: Trent House and General Store; Trenthouse Inn and Country Sto
Why it's listed
Built in 1884 as a two-story store with a hexagonal corner tower and encircling porch, this U-shaped building in the Trent area of Somerset County later gained a hotel wing in 1895. It served as a general merchandise store, post office and inn for a farming community deep in the Laurel Highlands, supplying dry goods, feed, ice and overnight rooms. Local politics also met here, and a political meeting held at the store led to the community taking the name Trent. Its Queen Anne ornament and massive scale set it apart from the plain vernacular buildings nearby, and the hotel interior keeps original oak flooring, beaded ceilings, a carved stair and a cherry cupboard. The building is listed for its commercial history from the 1880s into the 1940s and for its architectural distinction within its region. Its surviving 500-gallon attic cistern is also noted as an example of late 19th century plumbing.
Significance in brief: The building is argued to have been the commercial and social center of the Trent farming community in the late 19th century, providing goods, postal service, lodging and a meeting place. Its Queen Anne ornamentation and scale are described as unusual among the plain vernacular buildings of the area.
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 92000948, listed July 24, 1992. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | Jct. of PA 3029 and PA 3033, Middlecreek Township, Trent |
|---|---|
| County | Somerset County |
| Listed | July 24, 1992 |
| Reference number | 92000948 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | ca. 1884-1940 |
| Architect / builder | Mognet, Newton (builder); Mognet, W.H. (builder); Mognet, C.N. (builder) |
| Architectural style | Queen Anne |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Commerce, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Still operating as a grocery store and bed-and-breakfast inn; the store area was substantially modernized and a rear addition was built after 1950. |
| Acreage | 1.8 |
| Coordinates | 39.98594, -79.24072 (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 92000948.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q6859007
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.