Uptown Somerset Historic District (Boundary Increase)
Why it's listed
Commercial and residential buildings on West Main and West Union Streets, west of the public square in Somerset, form this boundary increase to the Uptown Somerset Historic District. Most of the contributing buildings date from the rebuilding that followed fires in 1872 and 1876, when the area was largely destroyed. Brick became the dominant material. Three former residences at 136, 152 and 160 West Main Street, built in the Italianate style with bracketed eaves and tall segmentally arched second-floor windows, were constructed after 1876. A Second Empire house at 127 West Main Street, built in 1873, shows a mansard roof and round-headed dormers. Early twentieth-century commercial buildings include a 1926 store of white glazed brick, now J.C. Penney, and a Newberry's store built about 1945. The area is significant for its commercial role as a county seat and railroad community, and for its surviving late nineteenth-century commercial and residential architecture.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the area is significant under Criterion A for commerce as part of Somerset's historic central business district, and under Criterion C for its late Victorian commercial and residential architecture. It states that the area was redeveloped after major fires in 1872 and 1876 and reflects the prosperity of a county seat and railroad community in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
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 97000286, listed March 28, 1997. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | Roughly bounded by W. Union and W. Main Sts., N. Center and N. Edgewood Aves., Somerset |
|---|---|
| County | Somerset County |
| Listed | March 28, 1997 |
| Reference number | 97000286 |
| Resource type | District |
| Period of significance | 1872-1947 |
| Architectural style | Italianate; Classical Revival; Second Empire |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Commerce, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Acreage | 4.2 |
| Within district | Uptown Somerset Historic District |
| Coordinates | 40.00858, -79.08063 (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 97000286.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.