Mulford, Sylvanus, House
Also known as: John Lyons House
Why it's listed
Built in 1818 in Montrose, Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania, this two-story frame house with lapped siding and a stone foundation was constructed by Sylvanus Mulford. Its saltbox form follows New England building traditions, and the house is regarded as a rare example of that type in Pennsylvania. The full-length front porch, supported by four large square columns, appears to date from the original construction. Mulford built the house to serve as both a residence and a store. Early residents included the Reverend Elisha Mulford, author of the books The Nation and The Republic of God, both popular in the early 1800s. In 1835 Mulford moved his business to Public Avenue and sold the house to Jesse Lyons, whose family lived there until 1939. The house has fifteen rooms, original flooring and hardware, and a connected two-story frame barn thought to date from 1856. It was surveyed by the Historic American Buildings Survey in 1937.
Significance in brief: The nomination describes it as a rare Pennsylvania example of a New England saltbox house. It is associated with Reverend Elisha Mulford, author of two early 1800s books, and was built as both a home and a store. The form also notes its long occupation by the Lyons family from 1835.
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 78002473, listed May 22, 1978. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 65 Church St., Montrose |
|---|---|
| County | Susquehanna County |
| Listed | May 22, 1978 |
| Reference number | 78002473 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1818 |
| Architect / builder | Sylvanus Mulford |
| Architectural style | Saltbox |
| Criteria |
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| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Acreage | 0.3 |
| Coordinates | 41.83197, -75.87587 (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 78002473.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7660726
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.