Packwood House-American Hotel
Why it's listed
On the corner of Market Street in Lewisburg, this three-story gable-roofed building began around 1813 as a small two-story log house owned by Andrew Shearer, a weaver. Shortly after, it became a public house serving ferry and canal boat travellers on the Susquehanna. In about 1866, Adam Weidensaul enlarged it with a frame third story, a longer Market Street front and a two-story rear addition, and renamed it the American Hotel, which catered to the wagon and rail trade of the late 1800s. Later it was an apartment house. Edith Kelly Featherston and her husband, an engineer who worked on TVA construction, bought it in 1936 and filled it with furniture, textiles, oriental rugs and paintings. After her death in 1972, it became a museum run by the Packwood Foundation. The building is valued for its long continuous use as a public house and for the way its growth shows the development of Lewisburg housing from the town's founding.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the building has served the community of Lewisburg as a public house and hotel since the early days of the town, and that its growth and style reflect housing development in Lewisburg from its founding. It also notes its use as a tavern and hotel serving ferry, canal and wagon trade, and its later role as a museum of the owners' collections.
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 78002475, listed September 20, 1978. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 10 Market St., Lewisburg |
|---|---|
| County | Union County |
| Listed | September 20, 1978 |
| Reference number | 78002475 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Areas of significance | Commerce, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Used as a museum since 1972, operating on a five-day week schedule. |
| Acreage | 0.5 |
| Within district | Lewisburg Historic District |
| Coordinates | 40.96638, -76.88207 (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 78002475.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7123056
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.