Beallsville Historic District
Why it's listed
Beallsville is a pike town strung along the National Road in southwestern Pennsylvania, about 30 miles south of Pittsburgh. Most of its buildings date from the Golden Age of pike travel between 1818 and 1852, when taverns, stables, blacksmiths and a hotel served coaches, livestock drovers and Conestoga wagon teams. Greenfield Stand, built in 1821 at 2848 Main Street, became the National Hotel and was a well-known stop on the road. The Miller Tavern, built in the late 1820s, and a 1788 log house associated with town founder Zephaniah Beall also remain. The district is regarded as a representative example of a National Road pike town. Its later buildings include Italianate and Queen Anne houses, an 1872 bank, an 1895 brick school and Craftsman bungalows, and its milemarker is one of only 21 surviving on the Pennsylvania section of the road.
Significance in brief: The district is argued to be a representative example of a National Road pike town, with buildings that reflect the Golden Age of pike travel from 1818 to 1852 and later 19th- and early 20th-century styles. Its transportation and commercial history is tied to the road's taverns, travel traffic and the 1852 arrival of the B&O Railroad, and its architecture reflects the three eras of the National Road. Its integrity is described as excellent.
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 96001205, listed October 24, 1996. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | Roughly, Main St., Chestnut Alley, and South Alley between West Alley and Oak Alley, Borough of Beallsville, Ellsworth |
|---|---|
| County | Washington County |
| Listed | October 24, 1996 |
| Reference number | 96001205 |
| Resource type | District |
| Period of significance | 1788-1945 |
| Architectural style | Federal and Greek Revival; Italianate; Queen Anne; Bungalow/Craftsman |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Commerce, Transportation |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Most buildings are described as retaining their historic character despite alterations; the 1895 school is noted as adapted for use as a post office, civic center and borough office. |
| Acreage | 40 |
| Coordinates | 40.06761, -80.02502 (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 96001205.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q4876160
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.