Doak-Little House
Why it's listed
Built around 1850 on U.S. Route 40 in South Strabane Township, Washington County, this two-and-a-half story brick house has five bays, a rear kitchen ell, and a low pitched roof with boxed cornices. It stands on the old National Road, and its front faces the road, a typical arrangement for dwellings linked to that route. The site had earlier held a large frame tavern called the Upland House, which Joseph Doak replaced with a brick building after buying the tract in 1849. Later owner John H. Little farmed the land. The house is important for its link to National Road transportation history and for its vernacular Greek Revival character. Its I-house plan, central hall and staircase, and molded surrounds survive on the first floor, and the front door has narrow sidelights and a transom. Changes include mid-twentieth-century first-floor windows and a glass-block stair window. A contributing 1879 brick tenant house stands nearby.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the house is significant for its association with the early nineteenth-century development of the National Road, as one of the surviving associated dwellings and the only one documented to survive in South Strabane Township. It is also regarded as an example of vernacular Greek Revival architecture, with its floor plan and interior woodwork largely intact.
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 96001211, listed April 15, 1996. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | US 40 .5 mi. W of S. Strabane, South Strabane Twp. |
|---|---|
| County | Washington County |
| Listed | April 15, 1996 |
| Reference number | 96001211 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | C. 1850-c. 1880 |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Commerce, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 40.14284, -80.17381 (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 96001211.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5286464
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.