Friend, Philip, House
Also known as: Stonehill Farm
Why it's listed
Built in 1807, this two-story, five-bay stone farmhouse sits on a two-acre farmstead that is the core of a larger farm in Washington County, Pennsylvania. The nominated group includes the house, a barn, a springhouse, a frame wash house and a privy. A municipal boundary runs through the farmstead, placing the house in North Bethlehem Township and the barn in West Bethlehem Township. The house is notable for its dressed stone window arches, each with seven parts around a projecting keystone, and for interior details including a semi-elliptical arch in the center passage, a turned-newel stair, cross-and-Bible doors and stone fireplaces. The nomination compares it with the Century Inn and other stone houses in the county, noting that many were built in phases or altered. This house kept its original form and was never heavily restored. The farm stayed in the Friend family until 1825, then passed through the Egy and Miller families. The listing rests on its architecture, with a period of significance of circa 1807 to 1900.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the house is a fine example of vernacular Federal architecture in Washington County, notable for its dressed stone voussoirs and interior woodwork such as the center passage arch. It is distinguished from similar houses by its size, integrity and lack of major later additions or restoration. It stayed a remote farmhouse until the mid-twentieth century.
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 98001371, listed November 12, 1998. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 105 Little Daniels Run Rd., North Bethlehem Township |
|---|---|
| County | Washington County |
| Listed | November 12, 1998 |
| Reference number | 98001371 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | circa 1807-1900 |
| Architectural style | Federal |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Current function listed as vacant; the house interior is described as generally in poor condition, and the wash house and other outbuildings are deteriorated. |
| Acreage | 2 |
| Coordinates | 40.07068, -80.12496 (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.
Noted as vacant in the nomination. Nomination documents can be decades old; current status may differ. If you are considering buying an empty listed property, read the due-diligence checklist.
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 98001371.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7183573
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.