Huffman Distillery and Chopping Mill
Why it's listed
Along Pigeon Creek in Somerset Township, Washington County, a small farm complex built in the late 18th and early 19th centuries includes a log and stone distillery dating to about 1790, a timber frame chopping mill of about 1805, a bank barn of about 1815, and a brick main house of about 1810. The distillery is a squat, nearly square building with hewn structural members and a plastered lower log floor, probably used for storage. Its design followed early distilling advice on cross ventilation. The chopping mill was powered by a horse treadmill, and its upper level is described as a rare example of that milling method. The Huffman family were prominent local distillers, and Rudolph Huffman had settled here by 1784. The distillery and chopping mill are regarded as rare survivors of an industry common among Somerset Township settlers during the Whiskey Rebellion era, when many local stillers were involved in protests against the federal excise tax. Few comparable small facilities remain, and the chopping mill is considered the only one of its kind known to survive in the region.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the distillery and chopping mill are rare surviving examples of the early small-scale distilling industry among settlers of Somerset Township and southwestern Pennsylvania, tied to the Whiskey Rebellion era excise protests. It describes the chopping mill as the only one known to survive in the region and the distillery as a rare surviving early log distillery. The vernacular buildings are also regarded as representative of local building traditions.
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 92001499, listed November 12, 1992. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | LR 62155, 2 mi. N of jct. with PA 917, Somerset Township, Cokeburg |
|---|---|
| County | Washington County |
| Listed | November 12, 1992 |
| Reference number | 92001499 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1794-1815 |
| Architectural style | Vernacular |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Politics/Government, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Eleven buildings and structures are within the nominated boundary; the remaining noncontributing buildings were built after the period of significance. The lower level of the chopping mill was converted to cow stables in the late 19th or early 20th century. |
| Acreage | 6.5 |
| Coordinates | 40.12256, -80.06620 (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 92001499.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q15226580
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.