Lemoyne, Dr. Julius, House
Why it's listed
Built in 1812 as a residence and doctor's office in Washington, Pennsylvania, the LeMoyne house is a three-story, seven-bay stone building that marked a transition from late Georgian design to the early Greek Revival. When completed it was the largest stone house west of the Susquehanna River. The main entrance has an Ionic portico with fluted columns, and the interior retains original woodwork, including hand-carved mantels. Dr. Francis Julius LeMoyne, who inherited the house, was a prominent abolitionist who founded the Western Abolition Society in 1824 and ran for Vice-President on the Abolition Party ticket in the 1840s. In 1876 he built a crematory on the grounds, described as the first in the nation. The house remained in the family for 148 years and was later given to the Washington County Historical Society.
Significance in brief: The house is described as one of the grandest houses west of the Susquehanna when built and as a fine example of the post-colonial vernacular style of early Western Pennsylvania. The nomination also ties the property to Dr. Francis LeMoyne, an abolitionist and founder of the Western Abolition Society, and to the first crematory in the nation, built on the property in 1876.
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 73001669, listed October 25, 1973. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 49 E. Maiden St., Washington |
|---|---|
| County | Washington County |
| Listed | October 25, 1973 |
| Reference number | 73001669 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1812 |
| Architectural style | Transitional style from late Georgian to early Greek Revival; described as Post Colonial style |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Social History, Invention |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Given to the Washington County Historical Society for its headquarters after the death of the last occupant, a granddaughter of Dr. Julius LeMoyne. |
| Acreage | 1 |
| Within district | Washington Commercial Historic District |
| Coordinates | 40.16890, -80.24302 (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 73001669.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.