LeMoyne, F. Julius, House
Why it's listed
Built in 1812 on Maiden Street in Washington, Pennsylvania, this 7-bay, two-and-a-half-story double-pile house combines Georgian plan with emerging Greek Revival detailing. It is built of sandstone, with coursed ashlar on the street facade and uncoursed masonry elsewhere, and has a standing seam metal roof. The principal entrance has an Ionic wood portico and a late-19th century mosaic tile floor. Dr. Francis Julius LeMoyne, who lived there until his death in 1879, made the house a center of anti-slavery activity in southwestern Pennsylvania during the 1830s and 1840s. Visiting speakers were hosted there, and the house served as a depot for anti-slavery literature distributed across the Ohio Valley. It is also regarded as a safe station on the Underground Railroad, where fugitives received assistance. The house reflects the antebellum abolitionist movement in this region.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the house is significant for its association with the antebellum anti-slavery reform movement. LeMoyne used it as a center of anti-slavery activity, a depot for abolitionist literature, and a safe station on the Underground Railroad. The argument rests on his role in local and national abolitionist networks from 1834 to 1865.
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 97001271, listed September 25, 1997. 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 | September 25, 1997 |
| Reference number | 97001271 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1834-1865 |
| Architectural style | Georgian; Greek Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Social History |
| Level of significance | National |
| National Historic Landmark | Yes, designated September 25, 1997 |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | A 1996 flagstone terrace was added and a 1996 restoration removed a bathroom and restored a window in the northeast room. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Within district | Washington Commercial Historic District |
| Coordinates | 40.16833, -80.24332 (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 97001271.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5423939
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.