Martin Farmstead
Why it's listed
Set on a northern hillside above Route 136 two miles west of Eighty-Four, the Martin Farmstead centres on a 2 1/2 story frame farmhouse with a center hall and L-shaped rear ell, built around 1860 and embellished with Italianate and Queen Anne woodwork in 1883-1884. The facade carries a pedimented porch with cutout balustrades, carved brackets and pendants, and the front doors are walnut. Interior woodwork, walnut trim and several original fireplaces survive. The farm's land was patented in 1786, and Peter Martin acquired it in 1811. Around the house stand outbuildings including a two-crib log barn dating to about 1800, a log spring house with plastered interior walls, an 1880s wash house and sheds. The house is regarded as a local example of vernacular farmhouse design and is valued for its wood detailing, which is uncommon to find intact. The farmstead's group of original outbuildings is considered unusual for Washington County, where many farms have lost theirs.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the house is a locally important example of vernacular farmhouse architecture, unusually intact for its period, with wood detailing that is rare to find still in place. The farmstead's outbuildings are described as an unusually large original collection for the county, and the property is said to reflect the area's nineteenth-century sheep-raising prosperity.
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 95000886, listed July 21, 1995. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | PA 136, 2 mi. W of town of Eighty-Four, South Strabane Township, Washington |
|---|---|
| County | Washington County |
| Listed | July 21, 1995 |
| Reference number | 95000886 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1800-1900 |
| Architectural style | Queen Anne; Italianate |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Restored in the late 1980s and in residential use; the house is described as in excellent state of preservation, with the circa 1800 barn being rebuilt. |
| Acreage | 26.4 |
| Coordinates | 40.18288, -80.16871 (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 95000886.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q6775409
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.