Munce, Thomas, House
Why it's listed
Built of irregularly coursed fieldstone with dressed quoins, the Munce House sits on a hilltop overlooking a valley and Route 136 in South Strabane Township. Thomas Munce, a native of Ireland, began the house around 1803 as a one-story, two-bay stone dwelling. His son, Thomas Munce, Jr., raised it to two stories around 1810, added a three-bay section, and built a two-story rear ell with a summer kitchen around 1835. The house has a central-passage plan, six-over-six sash windows, and an early nineteenth-century stair with cylindrical balusters and goose-neck rail details. The parlor and dining room retain carved trim, built-in china cabinets and original mantels. It is regarded as one of the best-preserved examples of the county's early stone farmhouses. The roof was largely rebuilt after a fire in 1992, but the stone core, plaster and woodwork remain largely intact.
Significance in brief: The house is regarded as a locally important example of early nineteenth-century Washington County stone construction and one of only a few surviving central-passage plan houses in central Washington County from the first part of the nineteenth century. It is one of the largest county examples of a square-plan house expanded to five openings, and its interior woodwork and stair are described as intact examples of early county craftsmanship.
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 96000710, listed June 28, 1996. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | Rt. 136, 3 mi. E of Washington, S. Strabane Township, Washington |
|---|---|
| County | Washington County |
| Listed | June 28, 1996 |
| Reference number | 96000710 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1803-1835 |
| Architect / builder | Thomas Munce (builder of the circa 1803 section, per the form); Thomas Munce, Jr. (additions circa 1810 and 1835) |
| Architectural style | Georgian-influenced vernacular |
| Criteria |
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| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Roof largely rebuilt after a fire in 1992; interior woodwork largely untouched; 1967 garage and 1983 frame addition are non-contributing or unobtrusive additions. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 40.18703, -80.17974 (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 96000710.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7792611
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.