Welsh-Emery House
Why it's listed
Set on a level lot beside the National Pike at the edge of Richeyville, this stone farmhouse was begun about 1815 as a three-bay structure built by William Welsh, a county justice who kept his office in it. Expansions in 1878 for Joseph B. Welsh, a state assemblyman, enlarged it to five bays, and in 1909 Geraldine and Helen Emery added the present two-story portico on Corinthian columns, a balustraded terrace, and a Spanish tile roof with dormers and three cut stone chimneys. Its ashlar walls, double-sash windows and bevelled glass doors are largely original to 1909, and the interior trim and open oak-and-mahogany staircase date from the same remodeling. The house is regarded as the most detailed residential Classical Revival example in the county, and its portico is considered rare among pre-1920 houses there. Its large level setting and the adjoining 1890 barn also reflect the family's move from farming toward gentleman farming.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the house is the richest, largest-scale and most detailed residential Classical Revival example in Washington County, with a two-story portico on Corinthian columns that it considers unusual for a pre-1920 house in the county. It also traces the house's evolution from a 1815 stone structure through successive expansions that reflect the shift from traditional farming to gentleman farming tied to the Welsh family's coal-rights income.
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 95000126, listed March 7, 1995. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 114 Emery Rd., Centerville Borough, Richeyville |
|---|---|
| County | Washington County |
| Listed | March 7, 1995 |
| Reference number | 95000126 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1815-1909 |
| Architectural style | Classical Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 40.04940, -80.00096 (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 95000126.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7981832
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.