White, John, House
Also known as: Cook House
Why it's listed
Built in 1806 as a stone farmhouse near Chartiers Creek in Chartiers Township, the John White House is a two-story, three-bay, square-plan sandstone building with ashlar facade masonry, jack arches, and keystone-shaped block courses. A two-bay brick wing was added in 1860. The White family, a line of three generations of millers named John White, owned the farm from 1789, and the mill on the property was among the early grist mills in the county. The house is regarded as an example of the Federal style in rural Washington County, where stone houses were built mainly by millers and other prominent residents. Its stone construction is rare in the central part of the county, and its facade detailing shows more care than typical rural work of the period. The Washington County Fair Board later acquired the surrounding land, and the house served as its office, with restoration beginning in 1993.
Significance in brief: The house is argued to be a substantial early Washington County stone farmhouse in the Federal style, with subtle facade masonry such as keystone-shaped ashlar courses and balanced symmetry. It is described as a rare example of stone construction in the central part of the county and as a representative of the rising middle class of millers in the region. The 1860 brick addition is also part of its significance.
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 98001370, listed November 12, 1998. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 2151 N. Main St. Extension, Chartiers Township |
|---|---|
| County | Washington County |
| Listed | November 12, 1998 |
| Reference number | 98001370 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1806-1860 |
| Architectural style | Federal |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Restored in 1993 after the fair board's endowment-funded project; the document describes a sagging brick wall rebuilt and a new wood shingle roof. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 40.20782, -80.25686 (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 98001370.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q6263818
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.