Billmeyer House
Also known as: York House
Why it's listed
Built in 1860 for Charles Billmeyer, a York industrialist, this brick house is a fine example of Victorian masonry architecture, described in the nomination as an "Italian Villa" style house. It consists of a main block about forty feet deep with a hipped roof rising to a square cupola, and a rear wing of about sixty-four feet with three dormers on a shed roof that houses a third-floor attic. Double-stacked wooden bay windows project from the center of both side walls, and the windows and front door are framed in cast stone. Billmeyer was a large manufacturer who employed some 600 local people, and the house reflects his wealth. Its interior includes a parlor ceiling and walls decorated by the artist F. Costagini, walnut woodwork of high quality, and an original elaborate cast iron fence around the exterior. The house is regarded as one of the most impressive surviving residences of its period in York.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the house is a fine and impressive example of Victorian masonry architecture and that its builder was one of York's most prominent industrialists, whose firm employed about 600 local people. It also cites decorative work by artist F. Costagini, described as having worked on the dome of the National Capitol, and high-quality walnut woodwork and original cast ironwork.
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 70000557, listed November 10, 1970. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | E. Market St., York |
|---|---|
| County | York County |
| Listed | November 10, 1970 |
| Reference number | 70000557 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1860 |
| Architectural style | Victorian; "Italian Villa" style |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | National |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Unaltered and at its original site, as checked on the form; present condition is marked excellent. |
| Acreage | 0.1 |
| Within district | York Historic District |
| Coordinates | 39.96416, -76.72281 (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 70000557.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q4912016
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.