Forry House
Approximate location: the National Park Service places this pin arbitrarily within the property, not at a surveyed point (stated accuracy ±12 m).
Why it's listed
Built in 1809 by Rudolph Forry in York, Pennsylvania, this two and one-half story limestone house has a gable roof, two gable end brick chimneys, heavy stone window lintels, and a date stone bearing the Forry name and the year. A full-width central hall connects the front and rear doorways, and the front doorway has raised relief panels framing a transom. Forry operated a tanning business on the site from the first decade of the 1800s through the 1860s. Later uses included a coal yard by 1876, a cigar factory by 1894, and storage for the Columbia Gas Company. Abraham Forry, Rudolph's son, grew up in the house and was elected Chief Burgess of York five times between 1854 and 1859. Few stone houses were built in York during the Colonial and early Federal periods, and the house keeps most of its original design. Clapboard was added to the front facade, and the family's prominence in local politics, business and churches adds to its importance.
Significance in brief: The house is a rare surviving stone townhouse from York's Colonial and early Federal period, when most local architecture was log and brick. Its original design and feeling are largely retained, and it is linked to the prominent Forry family, including Abraham Forry, a five-time Chief Burgess of York and civic leader.
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 77001208, listed December 27, 1977. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 149 N. Newberry St., York |
|---|---|
| County | York County |
| Listed | December 27, 1977 |
| Reference number | 77001208 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | Rudolph Forry |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Only one gable end window is unboarded; the building has been used for tanning, a coal yard, a cigar factory and storage by Columbia Gas Company. |
| Acreage | 0.5 |
| Within district | York Historic District |
| Coordinates | 39.96280, -76.73565 (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 77001208.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5470572
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.