Indian Steps Cabin
Also known as: Indian Steps Museum
Why it's listed
Built in 1912 on a terrace above the Susquehanna River in southern York County, Pennsylvania, Indian Steps Cabin combines craftsman and bungalow features with an eclectic mix of stone, stucco and cement. John Edward Vandersloot, a York attorney, built it as a memorial and museum for the Indian cultures he had studied. Stone and cement panels set into the walls and floors hold thousands of artifacts and inscribed tribal names, and the circular Kiva room, with its stained-glass windows by J. Horace Rudy, recreates a Pueblo-style space. Its significance lies in its educational purpose, since the displays are built into the fabric of the building, and it is regarded as one of the earliest museums in the country devoted entirely to American Indian cultures. After Vandersloot's death in 1936 the building passed to a power company and was leased in 1939 to the Conservation Society of York County, which operated it as a public museum.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the cabin is significant for its educational purpose: it was designed as a museum in which Indian artifacts and labels are permanently embedded in the walls and floors. It is described as one of the earliest museums in the country devoted entirely to American Indian cultures and as unusual for incorporating Indian themes into its architecture.
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 90000416, listed March 9, 1990. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | Indian Steps Rd., Airville |
|---|---|
| County | York County |
| Listed | March 9, 1990 |
| Reference number | 90000416 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1912 - 1939 |
| Architect / builder | Keyworth, Charles A. (architect); Werner, Frank (contractor, builder) |
| Architectural style | Bungalow/craftsman with eclectic influences |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Education |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Operated as a public museum by the Conservation Society of York County; visitor count reported for 1988 |
| Acreage | 9.6 |
| Coordinates | 39.86339, -76.37552 (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 90000416.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q15228653
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.