Melchinger, Englehart, House
Why it's listed
Built about 1852 in Dover Borough, the brick house stands beside the square and combines Greek Revival and Italianate design. Washington Rodgers, a local brick mason, erected it with three-layer brick walls, a slate gable roof and a central entrance on the west facade. Its most distinctive features are cast-iron window lintels decorated with scrolled acanthus leaves, which the nomination describes as the only decorative cast-iron trim in Dover architecture, along with heavy scroll brackets, a panelled frieze and a Doric entrance portico. Englehart Melchinger, the borough's postmaster from 1834 to 1862, is associated with the house, and the house was used as a Dover National Bank location from 1909 to 1924. Its high-style decoration and largely intact original fabric set it apart from the plainer vernacular Pennsylvania German houses around it.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the house is one of the best and few remaining mid-nineteenth century high-style buildings in Dover, with cast-iron window lintels described as the sole example of decorative cast-iron trim in the community. It also cites its association with Englehart Melchinger, the borough's postmaster, and its well-preserved original condition and integrity compared with neighboring vernacular houses.
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 92000990, listed August 12, 1992. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 5 N. Main St., Dover |
|---|---|
| County | York County |
| Listed | August 12, 1992 |
| Reference number | 92000990 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | C. 1852 |
| Architect / builder | Washington Rodgers (builder) |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival; Italianate |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Used for church offices, Sunday School, meetings and a private second-floor apartment; described as in good condition with good integrity. |
| Acreage | 0.1 |
| Coordinates | 40.00174, -76.85039 (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 92000990.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5378089
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.