York Meetinghouse
Why it's listed
Built of brick in 1766 on land deeded to the Religious Society of Friends by Nathan Hussey, the York Meetinghouse is a one and one-half story building with a gable roof and side chimney. William Willis, a farmer and bricklayer, is named as its builder. Congregation members had contributed funds toward the structure, which was originally two bays wide with nine-over-nine sash windows and a double-leaf panelled entrance. In 1783 a brick addition was attached to the west end, nearly doubling its size. The building is regarded as one of the oldest surviving pre-Revolutionary structures in York and one of the oldest extant meetinghouses in the county. Its history reflects the growth of Quaker worship in the area after York County was created in 1749, when many Friends moved into town. The York Monthly Meeting, established in 1786, still holds worship services here.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the building is the oldest religious building in the City of York and one of very few pre-Revolutionary buildings extant in the city. It is also one of the oldest surviving meetinghouses in the county and is tied to the religious history of the surrounding area through the administrative structure of the Society of Friends.
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 75001683, listed May 6, 1975. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 134 West Philadelphia St., York |
|---|---|
| County | York County |
| Listed | May 6, 1975 |
| Reference number | 75001683 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | William Willis |
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Religion |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | The meeting still holds weekly worship services for its nine members. |
| Acreage | 1 |
| Within district | York Historic District |
| Coordinates | 39.96180, -76.73575 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
Religious properties are listed for their architectural or historical significance, not their religious use. Listing is honorary and does not restrict the congregation's use of the building. The federal rehabilitation credit is generally unavailable unless part of the building is income-producing; some state programmes and preservation grants do cover religious buildings. Federal funding or permits trigger Section 106 review.
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 75001683.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q8055498
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.