- List of the oldest buildings in Pennsylvania
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See also: Oldest buildings in America
This article attempts to list the oldest extant buildings surviving in the state of Pennsylvania in the United States of America, including the oldest houses in Pennsylvania and any other surviving structures. Some dates are approximate and based upon dendochronology, architectural studies, and historical records. Sites on the list are generally from the First Period of American architecture or earlier. To be listed here a site must:
- date from prior to 1776; or
- be the oldest building in a county, large city, or oldest of its type (church, government building, etc.),
Building Image Location First Built Use Notes Lower Swedish Cabin Drexel Hill 1640-1650 House Possibly oldest log cabin or wooden house in Pennsylvania Wall House Elkins Park 1682 House Oldest house in Pennsylvania which has had continuous family residency, possibly the oldest stone house in Pennsylvania with part of the house dating to 1682 Caleb Pusey House Upland 1683 House Oldest English-built house in Pennsylvania. Only extant building known to have been visited by William Penn. Completed 1683-1696. Farmar Mill Fort Washington 1690 Mill Oldest surviving mill in Pennsylvania Wyck House Germantown 1690 House Oldest house in Germantown Merion Friends Meeting House Merion Station 1695 Religious One of the oldest Quaker meeting houses in America Thomas Massey House Broomall 1696, later additions House One of the oldest "English" houses in Pennsylvania, one of the oldest Quaker homes in the state Morton Homestead Prospect Park c. 1698, later additions House Farm founded in 1654 Gloria Dei
(Old Swedes' Church)Philadelphia 1700 Religious Oldest surviving church in Philadelphia Old Trinity Church Philadelphia 1711 Religious Stenton Philadelphia 1723 House Home of James Logan, secretary of William Penn Old Chester Courthouse Chester 1724 Government This is the oldest public building in continuous use in the United States. Served as a courthouse from 1724 until 1851, town hall until the 1960s. Now used for miscellaneous city, county and civic functions. [1] Michael Billmeyer House Philadelphia 1730 House Ephrata Cloister Ephrata 1732 Religious Established in 1732 by Johann Conrad Beissel, it is one of the oldest religious communities in the United States. It had the second German printing press in the American colonies which published the largest book in Colonial America, Martyrs Mirror. Augustus Lutheran Church Trappe 1743 Religious Oldest unchanged Lutheran church building in the United States in continuous use by the same congregation.[2][3] Grumblethorpe Philadelphia 1744 House Belmont Mansion (Philadelphia) Philadelphia 1745 House Germantown White House Philadelphia 1752 House Twice served as temporary residence of George Washington during his presidency. Old Germantown Academy and Headmasters' Houses Philadelphia 1760 School Cliveden (Benjamin Chew House) Philadelphia 1763 House Scene of fighting at the Battle of Germantown Fort Pitt Blockhouse Pittsburgh 1764 Defense Oldest structure in Pittsburgh and one of the oldest colonial structures west of the Allegheny Mountains Concord School House (Philadelphia) Philadelphia 1775 School Harris Cameron Mansion Harrisburg 1766 House One of the oldest structures in Harrisburg built right after the French and Indian War. The Headhouse at New Market Philadelphia 1804 Firehouse Oldest firehouse in the United States Dickson Tavern Erie 1815 Commercial Oldest building in Erie Academy Hall Edinboro University 1857 Educational Oldest normal school building in Pennsylvania Sturgis Pretzel House Lititz 1861 Commercial Oldest commercial pretzel bakery in the United States[4] Leap-The-Dips Altoona 1902 Entertainment Oldest wooden roller coaster in the United States See also
References
- ^ 1724 Court House, Chester, PA
- ^ "Augustus Lutheran Church". National Historic Landmark summary listing. National Park Service. http://tps.cr.nps.gov/nhl/detail.cfm?ResourceId=749&ResourceType=Building. Retrieved 2007-11-08.
- ^ "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. no date specified. http://nrhp.focus.nps.gov/natreg/docs/All_Data.html.
- ^ http://www.fieldtrip.com/pa/76264354.htm Accessed July 27, 2007
Categories:- Architectural history
- Lists of oldest buildings and structures in the United States
- Architecture in Pennsylvania
- Pennsylvania-related lists
- Buildings and structures in Pennsylvania
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