Dyerstown Historic District facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Dyerstown Historic District
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House in the Dyerstown Historic District, December 2011
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 Location in Pennsylvania
Location in the United States
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| Location | Along Old Easton Rd. near jct. of Stony Ln., Dyerstown, Plumstead Township, Pennsylvania |
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| Area | 19 acres (7.7 ha) |
| Built | 1798–1870 |
| Architectural style | Georgian, Vernacular Colonial, Federal |
| NRHP reference No. | 86003574 |
| Added to NRHP | January 15, 1987 |
The Dyerstown Historic District is a special area in Dyerstown. It is located in Plumstead Township, Bucks County, Pennsylvania. This district is like a snapshot of history. It helps us understand what life was like long ago.
It includes 17 important buildings and 3 important structures. These are called "contributing" because they add to the district's historical value. Most of the buildings are homes. They were built between the late 1700s and around 1870.
Contents
Discovering the Dyerstown Historic District
The Dyerstown Historic District is a unique place. It shows how a small crossroads village grew over time. A crossroads village is a community that developed where two or more roads meet. This made it a natural place for people to live and work.
What Makes it Historic?
This district is important because its buildings and structures tell a story. They show us the history of the area. Many of the houses have a style called vernacular Georgian. This means they were built in a simple way, but still had some features of the popular Georgian style.
The district was officially added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1986. This is a list of places in the United States that are important to history. Being on this list helps protect these special places for the future.
Buildings and Structures You'll See
Most of the buildings in the district are homes. They were built a long time ago, starting around the year 1798. The newest homes in the district were built around 1870. Imagine living in a house that is over 150 years old!
Besides the houses, there's also an old grist mill. A grist mill is a building where grain was ground into flour. This mill was built in 1758 and updated in 1822. There are also other buildings that were part of the mill.
The Old Mill and Its Parts
The grist mill was a very important part of the community. It helped people turn their crops into food. The district also includes some interesting structures related to the mill:
- A stone arch bridge: This bridge helped people cross a stream.
- A head race: This was a channel that carried water from a river or stream to the mill.
- A dam: This structure held back water to create a steady flow for the mill.
- Remains of the mill race: This was the channel that carried water away from the mill after it had been used.
These parts show how the mill used water power to operate. They are all important pieces of the district's history.
