The Forry House (149 North Newberry Street ‡) was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1977. Portions of the content on this web page were adapted from a copy of the original nomination document. [1]
Description
The Forry House is a two and one-half story, limestone house with a gable roof and two gable end brick chimneys. Heavy stone lintels top the windows of the four by two opening house. The number of panes or type of sash is not known as all but one gable end window is boarded up. The window frames have heavy pegs bordered by a window frame beaded band composed of a bead and a cove.
Attached to the rear of the Forry House is a one-story clapboard shed. In the gable end is a date stone with the name, Forry and a date of 1809.
Doors are located in the central front and central rear of the house connected by a full width hall. The front doorway contains two single panels with raised relief and two smaller raised relief panels bordering a four-eight transom.
Clapboard sheeting has been added to the Forry House on the front facade to help prevent moisture from seeping into the building.
Significance
This stone house was built by Rudolph Forry in 1809.
The Forry House retains most of its original design and feeling so that it can be easily restored. The only significant alteration was the addition of the clapboard sheeting. Practically all of York's architecture from its Colonial and early Federal Period was log and brick. There were few stone houses. In York County many stone buildings remain from this period, but it is rare to find stone townhouses.
Rudolph Forry operated a tanning business at this site since the first decade of the 19th century. The tanning business continued there through the 1860's. By 1876 the property became the Fred K. Burnhouse coal yard. By 1894 a cigar factory was operating in the house where it continued until the Columbia Gas Company bought the property and used the house for storage.
Abraham Forry, son of Rudolph, grew up in this house. Abraham was elected Chief Burgess of the Borough of York five times from 1854 to 1859. He was also a prominent York businessman and civic leader. The Forry family was one of the most prominent in York during the 19th century. Various members of the family were active in York politics, business, and churches.
References
Reisinger, Landon C. Through Historic York. York, Pennsylvania, The Historical Society of York County, 1955, 1959.
John Schein, planner for the York County Planning Commission, provided information on historical architectural details.
‡ On visiting the home in June, 2009 (photo) the street address listed on the house was #151.
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