Hovenden House, Barn and Abolition Hall
Hovenden House, Barn and Abolition Hall | |
Pennsylvania state historical marker | |
Maulsby-Corson-Hovenden House, built c.1795. | |
| Location | 1 E. Germantown Pike, Plymouth Meeting, Whitemarsh Township, Pennsylvania |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 40°6′10″N 75°16′41″W / 40.10278°N 75.27806°W |
| Area | 9 acres (3.6 ha) |
| Built | c.1795, 1856 |
| Built by | Samuel Maulsby (house & barn) George Corson (Abolition Hall) |
| Architectural style | Federal |
| NRHP reference No. | 71000713 |
| Significant dates | |
| Added to NRHP | February 18, 1971 |
| Designated No parameter | November 18, 2000 |
Hovenden House, Barn and Abolition Hall is a group of historic buildings in Plymouth Meeting, Pennsylvania, United States. In the decades prior to the American Civil War, the property served as an important station on the Underground Railroad. Abolition Hall was built as a meeting place for abolitionists, and later became the studio of artist Thomas Hovenden.
The house is located at the northeast corner of Germantown and Butler Pikes, diagonally opposite the Plymouth Friends Meetinghouse. Northeast of the house is the stone barn, and behind and attached to the barn is the former carriage house, above which was built Abolition Hall. The three buildings are part of a 10.45-acre farm, and are contributing properties in the Plymouth Meeting Historic District.
In 2016, the property was threatened by a proposal to divide Butler Pike and reroute the northbound lanes between Hovenden House and its barn. Preservation Pennsylvania opposed this plan and added the property to its 2017 Pennsylvania At Risk list. In 2021, it was announced that Whitemarsh Township and the Whitemarsh Art Center would jointly buy the property for $3.95 million, and preserve it for use by the art center.