June 8, 2022
The Pennsylvania Historic Preservation Board met earlier this week to review several National Register of Historic Places nominations from the throughout the Commonwealth, one of which was the Girard Historic District nomination. The board voted unanimously to forward the nomination to the National Park Service for final review and approval (keeping fingers crossed). The finish line is in sight!
May 3, 2022
After sitting unfinished for nearly 30 years, Girard Borough contracted with the historic preservation consulting firm Preservation Studios from Buffalo, New York in 2020 to complete the National Register nomination for the Girard Historic District. Download a draft of the nomination here.
The historic district spans Main Street from the railroad tracks on the west end of town to Penn Avenue on the east and including Olin Avenue to St. John’s Catholic Church. Most of the buildings in the district exemplify interpretations of architectural styles that were popular from the nineteenth to the mid-twentieth century, being built between 1825 to 1955. The historic pattern of development along this section of Route 20 remains visible in the historic fabric of the district, with buildings and streetscape characteristics illustrating the transition from a rural road to a commercial core. Download a PDF version of the public presentation given April 28, 2022 providing an overview of the district.
As the next step, the Girard Historic District National Register nomination will be reviewed by the statewide historic preservation board, who will discuss the nomination at their June 7, 2022 meeting at the Landis Valley Village & Farm Museum in Lancaster. If approved by the board, the nomination, along with a letter of recommendation from the PA State Historic Preservation Office, will be sent to the National Park Service for final review and approval.
Those wishing to provide a letter of support for the Girard Historic District National Register nomination are encouraged to do so. Letters may be mailed or emailed to the following address:
Elizabeth Rairigh, Chief
The National Register of Historic Places is a program of the National Park Service and is the official list of properties recognized by the federal government as worthy of preservation for local, state, or national significance in American history, architecture, archaeology, engineering, or culture.
Listing on the National Register as a historic district will further the sense of place and give identity to Girard’s downtown while providing the opportunity for historic tax credit projects for income producing buildings located within the District. Historic preservation of these buildings helps to stabilize and increase property values, strengthen the local economy, and enhance the community’s attractions to prospective residents, businesses, and tourists. This project does not include creation of a local historic district