Pennsylvania At Risk
An annual call to action for the Commonwealth’s most endangered historic places
An annual call to action for the Commonwealth’s most endangered historic places
Image: Woodburne Mansion, Delaware County, 2019 Pennsylvania At Risk
The 2026 At Risk list will be announced this spring.
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“This year’s Pennsylvania At Risk list is about decision. These places are not at risk because they lack significance. They are at risk because communities, owners and institutions are at a point where difficult choices are being made about investment, stewardship, and the future of historic places. In each case, there is still an opportunity to choose preservation rather than loss.”
— Mindy Crawford, Preservation Pennsylvania Executive Director
Chadds Ford, Delaware County
Built c. 1856–1857, Painter’s Folly is a nationally significant Italianate residence associated with illustrator Howard Pyle, the Brandywine School of Art, and artist Andrew Wyeth. Owned by Chadds Ford Township since 2018, the property faces ongoing deterioration, uncertain stewardship, and concerns about inadequate long-term preservation protections. Preservation advocates are calling for a comprehensive preservation strategy that protects both the building and its historically significant interiors.
Bryn Mawr, Montgomery County
Designed in 1900 by noted architect William Lightfoot Price, 17 Elliott Avenue is an exceptionally intact Arts & Crafts residence associated with educator Helen Sleeper Pearson and pioneering scientist Dr. Helen Dean King. Long-term deferred maintenance and redevelopment pressure from adjacent utility expansion threaten the property, which remains vulnerable despite National Register eligibility. Preservation advocates continue to seek a preservation-minded future for the house.
Hellertown, Northampton County
Designed in 1900 by noted architect William Lightfoot Price, 17 Elliott Avenue is an exceptionally intact Arts & Crafts residence associated with educator Helen Sleeper Pearson and pioneering scientist Dr. Helen Dean King. Long-term deferred maintenance and redevelopment pressure from adjacent utility expansion threaten the property, which remains vulnerable despite National Register eligibility. Preservation advocates continue to seek a preservation-minded future for the house.
Lewisburg, Union County
Designed in 1861 by prominent architect Samuel Sloan, the Slifer House is a striking Victorian country estate associated with businessman and political leader Eli Slifer. Shortly after notification of the property’s inclusion on the 2026 Pennsylvania At Risk list, the owner applied for and received a demolition permit, underscoring the urgency of the threat and the rapidly narrowing window for preservation advocacy and alternatives. Its potential loss raises broader concerns about the gradual erosion of historic neighborhood character in rapidly changing communities.
York, York County
Comprised of an 1899 Romanesque Revival Sunday school building and a 1927 Gothic Revival sanctuary designed by architect J. A. Dempwolf, Union Lutheran Church is one of York’s defining religious and architectural landmarks. Mounting maintenance costs and redevelopment discussions have created a credible threat of demolition. Preservation advocates are working with community members to explore funding, partnerships, and adaptive reuse strategies that would retain the complex as an active part of York’s historic core.
The Pennsylvania At Risk list doesn’t mark the end of the story – it’s where the hard work begins. We continue to support current and past At Risk sites, walking alongside local partners to bring these places back to life.
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Image: Satterthwaite House, Bucks County, 2021 Pennsylvania At Risk
For over 30 years, Pennsylvania At Risk has been a key initiative of Preservation Pennsylvania, the state’s only nonprofit dedicated to protecting historic places. Launched in 1992, the annual list highlights endangered historic properties across the Commonwealth to raise public awareness, encourage local advocacy, and spur preservation action.
The program serves as a strategic tool for communities, drawing statewide attention to at-risk historic resources while promoting solutions that range from funding support to legislative change. Properties featured on the list are selected based on the severity of the threat, the presence of local advocates, and the potential for Preservation Pennsylvania to make a meaningful difference.
To support these efforts, Preservation Pennsylvania waives field service fees for listed properties and provides additional assistance, including letters of support for Keystone Grant and other funding applications, and connections to preservation professionals who may offer pro bono services.
The threats to these properties – such as inappropriate alteration, compromised setting, physical deterioration or demolition – require tailored responses. Preservation Pennsylvania works directly with property owners, local advocates, and other stakeholders to develop action plans aimed at long-term protection.
Through Pennsylvania At Risk (#PAatRisk), the organization not only identifies pressing preservation challenges but also empowers local efforts with tools, visibility and expert guidance to help save the places Pennsylvanians care about most.
Old Montgomery County Prison
2024 Pennsylvania At Risk
Mt. Tabor AME Church
2018 Pennsylvania At Risk
D. C. Herbst House
2024 Pennsylvania At Risk
Mifflin House Farmstead
2017 Pennsylvania At Risk
John Coltrane House
2020 Pennsylvania At Risk
Interested to learn about the properties previously featured in our At Risk list, as well as status updates on those properties? Click a cover below to access that year’s At Risk newsletter.
Accessible versions of these publications are currently in progress. To request assistance or an alternate version, contact Mindy Crawford at mcrawford@preservationpa.org.
