Indian Steps Cabin
National Register of Historic Places

Indian Steps Cabin

Airville, York County, Pennsylvania
Listed
March 9, 1990
Type
Building
Period
Civil War
Ref No.
90000416

About this property

The Indian Steps Cabin, also known as the Indian Steps Museum, is an historic memorial and museum located in Lower Chanceford Township, York County, Pennsylvania. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1989. Built between 1908 and 1912, this historic structure is an eclectic Bungalow/American Craftsman-style building. It is essentially L-shaped with two wings extending from a circular "Kiva." The foundation and first story are constructed of local, well-cut stone. The second story is stucco on frame. The house features a stone tower with observation deck, and also has numerous cement panels containing inscriptions and embedded Native American artifacts. Also located on the property are a contributing summer kitchen and picnic shed. This structure was built by Judge John Edward Vandersloot, a prominent attorney from York, Pennsylvania, as a memorial and museum to Native American culture. Originally created as a private museum in 1939, it subsequently became a museum that is open to the public. Media related to Indian Steps Cabin at Wikimedia Commons

Location

Airville, York County, Pennsylvania
39.86339, -76.37552

Categories

EDUCATION
National Register nomination ›
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

Unlimited access

Everything a full report reveals about Indian Steps Cabin

This page lists Indian Steps Cabin. A full Aubrey report for an address near it pulls together this listing alongside battlefield records, land patents, and every other historical record within a chosen radius:

Overview
An interactive map of the location with historic sites, battles and Native heritage plotted, and its full story era by era.
The Land
The historic sites and place names around the location, and how this land was settled and used.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.
LiDAR Terrain
Laser-scanned terrain that reveals earthworks and old features hidden in the landscape.
Conflict & War
The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.
The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.
Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
The people born, buried or genuinely tied to this exact place, with their stories.
Historical Maps
Historic maps of the location layered over how it looks today.
Finds & Access
Museum objects tied to the area, and the laws on searching, collecting and access here.
Literature
The old books, county histories and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Spotlight
A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.
Points of Interest
The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from first peoples to the present day.
First month just $5.99, then $11.99 a month. Unlimited locations, cancel anytime.

Every location is different. Not every section appears for every place, only what the historical record actually holds turns up in a report.

Start your Indian Steps Cabin report
Or see a real report first

Nearby Historic Sites

McCalls Ferry Farm
Modern
2.7 mi
Colemanville Covered Bridge
Industrial
3 mi
Baumgardner's Mill Covered Bridge
Industrial
6.3 mi
Guinston United Presbyterian Church
Civil War
6.5 mi
Muddy Creek Forks Historic District
Listed
6.5 mi

Questions about this property

When was Indian Steps Cabin listed on the National Register?

Indian Steps Cabin was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on March 9, 1990.

What type of historic resource is Indian Steps Cabin?

Indian Steps Cabin is classified as a building in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Indian Steps Cabin?

The period of significance for Indian Steps Cabin is recorded as the civil_war era.

Can I research the history near Indian Steps Cabin?

Yes. Aubrey Research reports search National Register listings, battlefield records, land patents, and other primary historical sources within any radius of a US address. A report for an address near Indian Steps Cabin will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.

More in York County

Historic places, battles, and census history across York County.

Explore YorkCounty ›

More historic places in Pennsylvania

Browse all historic places in Pennsylvania.

View Pennsylvaniahistoric sites ›

Conflict records

Explore 19,000+ military engagements across American history.

Browse US conflicts ›

Pennsylvania history

Colonial settlement, territorial period, and statehood narrative.

Pennsylvaniahistory ›

Research the history near this site

An Aubrey US report for an address near Indian Steps Cabin will include this listing alongside battlefield records and other historical sources within your chosen radius.

Research your locationView a free sample report