National Register of Historic Places

Star Barn Complex

Lower Swatara, Dauphin County, Pennsylvania
Listed
July 26, 2000
Type
Building
Period
Industrial
Ref No.
00000845

About this property

The Star Barn Complex, also known as the John Motter Barn and Outbuildings and "Walnut Hill," is an historic farm outbuilding complex that was located in Lower Swatara Township, Dauphin County, Pennsylvania, United States. Added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2000, it was dismantled in October 2015 and then moved to a site in Lancaster County for reassembly and preservation. This historic property includes a large barn, a pig barn (c. 1872), a carriage house (c. 1872), a chicken coop (c. 1872), a grain silo, and a milk house. The main barn, known as the Star Barn, was built in 1872, and is a five-bay, Gothic Revival-style frame building. It features an immense cupola atop a cross-gable roof. The Star Barn was dismantled beginning in October 2015 and then moved to a site in Lancaster County, where it has been reassembled and preserved at the Ironestone Ranch in Elizabethtown.

Location

Lower Swatara, Dauphin County, Pennsylvania
40.22361, -76.77098

Categories

AGRICULTUREARCHITECTURE
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 Star Barn Complex

This page lists Star Barn Complex. 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 Star Barn Complex report
Or see a real report first

Nearby Historic Sites

Allerman, Conrad and Margaret, House
Early Republic
1.2 mi
Highspire High School
Industrial
1.4 mi
St. Peter's Kierch
Industrial
2.6 mi
B'Nai Jacob Synagogue
Industrial
2.7 mi
Cameron, Simon, House and Bank
Industrial
2.7 mi

Questions about this property

When was Star Barn Complex listed on the National Register?

Star Barn Complex was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on July 26, 2000.

What type of historic resource is Star Barn Complex?

Star Barn Complex is classified as a building in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Star Barn Complex?

The period of significance for Star Barn Complex is recorded as the industrial era.

Can I research the history near Star Barn Complex?

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 Star Barn Complex will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.

More in Dauphin County

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

Explore DauphinCounty ›

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 Star Barn Complex will include this listing alongside battlefield records and other historical sources within your chosen radius.

Research your locationView a free sample report