Statement of Significance (as of designation - May 30, 1974):
In 1820, this was the residence of the abolitionist Benjamin Lundy (1789-1839). Here, in this brick rowhouse, Lundy established his influential antislavery newspaper, GENIUS OF UNIVERSAL EMANCIPATION, one of the germinal chronicles of the antislavery movement in America.

Condition:
The threat to the landmark has increased. The building and site are suffering from extreme neglect. The house was sold on-line three years ago (2003) for $50,000 and the current owner is an absentee landowner living in Hawaii. The yard is completely overgrown, which limits access to the house. There are several broken windows and the roof is failing causing visible damage to the front of the house. Access to the interior was not permissible so damages could not be determined. A local contractor estimates the roof repairs to $30,000. Numerous attempts have been made by the Mount Pleasant Historical Society to contact the current owner. The State Preservation Office and others have tried to initiate action to save the NHL.