Nathan Denison House
Built in 1790
In 1790, Nathan Denison built this house on the western bank of Abrams Creek in what was then Kingston Township (now Forty Fort). He lived in this house until his death in 1809. While typical of the homes in Connecticut, it was built in a style unusual to Pennsylvania. Visitors will see that the rooms in this type of New England house are arranged around a large central chimney. The stone wall located in front of the Denison House also gives a Connecticut appearance to the house. In Nathan Denison’s time, the wall would have been located along the original property lines instead of so close to the home.
Various members of the Denison family owned the house after the Colonel’s death in 1809. In the later 1800s, porches and several additions changed the character of the home. The Bureau of Historic Sites and Properties of the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission restored the 1790 appearance of the house in 1976. The house has been owned by the Luzerne County Historical Society since 2010.
Come Visit
35 Denison Street
Forty Fort, PA 18704
One block off of Wyoming Ave.,
across from the airport
Hours
The Nathan Denison House is open to the public on selected Sundays during the Summer months.
Cost
LCHS Members: Free
Non-member Adults: $5.00
Non-member Children: $3.00 (ages 5-17)
Children Under 5: Free
There is a public restroom and a gift shop at the Denison House
Parking
There is a small parking lot in front of the house and additional parking on the surrounding side streets. Please respect the parking signs in the neighborhood.
Accessibility
Handicapped parking is available. There are steps up to the front and back doors of the house and stairs inside between the first and second floors.
Group Tours at the Denison House
Are you a teacher, scout leader, or run a service organization/club? Do you have a school, church or community group that would like a tour of one of our sites? We’d love to have you!
The LCHS can accommodate groups from 5 to 50 but depending on the number, the tour maybe split into multiple groups. For children’s tours, the content can be tailored for kindergarteners all the way up through high school.
Group tours are available of the Swetland Homestead, Nathan Denison House, and the LCHS Museum. Tours can be arranged to meet your schedule, but advance notice is required.
Please note that additional fees may apply for tours of multiple sites.
Upcoming LCHS Museum Events
Join us for programs that bring history to life. From engaging lectures and tours to family-friendly activities and special exhibits.
“Dining With Friends” – CK’s
The Luzerne County Historical Society announces the next date in their “Dining with Friends” event. Join Society members and staff on Tuesday, February 24, 2026, at CK’s Cantina and Grille, 63 Gerald Ave Dallas, PA 18612. The restaurant will generously donate 10% of its proceeds that night to the Historical Society. LCHS members and the general public are encouraged to “dine with friends” at CK’s that night. Come on out for a delicious meal while helping the Society at the same time! Located in the lovely Back Mountain, CK’s Cantina and Bistro features authentic Mexican cuisine. Please call them directly at (570) 675-5556 to make reservations and mention that you are with LCHS. The Society would like to thank the staff at CK’s for their generosity in sponsoring this “Dining with Friends” evening. For more information about CK’s, visit www.cksdallaspa.com. For questions about "Dining With Friends" or for more information about the Luzerne County Historical Society, call 570-823-6244 or email info@luzernehistory.org. We can't wait to see you!
“Building Our Area’s Most Significant Revolutionary War Monument: The Story and Saga of How the Wyoming Monument Came to Be”.
On Monday, March 30th at 7pm the Luzerne County Historical Society (LCHS) will host a program for Women’s History Month and the celebration of America’s Semi-Quincentennial entitled: “Building Our Area’s Most Significant Revolutionary War Monument: The Story and Saga of How the Wyoming Monument Came to Be”. The evening’s presenters are Mrs. Marian Czarnowski, Dr. William Lewis, and Luzerne County Judge Jennifer Rogers. The slide presentation will highlight how our most important local monument came to be and the critical role women played in its completion and future. New information on a long-lost artifact from the monument’s history will also be shown! The program will be graciously hosted by the members of Wyoming Lodge #468 F & A M and is FREE and open to the public. Wyoming Lodge #468 is located at 821 Wyoming Avenue, Wyoming PA 18644. Parking is available in a lot behind the Lodge, as well as across the street. For more information, or to make a reservation, call the LCHS at 570-823-6244 x3, or email reservations@luzernehistory.org. Founded in 1858, the Luzerne County Historical Society is Pennsylvania’s oldest county historical society. LCHS preserves and promotes the collective history and heritage of Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, at the Bishop Library and the Museum in Wilkes-Barre, the Denison House in Forty Fort and the Swetland Homestead in Wyoming. For more information, visit our website, www.luzernehistory.org. Follow us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/luzernehistory/.
Nathan Denison's History
Born in Windham, Connecticut, in 1740, Nathan Denison was one of the first forty shareholders in the Susquehannah Company to settle five new towns in the Wyoming Valley in February 1769. Denison married Elizabeth Sill in the first recorded wedding in the area.
Denison became a popular leader of the pioneer settlers from Connecticut. In the years 1774, 1776, 1781 and 1782, he served as a Justice of the Peace under Connecticut jurisdiction in Westmoreland County (as the settlers first called Northeastern Pennsylvania). As colonel of the local militia, and second in command to Colonel Zebulon Butler, Denison distinguished himself in the ill-fated Battle of Wyoming and negotiated the surrender of Forty Fort to the British. Forty Fort was named for the forty settlers that originally came to this area from Connecticut.
Both the Pennsylvania and Connecticut governments claimed the Wyoming Valley area. As a court judge, Denison helped resolve the disputed settlement claims. In 1786 when these titles were negotiated for the first time and Luzerne County was formed, he was chosen as the area’s representative to Pennsylvania’s Supreme Executive Council (similar to the present-day Senate).
The Denison Homestead in Mystic, CT
The Denison Homestead of the New England branch of the family is open to the public in Mystic, Connecticut. This historic site was built in 1717, and was the home of this family for several generations when Nathan moved to the Wyoming Valley. His house in Pennsylvania was fashioned after this Connecticut homestead.
