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29.
HISTORIC AMERICAN BUILDINGS SURVEY/HISTORIC AMERICAN ENGINEERING RECORD
Clemson University
3 1604 019 773 755
TWO HISTORIC PENNSYLVANIA CANAL TOWNS:
ALEXANDRIA AND SALTSBURG
ENTS
NOV 28 1989
CLEMSON
LIBRARY
America's Industrial Heritage Project
National Park Service
Digitized by the Internet Archive
in 2012 with funding from
LYRASIS Members and Sloan Foundation
http://archive.org/details/twohistoricpenns00leac
Two Historic Pennsylvania Canal Towns:
ALEXANDRIA and SALTSBURG
SARA AMY LEACH, Editor
With contributions by
Dorothy Burlingame
Karen Genskow
Kristin Belz
Historic American Buildings Survey/
Historic American Engineering Record
National Park Service
March 1989
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Two Historic Pennsylvania Canal Towns: Alexandria and Saltsburg.
"March 1989"
Includes bibliographical references.
1. Historic buildings--Pennsylvania--Alexandria.
2. Historic buildings--Pennsylvania-Saltsburg.
3. Architecture-Pennsylvania-Alexandria
4. Architecture--Pennsylvania-Saltsburg. 5. Alexandria
(Pa.)--History. 6. Saltsburg (Pa.)--History.
I. Leach, Sara Amy, 1958- . II. Burlingame, Dorothy.
III. Genskow, Karen. IV. Belz, Kristin.
F159.A325T86 1989
974.8'89
89-34533
Cover photograph of Saltsburg, Pennsylvania, taken by David Ames.
CONTENTS
Contents
i - ii
List of Illustrations iii - V
Chapter 1
INTRODUCTION
1 - 2
Chapter 2 CANAL-TOWN DEVELOPMENT IN PENNSYLVANIA 3 - 28
Introduction
Early Pennsylvania Settlement
Architectural Tradition
Transportation
Pennsylvania Main Line Canal
Pennsylvania Railroad
Commerce and Industry
Conclusion
Bibliography
Chapter 3 HISTORICAL OVERVIEW OF ALEXANDRIA 29 - 49
Introduction
Location
Early Settlement: 1730 - 1829
Canal Era: 1830 1875
Railroad Era: 1875 - 1930
Conclusion
Recommendations
Bibliography
HABS Reports:
HABS No. PA-5393: Patrick McManus House 50
HABS No. PA-5394: James Cameron House 54
HABS No. PA-5395: Benjamin Cross House 58
HABS No. PA-5396: Alexander Stitt House 63
HABS No. PA-5397: John Porter House 67
HABS No. PA-5398: Dr. James Charlton House 71
HABS No. PA-5399: Israel Grafius House 75
HABS No. PA-5400: John Cresswell House 80
HABS No. PA-5401: Dr. Daniel Houtz House 84
HABS No. PA-5402: Dr. Daniel Houtz Office 89
HABS No. PA-5403: Francis Connor House 92
HABS No. PA-5404: Soloman Baker House 97
HABS No. PA-5405: Thompson Carriage House 100
HABS No. PA-5406: Pennsylvania Canal Lockkeeper's House 102
HABS No. PA-5408: Thomas Stewart House 106
HABS No. PA-5409: Henry Willibrand Brewery 111
HABS No. PA-5410: Evander P. Walker Store 116
i
HABS No. PA-5411: Alexandria High School 120
HABS No. PA-5412: German Reformed Church 125
HABS No. PA-5413: Alexandria Presbyterian Church 130
HABS No. PA-5414: Alexandria Memorial Public Library 134
HABS No. PA-5415: Pennsylvania Railroad Station 140
Chapter 4
HISTORICAL OVERVIEW OF SALTSBURG
141 - 169
Introduction
Location
Early Settlement: 1760s - 1824
Canal Era: 1826 - 1864
Railroad Era: 1850s - 1954
Conclusion
Recommendations
Bibliography
HABS Reports:
HABS No. PA-5416: William Stewart House, with measured field notes 170
HABS No. PA-5417: Dr. Thomas Murray House 184
HABS No. PA-5418: William C. Robinson House 188
HABS No. PA-5419: 105 Point Street House 192
HABS No. PA-5420: R.J. Taylor House 196
HABS No. PA-5421: Samuel Moore House & Store 200
HABS No. PA-5422: John Martin House 204
HABS No. PA-5423: Andrew Andre House 208
HABS No. PA-5424: William Mcllwaine House 212
HABS No. PA-5425: Dr. John McFarland House 215
HABS No. PA-5426: Wray House 218
HABS No. PA-5427: James Robinson House 222
HABS No. PA-5428: Thomas and John Robinson House 226
HABS No. PA-5429: James McGlaughlin House 230
HABS No. PA-5430: Mathias Rombach House 234
HABS No. PA-5431: First National Bank of Saltsburg 238
HABS No. PA-5432: P.D. Shupe Hardware Store 242
HABS No. PA-5433: Saltsburg Academy 246
HABS No. PA-5434: United Presbyterian Church 250
HABS No. PA-5435: Sons of Zebedee Evangelical Lutheran Church 253
HABS No. PA-5436: St. Matthew's Catholic Church
257
HABS No. PA-5437: Pennsylvania Railroad Station
260
ii
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS
All large-format photographs were taken by David Ames unless otherwise noted.
2.1
Canals of the Eastern United States.
2.2
Map of the Pennsylvania Main Line Canal.
3.1
Vicinity of Alexandria, Porter Township, showing original Hartslog Tract.
3.2
Map of Alexandria, ca. 1835.
3.3
Map of Alexandria, ca. 1855.
3.4
Map of Porter Township showing Alexandria, Atlas of Huntingdon and Blair Counties,
Pennsylvania (1873).
3.5
Map of Alexandria, ca. 1900.
3.6
HABS No. PA-5393: Patrick McManus House, Alexandria, southeast facade.
3.7
HABS No. PA-5394: James Cameron House, Alexandria, southwest/front facade.
3.8
HABS No. PA-5395: Benjamin Cross House, Alexandria, southwest/street and side facades.
3.9
HABS No. PA-5396: Alexander Stitt House, Alexandria, south/front facade.
3.10
HABS No. PA-5397: John Porter House, Alexandria, northeast/front facade.
3.11
HABS No. PA-5398: Dr. James Charlton House, Alexandria, southwest/front facade.
3.12
HABS No. PA-5399: Israel Grafius House, Alexandria, southwest/front facade.
3.13
HABS No. PA-5400: John Cresswell House, Alexandria, northeast/front facade.
3.14
HABS No. PA-5401: Dr. Daniel Houtz House, Alexandria, northeast/front facade.
3.15
HABS No. PA-5402: Dr. Daniel Houtz Office, Alexandria, northwest/front facade.
3.16
HABS No. PA-5403: Francis Connor House, Alexandria, southeast/front and side facades.
3.17
HABS No. PA-5405: Thompson Carriage House, Alexandria, northeast/front facade.
3.18 HABS No. PA-5406: Pennsylvania Canal Lockkeeper's House, Alexandria, northwest-
northeast facades.
iii
3.19 HABS No. PA-5408: Thomas Stewart House, Alexandria, southwest/front facades.
3.20 HABS No. PA-5409: Henry Willibrand Brewery, Alexandria, northeast/front facade.
3.21
HABS No. PA-5410: Evander P. Walker Store, Alexandria, southwest/front facade.
3.22 HABS No. PA-5411: Alexandria High School, northeast/front facade.
3.23
HABS No. PA-5412: German Reformed Church, Alexandria, interior view to altar.
3.24 HABS No. PA-5413: Alexandria Presbyterian Church, southwest/front facade.
3.25 HABS No. PA-5414: Alexandria Memorial Public Library, southwest/front facade and
interior view.
3.26 HABS No. PA-5415: Pennsylvania Railroad Station, Alexandria, southwest/northwest
facades.
4.1
David Peelor and William Barker, Map of Indiana County, Pennsylvania (NY, 1856),
showing detail of Saltsburg.
4.2
Vicinity of Saltsburg showing Pennsylvania Canal sites.
4.3
Table showing Saltsburg population, and Indiana County salt and coal production.
4.4
Map of Saltsburg, Atlas of Indiana County, Pa. (Beers, 1871).
4.5
Measured field sketches of William Stewart House, 232 Point St., Saltsburg
(HABS No. PA-5416): (a) jamb profiles, (b) elevation, (c-e) floor plans.
4.6
HABS No. PA-5417: Dr. Thomas Murray House, 101 Point St., Saltsburg, south/front and
west facades.
4.7
HABS No. PA-5418: William C. Robinson House, 103 Point St., Saltsburg, south/front
facade.
4.8
HABS No. PA-5419: 105 Point Street House, detail of stone construction and south/front
facade.
4.9
HABS No. PA-5420: R.J. Taylor House, 211 Point St., Saltsburg, south/front facade and
north/rear facade.
4.10 HABS No. PA-5421: Samuel Moore House and Store, 222 Point St., Saltsburg, north/front
facade.
4.11
HABS No. PA-5422: John Martin House, 502 High St., Saltsburg, east and north/front
facades.
iv
4.12 HABS No. PA-5423: Andrew Andre House, 821 High St., Saltsburg, west/front and north
facades.
4.13 HABS No. PA-5424: William Mcllwaine House, 214 Washington St., Saltsburg, north/front
facade.
4.14 HABS No. PA-5425: Dr. John McFarland House, 216 Washington St., Saltsburg,
north/front facade.
4.15 HABS No. PA-5426: Wray House, 500 Market St., Saltsburg, north/front and south/rear
facades.
4.16 HABS No. PA-5427: James Robinson House, 425 Salt St., Saltsburg, west/front and south
facades.
4.17 HABS No. PA-5428: Thomas and John Robinson House, 711 Water St., Saltsburg,
east/front facade.
4.18 HABS No. PA-5429: James McGlaughlin House, 803 Water St., Saltsburg, east/front facade.
4.19 HABS No. PA-5430: Mathias Rombach House, 321 Basin St., Saltsburg, west/front and
east/rear facades.
4.20 HABS No. PA-5431: First National Bank of Saltsburg, 214 Point St., Saltsburg, north/front
facade and detail of cornice.
4.21 HABS No. PA-5432: P.D. Shupe Hardware Store, 202 Point St., Saltsburg; interior view
to mezzanine, and north/front and west facades.
4.22 HABS No. PA-5433: Saltsburg Academy, High and Point streets, Saltsburg, west/front and
west/north facades.
4.23 HABS No. PA-5434: United Presbyterian Church, High Street and Ash Alley, Saltsburg,
east/front and north facades.
4.24 HABS No. PA-5435: Sons of Zebedee Evangelical Lutheran Church, 422 Salt St., Saltsburg,
east and north/front facades, and interior view from balcony.
4.25 HABS No. PA-5436: St. Matthew's Catholic Church, Cathedral and Washington streets,
Saltsburg, south/front and west facades.
4.26 HABS No. PA-5437: Pennsylvania Railroad Station, Point Street, Saltsburg, north/east
facades.
V
Chapter 1:
INTRODUCTION
This documentation project, undertaken by the Historic American Buildings
Survey/Historic American Engineering Record (HABS/HAER) in cooperation with the America's
Industrial Heritage Project (AIHP), both entities of the National Park Service, is part of a
multi-year effort to record the architectural resources in a nine-county region of southwestern
Pennsylvania related to the railroad, canal, and affiliated industrial development.
This assessment of the architectural and historical significance of two towns located
along the route of the Pennsylvania Main Line Canal during the nineteenth century was
completed during summer 1988. Dozens of modest commercial centers were historically
located along the 395-mile waterway that linked Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, but few can
boast tangible remains from their heyday. Saltsburg, on the Kiskiminetas River, and
Alexandria, on the Juniata River, were selected for study according to several criteria: for
geographic location on flanking sides of the Allegheny Divide, for containing a building stock
composed of a significant number of intact period buildings that date from the mid- to late-
nineteenth century, and for the existence of a group of standing structures specifically
associated with the canal as well as the visibly extant canal bed itself. The individual
buildings for which HABS reports were prepared were selected from previously conducted
surveys of the municipalities based on construction date, architectural and historical merit, and
retention of architectural integrity (ie., original form and exterior siding with minor additions).
One structure threatened by demolition was measured, and all buildings were recorded using
large-format photography.
Primary and secondary resources, as well as public records, were used to document
these canal towns. Several nineteenth-century publications offer contemporary depictions of
life, such as J. Simpson Africa's History of Huntingdon and Blair Counties, Pennsylvania, Arms
and White's 1745-1880: History of Indiana County, Pennsylvania, and the 1913 Indiana
County, Pennsylvania by J.T. Stewart. These were augmented by many articles, periodicals
and books published in recent years by local historical groups promoting an interest in canal
heritage, such as Canal Currents, Indiana County Heritage, 1838-1988: Canal Days
Sesquicentennial, and Hartslog Heritage. Publications devoted to chronicling the history of the
canal itself are provided by Robert McCullough and Walter Leuba's The Pennsylvania Main
Line Canal and Peter Wallner's doctoral thesis, "Politics and Public Works: A Study of the
Pennsylvania Canal System." Public documents provided information on historical township
and borough tax assessment, deeds and probate activities. Additional information was gleaned
from historic maps and atlases, and forms produced as part of the Pennsylvania Historical
Resources Survey.
Recorded under the direction of Robert J. Kapsch, chief of HABS/HAER, project leader
was Alison K. Hoagland, senior HABS historian. Dorothy Burlingame of the University of
Vermont was project supervisor; Karen Genskow of Sangamon State University researched
Alexandria; and Kristin Belz of the University of Virginia investigated Saltsburg. Sara Amy
Leach, HABS historian, compiled and edited the final document. David Ames took all the
1
large-format photographs. Thanks also go to Nancy Shedd of the Huntingdon County
Historical Society, and many individuals at Historic Saltsburg, including Gloria Berringer, Ann
Palmer, and George Johnson.
This report is organized into three primary chapters: a general investigation of the
region and historical events surrounding canal-town development in southwestern
Pennsylvania; and individual overviews on Alexandria and Saltsburg, with respective
appendices containing the HABS reports on forty-four buildings. Because the building reports
contained in the appendices lack a general bibliography, sources consulted are found in the
bibliography of the respective chapter; individual HABS building reports transmitted to the
Library of Congress, however, contain a full list of sources consulted.
2
Chapter 2:
CANAL-TOWN DEVELOPMENT IN PENNSYLVANIA
INTRODUCTION
Dozens of towns along the rivers between Pittsburgh and Philadelphia blossomed with
the introduction of the Pennsylvania Main Line Canal in the third decade of the nineteenth
century. This first major east-west transportation route linked the East Coast and its
waterways with the inland Great Lakes and Mississippi River, thus opening up Pennsylvania
west of the formidable Allegheny Mountains. The singularly significant canal era lasted only
about twenty years, until mid-century when the railroad was introduced as a direct competitor.
Rail transportation quickly dominated shipping by water, and after the Pennsylvania Railroad
Company acquired both entities, the canal facilities were gradually eliminated. The railway
continued to sustain the economies of small towns, such as Alexandria and Saltsburg, that
developed and were dependent upon the export of natural resources and some manufactured
products. While the railroad literally obliterated its predecessor, and many of its own branch
lines were phased out during the twentieth century, the localities of western and central
Pennsylvania nonetheless owe their heritage to these all-important nineteenth-century
engineering accomplishments.
This overview summarizes the history of the southwestern Pennsylvania region from
colonial settlement to the development of increasingly sophisticated transportation systems,
and industrialization of the Juniata and Conemaugh river valleys, while taking into account
the ethnic, religious, and social fabric shared by the towns--including Saltsburg and
Alexandria. This context is intended to clarify and elaborate on the architectural heritage of
the area, with its strong Germanic-Scotch tradition, as it was absorbed into larger, national
influences.
EARLY PENNSYLVANIA SETTLEMENT
Settlement of inland areas as far west as Pennsylvania occurred after East Coast and
other land accessed by waterways was already populated. The reasons were simple: native,
often hostile, Indians inhabited the territory; a limited number of men were available to
establish settlement villages; and the topography itself was treacherous and difficult to
traverse.
When whites began to venture into central and western Pennsylvania in the mid-
eighteenth century, the primary mode of transportation was by small river craft or by foot
along narrow Indian trails. The first settlers in the region took to the banks of the
Susquehanna and Allegheny rivers. As whites interacted with Indians enroute westward, they
widened their trails to accommodate pack animals, and these came to be known as bridle
3
paths.¹ Unlike settlers who arrived with the intention of creating a homestead, the earliest
traders did not clear the land or build substantial dwellings; they stayed in a spot called a log
or sleeping place. This may account for the story of John Hart who, according to legend,
traded with western Pennsylvania Indians until the 1750s; the site where he is said to have
fed and salted horses, "Hart's Log," became the founding tract of Alexandria. Little physical
evidence remains from this era, however: "There were no inns on the road in those days, nor
a habitation west of the mountains, save perhaps, a hut or two at Fort Ligonier."2
Squabbles over the interior regions of the colonized New World were initially an
international contest. During the French and Indian War, the French and British troops
utilized their Indian allies for combat, and western Pennsylvania was enveloped in the
scrimmage. Both forces sought settlement rights to land west of the Ohio River, and the
subsequent control over this waterway for purposes of trade, communication, and settlement.
France controlled land in Canada and Louisiana, between which the Ohio River was a critical
link. The British, who owned land east of the Ohio River, were unwilling to risk separation
from what promised to be a profitable commercial endeavor. Settlers caught in the fray often
found it prudent to move eastward to avoid the battles over control of the forts along the
Ohio and Mississippi rivers until after the war. The minority of white settlers who remained
behind simply attempted to protect their homes from attack.
In 1775, General Braddock led militia across Pennsylvania to capture the French Fort
Duquesne. His defeat on July 9, 1775, exposed the western territories to further attack. The
French retained control until 1758, despite a handful of British victories. Montreal, Canada,
fell in September 1760, and the Treaty of Paris, signed in 1763, officially ended the war, and
the French ceded their North American territories to the British. Intercontinental peace may
have been technically restored, but the colonists who returned to the frontier found still-
hostile Indians and little remains of their crude settlements.
The Proclamation of 1763 had established the Allegheny Mountains as the western
boundary of British colonial land holdings. Complaints by various tribes in the ensuing years
concerned the growing number of white squatters. In response, Governor Penn in 1766
forbade settlement west of the treaty line; the penalty for trespassing was strict, but not harsh
enough to discourage the practice.³
In fall 1768, the British and the Six Nations of the Iroquois Confederacy signed the
Treaty of Fort Stanwix, in which the latter ceded the land south of the Ohio River and east of
the Alleghenies as far as Fort Pitt. Although doubt existed concerning the Iroquois's right to
sell land occupied by the Shawnee, Delaware, and other tribes, settlers rushed westward to
1
George Swetman, Pennsylvania Transportation, Pennsylvania Historical Studies No. 7 (Gettysburg: Pennsylvania
Historical A ssociation, 1968), 6.
2 William H. Egle, An Illustrated History of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania (Harrisburg: Dewitt C. Goodrich
and Co., 1875), 793.
3
Clarence D. Stephenson, Indiana County 175th Anniversary History (Indiana, Pa.: A.G. Halldin Publishing Co.,
1978), 64; hereafter cited as 175th.
4
speculate and to survey new land.⁴ Over the next decade, the Revolutionary War again halted
most new settlement efforts, with many families forced back to more secure locales or residing
within the walls of nearby forts.⁵ Even after the Second Treaty of Fort Stanwix was signed in
1787 and the remaining land within the boundaries of the state was acquired, Indian uprisings
continued, and settlers sought refuge in blockhouses, fortifications constructed of stacked
planks or logs.6
Between 1770 and 1794, Indian uprisings and turmoil associated with the French and
Indian War and the Revolutionary War contributed to the sluggish influx of settlers. Further
disputes between Indians and whites were diminished by the Treaty of 1795.7 Living
conditions were crude and difficult, thus few buildings erected prior to the early decades of
the nineteenth century remain intact.
ARCHITECTURAL TRADITION
The ethnic makeup of the late-eighteenth and early-nineteenth-century immigrants to
central and southwest Pennsylvania was largely homogeneous--German, Scotch and Irish. The
similarity of their native homelands to Pennsylvania's rugged but fertile geography meant that
their traditional types of houses and farm structures translated well using the materials at
hand in their new home. Pennsylvania has long been credited with having a strong and
distinct history of vernacular architecture, even after it began to mingle with nationally
popular American styles such as Greek Revival, Federal, and Georgian. Field stone and red
brick are common building materials--sometimes covered with stucco or painted--used for the
typically two-story dwellings and commercial buildings. It would seem the construction skills
introduced to Alexandria and Saltsburg by canal engineers and masons would have resulted in
more stone buildings than history substantiates; exant examples are found in Saltsburg's
William Mcllwaine House (ca. 1827-40s) and the 105 Point Street House (ca. 1830), and
Alexandria's John Cresswell House (ca. 1816).
The downtown residential and commercial buildings erected from the early-nineteenth
century generally reflect similar plans, proportions, and decorative features. Arranged on an L-
shaped or rectangular plan with the ridge line parallel to the street, windows and doors are
most often symmetrically arranged. In larger dwellings these were four to six bays across, on
a center-hall plan; in an abbreviated form this becomes a two-thirds Georgian, or three-bay
side-hall plan; both are commonly double pile, or two rooms deep. Chimneys are found on
the interior of one or both gable ends.⁸ It is common to find a centered or full one-story
4 Stephenson, 175th, 114.
5 Egle, 782.
6 Stephenson, 175th, 114-15.
7
C.T. Arms and Edward White, 1745-1880 History of Indiana County, Penna (Newark, Ohio: J.A. Caldwell,
1880), 380.
8 Henry Glassie, "Eighteenth-Century Cultural Process in Delaware Valley Folk Building," Winterthur Portfolio 7
(1972), 38.
5
porch on the primary facade, as well as on the interior rear side of the one- or two-story ell,
which often served as the kitchen or a similar service function. In Pennsylvania a "double
house" was a bilaterally symmetrical building occupied by two families, although these are less
common than traditional side-passage or center-passage plans. Typically, all these buildings
were erected close together like rowhouses, and similarly pressed forward on the site as close
as possible to the street, despite the availability of adequate land to do otherwise.
As town planning developed, so did a pattern of characteristics common to
southwestern Pennsylvania. Unlike other regions of the country, different types of buildings --
dwellings, stores, churches, civic structures--are jumbled together in a townscape without any
schematic significance or hierarchy. One exception is the "diamond," an open space formed in
the void of a right-angle intersection of streets that incorporates the corners of adjacent
blocks. Alexandria contains a diamond that is located away from the downtown and canal
route, which is unusual, since the diamond was intended to develop into a central downtown
area. Open markets and other community events were hosted here, as well as providing a
suitable open space for parking wagons and carts. Alleys also play an important role in the
regional pattern of town planning. These are unusually formal, often named, and are
reminiscent of a mews or close, and they allow each residence a generous rear egress. After
1830 when the national and international influences that arrived via the canal, railroad, and
general midwestern development inundated small towns such as Alexandria and Saltsburg,
these strictly Pennsylvanian architectural traits are lost to a more anonymous style of building.⁹
TRANSPORTATION
River Routes
As peace was gradually established in Pennsylvania, settlement resumed with a vigor.
A steady stream of hopeful immigrants led the General Assembly in 1771 to designate as
"public highways" the Juniata, Kiskiminetas, and the west branch of the Susquehanna rivers;
the Conemaugh River was added to the list in 1787. In 1791 an act was passed that would
penalize anyone caught obstructing these waterways, as well as authorizing the removal of
rocks and other natural materials that obstructed the river's flow and endangered proper
navigation.¹⁰ In 1794 the General Assembly provided the financing to make these
improvements.
Traversing the rivers was accomplished by ferry, ford, or bridge, the last so prevalent in
Pennsylvania it is described as the "state of bridges."¹¹ A ferry serviced Saltsburg during the
second decade of the nineteenth century, and another was operated after the canal opened.
Concurrent to the canal era there existed a ford in the Juniata River at Alexandria that led
into Hartslog Street; this was usurped by a covered bridge built across the river in 1845 that
9
Wilbur Zelinsky, "The Pennsylvania Town: An Overdue Geographical Account," The Geographical Review (April
1977), 133, 136, 144.
10 J. Simpson Africa, History of Huntingdon and Blair Counties, Pennsylvania (Philadelphia: Louis H. Everts,
1883), 30-31.
11 Fuller D. Wayland, A History of Pennsylvania (NY: Prentice-Hall, 1935), 672.
6
led into Bridge Street. A similar bridge crossed the Kiskiminetas River at Saltsburg in 1842-43.
Prior to the semblance of settlement introduced by the canal, there were few such examples of
these travel amenities.
Roads
The existing Indian trails were adequate for initial settlement, but the early pioneers
soon discovered that improved roads were needed to accommodate the onslaught of heavy
traffic--wagons and carriages. Maintenance of the widened bridle paths, with little or no
improvement made to the surface, fell to adjacent property owners. But the effort expended
toward the primary tasks of clearing land, planting crops, and erecting basic dwellings left
little time for local residents to spend fixing up the road. The Lancaster Pike, financed at the
petition of Pennsylvania residents, is an exception that marks the beginning of the trend
toward state- and privately developed roads. Funded in 1733 by the government, the pike
was completed by 1741.¹²
The Revolutionary War necessitated a hiatus in road construction just when the central
and western Pennsylvania regions needed these facilities most, but when the conflict was over,
the problem of inadequate thoroughfares was quickly addressed.¹³ In 1785 the General
Assembly alloted £2,000 to finance the clearing of brush and boulders from highways between
Cumberland County and Pittsburgh, which ignited an influx of German, Scotch, and Irish who
would become the first permanent settlers in this region.¹⁴ In 1787 President George
Washington appointed a commissioner to survey a road from the Frankstown Branch of the
Juniata River over the Allegheny Mountains to the navigable waters of the Conemaugh River
that very nearly followed the present-day U.S. Route 22. Until the advent of turnpikes, this
was the primary east-west thoroughfare, extended in 1791 with the addition of a ferry route
between the Juniata Valley and the Ohio River.¹⁵
Turnpikes
The turnpike, a more strictly developed road along which tolls are collected to defray
the costs of construction and maintenance, originated in England where a bar or pike blocked
the road until the toll was paid. 16 Revenue from a traveller's dining, lodging, and passenger
services became vital revenue to commercial establishments along the turnpikes. Stagehouses
or inns provided bed and board for travellers, as well as a change of horses.¹⁷ Roadhouses
accommodated wagons and drovers, while providing large yards to contain their animals.
Neither approached luxurious lodgings, composed of only a kitchen, dining room, and a large
saloon area. All guests slept on the floor using their own bedding; many such inns housed
12 Swetman, 7.
13 Africa, 29.
14 Swetman, 11.
15 Swetman, 13; Africa, 30; Stewart, 45.
16 Swetman, 15.
17 J.T. Stewart, Indiana County, Pennsylvania: Her People, Past and Present (Chicago: J.H. Beers Co., 1913), 46.
7
the proprietor and his family, as well.¹⁸
On February 24, 1806, Pennsylvania began accepting subscriptions for stock to finance
construction of a turnpike between Harrisburg and Pittsburgh to pass through Bedford. The
next year a commission was appointed to sell stock for another road to go from Harrisburg to
Pittsburgh by way of Huntingdon and Lewistown. In 1810 the Huntingdon, Cambria and
Indiana Turnpike Company was incorporated and authorized to construct a turnpike of the
same name; by 1820-21 the road was completed over the seventy-seven miles between
Huntingdon and Blairsville, at a cost of $200,000. A mile marker belonging to the route is
extant in Alexandria where the pike became part of Main Street. Due to the scarcity of
settlement prior to this period, growth of foundling towns and industries occurred primarily
along these wilderness arteries.¹⁹
Turnpikes proved less than ideal constructions, however, as they were susceptible to
decay from weathering, age, poor construction, and weighty loads. Turnpike companies found
that in general the maintenance costs exceeded the profits from tolls, and many of these roads
were allowed to fall into a state of neglect.
Canals
The boom in American canal construction (Figure 2.1) began in the northeast and
south--New York, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, the Carolinas--about 1800, as these areas
sought transportation avenues into the territories of Ohio, Illinois, Kentucky and Indiana; U.S.
ownership then extended as far west as the Mississippi River. The Erie Canal was the first
large-scale, economically successful waterway in this country, though it was preceded by
numerous local canals built much earlier.²⁰ As early as 1762 several merchants petitioned for
a survey of the west branch of the Susquehanna River, hopeful of connecting it with the Ohio
River as a supplemental route to the Forbes Road, which was nothing more than a bridle
path. In 1771 the American Philosophical Society explored the Schuylkill and Susquehanna
river valleys in a plan to connect these two rivers via the Swatara and Lebanon valleys.
Twenty years later, the legislature approved the incorporation of the Schuylkill and
Susquehanna Navigation Company for "opening a canal and lock navigation" between the
Schuylkill and the Susquehanna. Shortly thereafter another group, the Delaware and
Schuylkill Navigation Company, was established to build a waterway between the Delaware
River at Philadelphia to Norristown on the Schuylkill River. Both experienced financial
difficulties, however, and they merged in 1811 into the Union Canal Company of
Pennsylvania, which was authorized to build canals as needed across Pennsylvania. By 1828
the seventy-eight-mile canal (with ninety-three locks) between Reading on the Schuylkill, and
Portsmouth (now Middletown) on the Susquehanna, was complete. During the early years of
the nineteenth century a number of small, private canals continued to be built to facilitate
18 Stewart, 46.
19 Africa, 31-33.
20 William Shank, The Amazing Pennsylvania Canals (York: American Canal & Transportation Center, 1973), 5.
8
Abandoned before 1915
In use in 1915
Principal canalized rivers
Figure 2.1
Canals of the Eastern United States, from Carolyn E. MacGill's History of
Transportation in the United States Before 1860 (Peter Smith, 1948).
9
local travel, but none approached the scope of a major east-west transportation route.²¹
Canal advocates in Pennsylvania stressed the inadequacies of rivers, turnpikes, and
public roads during spring flooding and wintertime when ice posed a threat. Canal travel
could extend the shipping season to nine months, from March to November, as well as
stimulate the market for mineral resources found along the corridor. European conflicts also
magnified America's need to develop for itself domestic sources of raw materials and
manufactured goods, and at the same time provide adequate means for the large volume of
immigrants hopeful of settling the interior territory.
Westward migration was encouraged by a growing interest in the vast natural resources
beyond the Allegheny Mountains, which offered potential competition with Atlantic Ocean and
Great Lakes ports. Philadelphia was historically the No. 1 seaport in young America, followed
by Baltimore and New York. The nation was fascinated by European canal systems as a viable
means of shipping of raw materials to manufacturing centers, but not enough to support
lobbying efforts such as that of David Reid, who introduced of the notion of a canal to the
Pennsylvania legislature in 1813-14.²² The commonwealth could not be wooed into financing
such a costly and long-term project until the results of the model canal underway in New York
could be assessed.
The Erie Canal, connecting the Hudson River at Albany with Buffalo on Lake Erie was
both precedent-setting and highly successful. Begun on July 4, 1817, and completed on
November 4, 1825, the canal drew national attention as the first link between the Eastern
Seaboard and interior Great Lakes, although it did not have any specific impact on the
western portion of Pennsylvania. As inland traffic could now opt to go through New York
State, overland routes to trading centers such as Philadelphia and Baltimore were affected and
related profits dropped off.
Pennsylvania's interest was piqued by the Erie's accomplishments, and the Philadelphia-
based Pennsylvania Society for the Promotion of Internal Improvements sent engineer William
Strickland and his assistant, Samuel Honeywell Kneass, to study and record canals in Britain,
Ireland, and Wales. In 1824 the General Assembly named a canal commission to investigate
potential routes between Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, with specific attention paid to the
Juniata and Conemaugh river valleys: its goal was to find a means of accessing the fertile
territory beyond the mountains and availing it to settlers.² The one negative aspect of this
route was a proposed four and one-half mile tunnel through the Allegheny Mountains with a
canal trough elevated so high that a reliable water source was at risk; the task was beyond
contemporary engineering technology.²⁴ But the promise of prosperity sure to be generated by
21 Robert McCullough and Walter Leuba, The Pennsylvania Main Line Canal (York: American Canal and
Transportation Center, 1973), 10-11.
22 Shank, 11; Stephenson, 175th, 316.
23 McCullough, 17-18.
24 McCullough, 25.
10
a state-owned canal enticed local residents who insisted that this and alternative courses
(seven in all) be re-examined.
PENNSYLVANIA MAIN LINE CANAL
The Erie Canal's rosy revenues, coupled with the comparable climatic and geographic
characteristics of New York and Pennsylvania, were arguments touted by canal proponents.
And Pennsylvania's recognized agricultural produce and extractive industries--salt, iron, and
coal resources, in particular--were judged competitive with those of New York. Railroad
advocates, on the other hand, insisted that Pennsylvania's mountainous terrain was not
conducive to a canal and lock system, citing the efficiency of the fledgling rail transportation.
(During the 1820s there were no railroad systems in the United States, although England--
which led the world in developing rail transportation--could boast several facilities.) While
impressive horsepower and tonnage figures ranked rail above canal transportation,
Pennsylvanians at first balked at such an untried avenue, although two rail components were
eventually incorporated into the main line system: the Columbia and Philadelphia Railroad and
the Portage Railroad.
The pressure to compete intensified, and the state hastily chose to pursue canal
construction using borrowed funds, without even first determining how to breach the
Allegheny Mountains. On February 25, 1826, the governor authorized the creation of the
Pennsylvania Main Line Canal, to connect Philadelphia and Pittsburgh via the Juniata and
Conemaugh rivers; the first spadeful of dirt was turned in Harrisburg on July 4 of that year,
with digging to commence at each end.2⁵
It was not until 1828, however, that the Main Line was completely planned and
organized into five divisions (Figure 2.2): three canal and two rail. The easternmost section
of the main line comprised the Columbia Railroad, stretching eighty-three miles from
Philadelphia to Columbia, located along the Susquehanna River. It connected with the Eastern
Division, a forty-three-mile canal route between Columbia and Clark's Ferry. Linked by an
aquaduct, the canal continued as the Juniata Division, stretching 127 miles between Duncan's
Island and Hollidaysburg along the Juniata River. The Allegheny Portage Railroad carried
passengers and boats the next thirty-seven miles over the Allegheny Mountains between
Hollidaysburg and Johnstown. Traveling again by water, the 105-mile Western Division
concluded the Main Line, making the connection between Johnstown and Pittsburgh along the
Conemaugh, Kiskiminetas, and Allegheny rivers. The system totalled 395 miles end to end.
The Eastern Division of the Main Line Canal was originally designed to intersect with
the privately owned Union Canal at Middletown on the Susquehanna River; this was extended
to Columbia, however, after 1828 when a rail link between Columbia to Philadelphia was
25 Theodore Klein, The Canals of Pennsylvania and the System of Internal Improvements (Harrisburg: William
Stanley Ray, 1901), 9.
11
River
EASTERN
COLUMBIA-PHILADELPHIA
FREEPORT
Onio
Alexandria
LEWISTOWN
DIVISION
RAILROAD
River
Saltsburg
LEMON HOUSE
BLAIRSVILLE
sisium
CLARKS FERRY
HOLLIDAYSBURG
PITTSBURGH
WESTMOREL AND
JOHNSTOWN
HARRISBURG
COUNTY
Q MIDDLETOWN
LANCASTER
PHILADELPHIA
WESTERN DIVISION
ALLEGHENY
JUNIATA DIVISION
COLUMBIA
PORTAGE
RAILROAD
Figure 2.2.
Map of the Pennsylvania Main Line Canal (Dennis Semsick and George B. Johnson,
Saltsburg and the Pennsylvania Canal, 1984).
considered.²⁶ Strickland and Kneass served as the engineers of its two dams, twenty-three
locks and eight aqueducts.²⁷
The Western Division, winding eastbound through the Conemaugh River Valley, proved
more controversial than its eastern counterpart, and work commenced in 1826 before the
Pittsburgh terminus was precisely settled upon. A year later the canal was extended to
Blairsville; and in 1828, to Johnstown.28 All but the last five miles at the Pittsburgh terminus
commenced immediately, because although the canal was supposed to fall within that city's
limits, the engineers thought a better route might take it to the nearby village of Allegheny.
Pittsburghers rightfully protested, and in a compromise move the commission extended the
canal to the shore opposite the city and crossed over; and a branch canal continued another
mile or so to the Borough of Allegheny. Nathan Roberts, George T. Olmstead, Alonzo
Livermore, and later Moncure Robinson served as engineers on this division, which included
ten dams, sixteen aqueducts, sixty-four locks, two tunnels, and sixty-four culverts.²⁹
26 Swetman, 57.
27 Archer Hulbert, The Great American Canals I, vol. 13 (Cleveland, 1902-05), Historic Highways of America;
reprint (NY: AMS Press, 1971, 211-215.
28 McCullough, 49, 51.
29
Clarence D. Stephenson, Pennsylvania Canal: Indiana and Westmoreland Counties (Marion Center: Author,
1961), 2; McCullough, 53.
12
In 1827 the Juniata Division became the last of the three canal segments authorized,
initially to connect Clark's Ferry and Lewistown via the Juniata River Valley; and later
extended to Huntingdon, Frankstown, and still further to Hollidaysburg.³⁰ It proved the most
difficult to develop because the channel followed valleys and bisected mountains, and the
sharp Hollidaysburg elevation demanded construction of a reservoir. As a result, this section
caused the highest incidence of damage to the private property of adjacent landowners and it
cost the most to build. Dewitt Clinton Jr., who had worked on the Erie Canal, was one
engineer on this division, whose components included sixteen dams, eighty-eight locks and
twenty-five aqueducts.³
Allegheny Portage Railroad
Construction on the Allegheny Portage Railroad, the first "artificial means of
communication" between the East and the Mississippi Basin, did not commence until March
1831, a few years after the canal proper was in operation.³² The idea for a tunnel through
the Alleghenies had been quickly discarded in favor of a novel counter-weighted rail route
over the mountains. The Allegheny Portage Railroad, largely the project of engineers Moncure
Robinson and Sylvester Welch, consisted of a series of inclined planes connected with grades.³³
The path was cleared of timber and the terrain graded to produce a uniform slope for each of
the ten inclines and levels in between. Records of 1875 indicate the distances of each
incline³⁴:
Incline
Length (feet)
Rise (feet)
1 (Johnstown)
1,607
150
2
1,760
132
3
1,480
130
4
2,195
187
5
2,628
201
Summit
-
-
6
2,713
266
7
2,655
260
8
3,116
307
9
2,720
189
10 (Hollidaysburg)
2,295
180
A stationary engine located at the head of each incline assisted with the ascent and
descent of cars. Hemp rope used initially was replaced in 1844 with less expensive wire rope
designed by Brooklyn Bridge builder and engineer John Roebling. The cable was used
30 McCullough, 41.
31 McCullough, 44-45.
32
Hulbert, 195-96.
33
McCullough, 62.
34 H.W. Schotter, The Growth and Development of the Pennsylvania Railroad Company (Philadelphia: Allen, Line
and Scott, 1927), 18.
13
experimentally on No. 10, and by 1849 was in place on all of the inclines.³⁵ In October 1834
the Lackawanna-based keelboat "Hit or Miss" became the first vessel to cross the Alleghenies.
The cars were first hauled across the grades by horses, and later by wood-burning steam
locomotives.³⁶ The total cost of this segment, $8.4 million, represents the bulk of the cost of
the entire main line, and it was the first unit to be closed.³
As a result, the towns of Hollidaysburg and Johnstown, on the east and west termini
of the Portage Railroad, respectively, became important shipping centers. "The opening of the
canal to Hollidaysburg marked the beginning of the rapid and substantial growth enjoyed by
that town for two decades," noted one contemporary.³⁸ The economic and physical growth
they experienced was evident in new warehouses and industrial structures, as well as housing
for locally based managers and laborers, and inns and saloons that served the migrating
population. Both towns became economic, political, and social centers thanks to their location
along the canal.
Columbia-Philadelphia Railroad
The Columbia and Philadelphia Railroad was conceived to replace the privately owned
Union and Schuylkill Canal from Columbia to Philadelphia. Unlike the Allegheny Portage
Railroad, the Columbia Railroad had only two inclined planes. The Belmont Plane, 2,805 feet
long and 187 feet high; and the second plane, which descended into the basin at Columbia,
1,800 feet long and 90 feet high.³⁹ Rail travel was considered hazardous because of numerous
curves, inadequate viaducts, and frequent accidents. Coupled with this division's inability to
support a large quantity of traffic, a backlog was created and competing routes were
developed that bypassed the Columbia-Philadelphia line.⁴⁰
With its completion on April 15, 1834, the canal was credited with much of the growth
that occurred along this corridor between 1825 and 1855.4 Small settlements became
established towns and small-scale industries blossomed into economically feasible ventures.
The canal was a great improvement over transportation by pack mule and wagon.
But while individual towns prospered, the state was facing an escalating debt. In
1834, concurrent with advancements in railroad technology, the canal was already a financial
disappointment. At a cost to-date of $22 million, the state owned 601 miles of canal and 119
35 Harry A. Jacobs, The Juniata Canal and Old Portage Railroad (Hollidaysburg: Blair County Historical Society,
1941), 6.
36
Jacobs, 4.
37 Hulbert, 211.
38 Africa, 36.
39 McCullough, 69.
40 McCullough, 144-45.
41 Hulbert, 215; McCullough, 72.
14
miles of rail line. The burden of the former was outpacing even the growing recognition of
railroad superiority. Remarked Governor Ritner in his final address:
I once thought that no combination of circumstances would cause
me to even hesitate in advocating the speediest means that could
be devised for the completion of our noble system of improvement [the
Main Line Canal]; but the experience of the past two years has, I confess,
shaken my confidence in the attainment of this desirable end, within any
reasonable period.⁴²
Canal Construction and Technology
The canal-construction process was beset immediately with problems. Although many
of the engineers were qualified by previous experience building the Erie Canal, the contractors
who bid on sections of the main line were novices, and the lowest bidder received the
contract. Unforeseen expenses often resulted in the contractor abandoning the project; the
canal commissioners were then forced to relet the contract for a higher price, often to the
same individual. In addition there were repeated incidents of poor workmanship and labor
woes; in the semi-wilderness setting, diseases such as malaria and typhoid, frequently called
"canal fever," plagued the low ground and river valleys where the canal was being built, and
cholera outbreaks were recorded in 1832 and 1849. 43
The frustration that resulted from generally poor management and construction was
intensified by unskilled and uneducated laborers who were difficult to control. The large
gangs who worked on the canal wreaked repeated havoc at local towns and farms in the form
of drunkenness, looting, and brawling. They were predominantly Irish immigrants who were
"largely illiterate, Roman Catholic, and full of the brogue," from whom their predecessors, the
Scotch-Irish Presbyterian settlers, quickly differentiated themselves. Many had little to lose,
having fled the potato famine in Ireland, and were willing to accept the poor working
conditions, limited diet, and low wages. During a twelve-hour workday, each man was
expected to dig the equivalent of a yard of canal, payment for which was 75 to 87 cents.⁴⁴
The canal was built level so the water did not drain from the channel. Boats were
easily pulled along the shallow cavity by a mule walking slightly ahead, along the adjacent
towpath. When the gradient became too great, a lock system was constructed similar to a
series of steps. The Pennsylvania Main Line Canal had many components: 175 locks, twenty-
eight dams, and forty-nine aqueducts, as well as numerous slackwater pools, waste weirs,
bridges, reservoirs, feeder canals, weigh locks, tunnels, basins and, in Johnstown, the
ingenious Portage Railroad with its accompanying viaducts and inclined planes.45
42 McCullough, 31-32.
43 Peter A. Wallner, "Politics and Public Works: A Study of the Pennsylvania Canal System, 1825-1857," Ph.D
diss., Pennsylvania State University, 1973; 78.
44
McCullough, 51-54.
45 Hulbert, 211.
15
The majority of locks were constructed of water-tight layers of timber, while those of
the Western Division more substantial cut and rubble-stone masonry. The standard lock on
the Juniata River measured approximately 15 feet by 90 feet, two feet narrower than
elsewhere in the Eastern Division; and each had a 4 feet by 2 feet spillway, or flume, along
the upward slope with shut-off gates to regulate the water flow.46 The canal and its traffic
were frequently victimized by inclement weather: one June day in 1838, for example, severe
rainfall caused the Juniata River to wash away nearly every lock, aqueduct, and dam between
Huntingdon and Hollidaysburg; and repairs were not complete, nor shipping resumed, until
the end of that season.⁴⁷
Each lock was basically a chamber that could be closed with watertight gates on both
upstream and downstream sides. If a boat was moving upstream, those gates were closed and
the lower ones opened, allowing the water level to drop until it equalled that of the boat.
The vessel would then be towed into the lock and the lower gates would be shut behind it.
The upper gates would be opened and the water allowed to enter until the boat reached the
higher level; the gates would then be opened and the vessel towed into the canal.
Individual locks were operated by a lockkeeper who was housed, rent-free in a nearby
lockhouse. These dwellings were designed on a variety of simple plans, typically built on a lot
owned by the state. The lockkeeper was an important source of information, since he was in
contact with travellers from all parts of the country and Europe.⁴⁸ At peak season boats
passed through every fifteen to twenty minutes, for a total of more than 3,600 westbound
crafts a year. Although many of the locks themselves have been destroyed during intervening
years, extant lockhouses such as the one in Alexandria face the old canal route. Rules for
navigating the canal were established by the Board of Canal Commissioners. Packet-boat
speed limits were set at four miles per hour, with lighter crafts permitted to go somewhat
faster, with passenger boats having the right of way; violation of these regulations resulted in
fines.49 A canal-boat trip between Philadelphia and Pittsburgh required less than a week,
although delays related to washouts, repairs, and queues to get into the lock were common.
A weighlock measured the weight of the boat loaded with cargo; tolls were calculated
based on the number of tons transported per mile. When the water was drained from the
chamber, the boat came to rest atop a set of scales. The weight of the empty vessel was first
calculated and a nail was driven into the hull at water level, and again after every two tons
were added. When the total weight was established, the weighlock was refilled, the gates
opened, and the boat moved on.50 Initially, for instance, agricultural products were assessed at
46 McCullough, 43.
47 McCullough, 139.
48 McCullough, 120.
49 McCullough, 95.
50 McCullough, 116.
16
2 cents a ton-mile, coal and iron ore at 1 cent per ton-mile.
Along the way, passengers could sit on top of the boat and take in the fresh air and
passing scenery visible over the berm walls. At the cry "low bridge," everyone quickly lay
down on the roof to avoid injury, as the boat passed beneath the bridge with inches to spare.
Aqueducts carried the canal over periodic chasms and rivers. An aqueduct resembled a
bridge, but rather than a roadway, the structure supported a water-filled trough. Sometimes a
dam was built across a river, creating a slackwater pool in which the current was calm enough
to cross in a canal boat. Gates, or waste weirs, controlled the water level during spring
freshets to protect the canal from washing out. Sometimes the absence of sufficient water
created the need for a dam and reservoir to conserve water for use during dry summer
months. Feeder canals often provided an additional supply of water.
Around the perimeter of basins, large bodies of water adjacent to the canal where
boats were loaded and unloaded, warehouses and stores erupted into the town's busiest
commercial center.⁵¹
The state constructed its own mill in Johnstown to produce hydraulic cement used in
constructing the canal's underwater infrastructure. If the canal was located in a region of
porous rock, a multi-layer lining of clay was needed to provide a seal. Over the shipping
season, holes were invariably made in this "puddling" by animals or careless boatmen using
illegal, metal-tipped bargepoles. These holes were quickly repaired to prevent serious leaks.
As a protective measure for the cargo, sectionally built canal boats had been suggested
in 1826 by Canvass White, though they were not implemented until 1834 as developed by
John Dougherty of the Reliance Transportation Line. The design--intended to facilitate
passage on the Portage Railroad--prevented goods from being damaged by excessive handling,
and if a leak occurred, the entire cargo would not be lost. Sectionalization also reduced the
available cargo space in each vessel, however.5³ Dougherty, an opportunist, then sold his
plans for the three-section boat to Peter Shoenberger, and immediately designed and marketed
a four-section craft.⁵⁴
"All roads led to the canal," was the popular catchphrase during the peak shipping
years, from 1829-54.5 In 1847 historian I.D. Rupp agreed, "These public works were finished
about twelve years ago, and since their completion, have completely changed the mode of
51 Henry Wilson Storey, History of Cambria County, Pennsylvania (Chicago: Lewis Publishing, 1907), 336.
52 McCullough, 100; Shank, 35-36.
53 Stephenson, Pennsylvania Canals, 16.
54 Storey, 341.
55 Stephenson, Pennsylvania Canals, 29.
17
carrying the surplus produce of the country and other articles of commerce.'
The Pennsylvania Main Line never achieved the success of the Erie Canal, however.
Construction cost slightly more than $10 million, vastly exceeding original estimates. The
state could afford only to make the most essential repairs and pay the salaries of its many
employees: contractors, construction workers, lockkeepers, canal inspectors, and engineers. By
1843 when public debt for the state-run project reached $40 million, the legislature voted to
sell the Main Line for $20 million, stipulating that the buyer continue to operate the system.⁵⁷
In contrast, the New York canal was wildly successful: it generated sufficient toll
income to facilitate upgrading almost immediately, and its less-formidable topography required
only eighty-two locks along 363 miles. The Pennsylvania Main Line's rugged course
necessitated 167 locks over 276 miles.⁵ Also, initial plans had been incomplete, even as
construction got under way, and the project was poorly timed. Rapid development made in
locomotive technology between 1835-45 rendered the Allegheny Portage Railroad, the single-
most expensive portion, obsolete before it was completed because of the complexity of the
mechanism and its inability to keep up with the heavy volume of traffic that presented itself
within a few years.⁵
The financial embarrassment was not lost on the state: "The present deranged
condition of State finances, and the utter prostration of the credit of the commonwealth have
now put a stop to the public works. The time has come for serious consideration upon the
means of extricating Pennsylvania from her present embarrassed condition."
Although the state lost money on the Main Line Canal, the citizens of western
Pennsylvania profited considerably by it. The canal was more efficient and reliable than
existing methods of transportation in the 1820s-30s: overland roads and river traffic. Using
the crude bridlepaths, it took à traveller about twenty-five days to go from Philadelphia to
Pittsburgh, a distance reduced to twelve to fifteen days by turnpike; but by canal or rail, the
voyage took only a few days.6 The Pennsylvania Main Line also competed with New York as
a major east-west route, successfully introducing immigrants and new settlement to western
areas of the state. The canal opened the market for Pennsylvania's vast mineral resources,
along the way supporting travel-related businesses such as inns, taverns, canal-boat builders,
and operators of passenger and freight lines. In sum:
The building of the Pennsylvania Canal is generally looked upon as
an unfortunate episode in the history of Pennsylvania, and while,
56
I.D. Rupp, History and Topography of Northumberland, Huntingdon. Counties (Lancaster: G. Hills, 1847), 203.
57
McCullough, 34.
58 McCullough, 148.
59 McCullough, 143, 150.
60 Source unknown.
61 Charles Trego, A Geography of Pennsylvania (Philadelphia: Edward Biddle, 1843), 151.
18
considered as an investment, it was undoubtedly a losing one, it still
had the effect of opening the country and of attracting to the western
part of the state a sturdy population, most of whom otherwise might
have gone West by the more favored route of the Erie Canal.⁶²
PENNSYLVANIA RAILROAD
As Pennsylvania was completing the Main Line Canal, private individuals began to
develop minor railroad routes. The first were the Mauch Chunk Railroad in 1827, and the
Carbondale and Honesdale Railroad--both designed to carry raw materials to nearby canals.
By 1833 the Philadelphia and Reading Railroad published freight statistics showing Main Line
tonnage shipped on their route exceeded that of the Erie Canal.⁶ Because the Main Line
canal remained accessible to a greater area, however, it dominated freight and passenger
service.
People soon realized the railroad was no longer a mere rival to the state's canal, it
had become the only viable mode of transportation for the future. The Pennsylvania
Railroad applied for a charter in 1846 to construct a rail line from Philadelphia to Pittsburgh,
which clearly threatened the already-struggling canal. The company quickly began to lay rails
from Harrisburg to Hollidaysburg, utilizing the Columbia and Portage Railroads of the Main
Line Canal. The Pennsylvania system followed the most practical geographic route--an area
that very nearly paralleled the canal. Speculation, construction, and growth occurred there in
anticipation of the railroad, not unlike the years just prior to the canal.
Between 1849 and 1851, the Pennsylvania Railroad laid connections between
Harrisburg and Johnstown, and began another route over the mountains to bolster its system,
including Horseshoe Curve, west of Altoona.⁶ Because of a 2,200-foot difference in elevation,
this section of track was designed in a U-shape, which necessitated a 1.8 percent grade⁶⁶. The
New Portage Railroad, or the Mountain Division opened in 1855 although not quite finished;
henceforth the original Portage Railroad was no longer used.67 That same year the canal
commission slashed the price of the Main Line canal to $10 million, while retaining the
stipulation that the buyer:
Shall
...
keep in good repair and operating condition, the entire
line of said railroad and canals, extending from Philadelphia to
62 U.S. Senator George T. Oliver, in an address before the Western Pennsylvania Historical Society (March 18,
1916), cited in McCullough, 153.
63 Wayland, 686.
64 Schotter, 28.
65 Schotter, 26.
66 Edwin P. Alexander, The Pennsylvania Railroad: A Pictorial History (NY: Bonanza Books, 1967), 47.
67 McCullough, 157.
19
Pittsburg (sic), with the necessary toll houses, water stations, locks,
buildings and other appurtenances, and that said railroads and canals
shall be, and forever remain, a public highway.68
Facing economic and political pressure, the governor put the debt-ridden canal on the
market again. In October 1857, its nemesis, the Pennsylvania Railroad Company, purchased
the canal for the bargain price of $7.5 million without the previous agreement to maintain
complete service. Some groups objected to the monopoly this gave the railroad, while others
favored the idea because it would provide reliable, year-round transportation as well as purge
the government of the poorly managed and politically misused "Old State Robber."
Three months after the canal's sale, however, the Pennsylvania Railroad Company
realized its folly, closed the Portage incline, and the iron apparatus was removed.⁷ The Main
Line was closed section by section, beginning with the Western Division. The Juniata Division
was the last to operate, until 1864-76, while other sections were allowed to simply dry up.
The canal towns, left stranded along a stagnating channel of odorous water, like the turnpike
towns before them, slowly began to fade. By 1879 the once-important shipping center of
Hollidaysburg at the base of the Portage Railroad was described as "but the shadow of its
former self," while the canal lay "with ruined locks and broken bridges, a relic of early
American engineering"; few traces of the Old Portage or New Portage railroads were evident.⁷¹
"It is the intention of the Company to not permit any use of the canal grounds either
to travel upon or make crossings over or otherwise," reported The Watchman in 1890. "This is
done to keep people from infringing upon their rights." The following year the canal was
filled in and affiliated structures dismantled, thus ending a social and economic era for the
adjacent towns.⁷²
Localities along the railroad then began to experience the growth and prosperity
previously monopolized by the canal towns. Altoona, for instance, was developed specifically
as a railroad-company town. The Pennsylvania Railroad was instrumental in establishing
newspapers, schools, libraries, and similar institutions there.⁷³ In 1858 it acquired a number of
smaller branch canals and constructed numerous additional rail lines across the state so that
soon the Pennsylvania Railroad branched out into neighboring states.⁷⁴
68 McCullough, 158.
69 Schotter, 46; Thomas J. Chapman, The Valley of the Conemaugh (Altoona: McCrum and Dern, 1865), 97-98.
70 McCullough, 164; Africa, 36; Schotter, 47.
71 McCullough, 164, 166, 172; James Dredge, The Pennsylvania Railroad: Its Origins, Construction and
Management (NY: John Wiley and Sons, 1879), 5-6,
72 Albert Rung, "Waning Canal Days in the Juniata Valley," Daily News (28 January, 1967).
73 Dredge, 23.
74 Klein, 26.
20
COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY
The Conemaugh and Juniata river valleys are separated by the north-south axis of the
Continental Divide. Both valleys contain fertile soil, dense timberland, and a multitude of
streams. The land is rich with iron ore, bituminous coal, lead, alum, salt, and other minerals
said to be "efficacious in certain diseases."75 Resources specifically applicable to residential
and commercial construction were at hand: fire clay for making bricks, gypsum used in plaster,
limestone, sandstone, slate, and "mineral paint beds" containing ochre and umber pigments.76
This variety of resources is reflected in the diverse regional building stock.
Until 1860 Pennsylvania was the nation's leading producer of wheat, rye, and grass
seed, as well as the North's leading producer of Indian corn. It ranked second to New York in
the production of buckwheat, fruit, hay, oats, and animals for slaughter.⁷⁷ Despite the
importance of other industries, agriculture remained the chief occupation for many years.⁷⁸
The Juniata Valley, east of the Alleghenies, was especially noted for the production of
grains and grasses. The soil in the Conemaugh Valley, west of the mountains, was "not too
rough for cultivation, [and] is tolerably fertile, producing crops of wheat, oats, grass, &c."79 It
was, however, "too rich" to sustain the production of grain unless the soil was first depleted
by harvests of hemp or Indian corn.80 In addition to the crops themselves, products include
flax, flaxseed (linseed) oil, beeswax, honeybutter, cheese, and wool. Horses, cattle, and sheep
also were raised in large numbers and driven to eastern markets.⁸¹
Agriculture-associated industries in the region included woolen mills, gristmills,
flourmills, and breweries. The Juniata served woolen factories, and throughout the
Conemaugh Valley threshing machines and "hay elevators," or harpoon hay forks, were
manufactured. Conemaugh-produced grain supplied the ingredients for strawboard mills and
starch factories.⁸²
75 Source unknown.
76 Jordan, 13; Chapman, 15; I.D. Rupp, Geographical Catechism of Pennsylvania. (Harrisburg: John
Winebrenner, 1836), 25; Stewart, 69; Samuel T. Wiley, Biographical and Historical Cyclopedia of Indiana County
(Philadelphia: John Gresham & Co., 1891); reprint, Closson Press, 1982.
77 William M. Cornell, History of Pennsylvania from the Earliest Discovery to the Present Time (Philadelphia:
Quaker City Publishing House, 1876), 266.
78 John W. Jordan, A History of the Juniata and Its People (NY: Lewis Historical Publishing Co., 1913), 298.
79 Trego, 259.
80 Stephenson W. Fletcher, Pennsylvania Agriculture and Country Life (Harrisburg: Pennsylvania Historical and
Museum Commission, 1971), 144.
81 Stephenson, 175th, 533; Trego, 259.
82 Trego, 257; Africa, 425; Stephenson, 175th, 236-39.
21
Other regional industries included blacksmithing, tanning, and sugaring, and Juniata
Valley sandstone was crushed for shipment to Pittsburgh glassworks.⁸³ Some architectural
supplies came from a nail factory and water-powered saw and chopping mills; a sash, door,
and blind factory was also based in Indiana County.⁸⁴ The lumber industry provided
materials for sawmills and similar enterprises. It was used to make tools, guns, cabinets,
spinning wheels, wagons, sleds, framing members, lath, clapboards, bridge and ship members,
and barrels. Raw lumber was used for charcoal, railroad ties, cordwood for locomotives, rafts,
potash, and pearlash. Oak and hemlock bark was used in tanning leather for harnesses,
saddles, and shoes.⁸⁵
One of the earliest iron furnaces in the Juniata Valley was established in the Juniata
Valley after the Revolutionary War. In 1785 the Bedford Furnace and Forge was built by
George Ashman, Charles Ridgely, Thomas Cromwell, and Tempest Tucker, and by 1817 many
more such works were operating.⁸⁶ The first furnace west of the Allegheny Mountains was
located on Jacob's Creek about 1790.87 Iron manufacture soon became one of the leading
regional industries, with shipping as far as Louisville, Cincinnati, and New Orleans; Juniata
Valley iron had an international reputation of excellence.⁸⁸ In 1865 the Cambria Iron Works
in Johnstown on the Conemaugh River was described as the "largest and most complete
ironworks in the Union, if not in the world."
Ironworks required a supply of quality iron ore, timber to use as charcoal for fuel,
lime, and relative proximity to a dependable market, transportation route and water source for
power. The Juniata and Conemaugh valleys provided it all. Prior to 1880 Pennsylvania led
all other states in the production of pig iron and mining of iron ore, a claim later relinquished
to Michigan and Minnesota.⁹⁰ Pig iron and, to a lesser degree cast pots, pans, skillets, kettles,
dutch ovens, and firebacks, were produced in a blast furnace. The pig iron was refined by
heating and hammering into iron bars, which blacksmiths used to make tools: tire irons, axes,
hoes, shovels, chains, scythes, horse shoes, wagon wheels, nails, hinges, and bolts.
Salt was first discovered near Saltsburg in the Conemaugh Valley about 1812-13.
Considered so valuable that "no one was permitted to walk heavily over the floor while the
operation of measuring it was going on," a bushel of salt was at one time worth "a good cow
83 Egle, 777.
84 Trego, 257; Africa, 425.
85 Stephenson, 175th, 211, 527-28; Fletcher, 329.
86 Rupp, 36.
87 Cornell, 283.
88
Stephenson, 175th, 68.
89 Chapman, 13.
90 History of the Juniata Valley in Three Volumes (Harrisburg: National History Association, 1936), 315.
22
and her calf."91 By 1836 the Conemaugh, Kiskiminetas, and Allegheny rivers were heralded as
possessing the "most productive saline springs in Pennsylvania
1192 By 1840 Pennsylvania
was the leading U.S. producer of salt.93
Early salt supplies were shipped to Pittsburgh by keelboat or wagon. Although, as
historian Thomas Chapman reported in 1865, "The canal which was afterwards made to pass
through this region, brought the most available means of transportation to these works, and
salt formed one of the chief staples of commerce of that section, and was carried to every part
of the country."94
Between 1819 and 1826 competition drove the price of salt as low as $1 per barrel.
By 1854 measures were taken to eliminate threats from foreign salt manufactors. Major S.S.
Jamison of Saltsburg introduced a bill to the state legislature that would have imposed a duty
on imported salt. But in the 1860s salt produced more cheaply in Michigan, transported via
Great Lakes, contributed to the abandonment of the Western Division of the canal.95
CONCLUSION
The settlement and subsequent development of the horizontal corridor in which
Alexandria and Saltsburg lie in southwestern Pennsylvania is common to all the towns
founded in association with the Pennsylvania Canal. They evolved as independent
municipalities, however, with characteristics individual enough to warrant separate
investigation based on location, mineral wealth, and commercial foundations. Findings
presented in this overview support a chronology that begins with a period of early settlement,
from the mid-eighteenth century to the late-1820s, when the canal was planned and under
construction. The heyday of the canal itself occurred from this point through mid-century,
during which the Pennsylvania Main Line Canal was the single-largest impetus for the
maturation of adjacent towns and industries.
The canal and railroad coexisted for a short period, which varied according to locale,
when both were operated under the dominating ownership of the Pennsylvania Railroad
Company. Upon the demise of the canal came the railroad era; it overtook--literally and
figuratively--the canal and shifted regional development to towns along the tracks and ongoing
coal and iron-ore industries. And last, local economic decline and the departure of the
railroad entirely during the twentieth century, when both towns were left without a major
transportation entity. Alexandria and Saltsburg were thus purged of their primary economic
benefactor and henceforth remained static but stable, witnessing little or no significant
91 Fletcher, 186, 405.
92 Rupp, Geographical Catechism. 37.
93 Fletcher, 406.
94 Chapman, 63.
95 Stephenson, 175th, 523.
23
economic advancement.
Within the chronological sequence of canal-specific events, there are cultural facets to
the two developing communities that contribute to a more three-dimensional sense of time and
place, specifically: transportation (trail, river, pike, canal, railroad), commerce and industry
(mercantilism, extractives, agriculture, food and lodging, manufacturing, professionals), and
community (education, ethnicity, religon, social and fraternal organizations). Collectively, this
data presents an appropriate historical context in which to assess the architectural resources of
the canal towns Alexandria and Saltsburg.
24
BIBLIOGRAPHY
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Bonanza Books, 1967.
Africa, J. Simpson. History of Huntingdon and Blair Counties, Pennsylvania. Philadelphia:
Louis H. Everts, 1883.
Albion, Robert G., and Dodson, Leonidas, Ed. Philip Vickers Fithian: Journal, 1775-1776.
Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1934.
Arms, C.T., and White, Edward. 1745-1880: History of Indiana County, Penn'a.
Newark, Ohio: J.A. Caldwell, 1880.
Bining, Arthur Cecil. Pennsylvania Iron Manufacture in the Eighteenth Century. Harrisburg:
Pennsylvania History and Museum Commission, 1973.
Bowen, Eli. The Pictorial Sketch-Book of Pennsylvania. Philadelphia: W. White Smith, 1854.
Canal Days 1983. Saltsburg: Historic Saltsburg, Inc., 1983.
Carey, M. Brief View of the System of Internal Improvements of the State of Pennsylvania.
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Chapman, Thomas, J. The Valley of the Connemaugh. Altoona: McCrum and Dern, 1865.
Cornell, William Mason. History of Pennsylvania From the Earliest Discovery to the Present
Time. Philadelphia: Quaker City Publishing House, 1876.
Day, Sherman. Historical Collection of the State of Pennsylvania. Philadelphia: George W.
Gorton, 1843.
Drago, Harry Sinclair. Canal Days in America. New York: Clarkson N. Potter Inc., 1972.
Dredge, James. The Pennsylvania Railroad: Its Origin, Construction, and Management. New
York: John Wiley and Sons, 1879.
Duane, William J. Letters Addressed to the People of Pennsylvania Respecting the Interior of
the Commonwealth by Means of Roads and Canals. Reprint edition, New York: Burt
Franklin, 1967. (Original Philadelphia, 1811)
Early History of Western Pennsylvania. Pittsburgh: A.P. Ingram, 1849.
Edwards, Glenora M. The Juniata Canal: A Division of the Pennsylvania Main Line Canal
System. Submitted as an entry for the Stackpole History Prize, May 1, 1947.
25
Egle, Dr. William H. An Illustrated History of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Harrisburg:
Dewitt C. Goodrich and Co., 1876.
Facts and Arguments in Favor of Adopting Railways in Preference to Canals in the State of
Pennsylvania. Philadelphia: William Fry, 1825.
Fletcher, Stephenson Whitcomb. Pennsylvania Agriculture and Country Life. Harrisburg:
Pennsylvania History and Museum Commission, 1971.
Glassie, Henry. "Eighteenth-Century Cultural Process in Delaware Valley Folk Building."
Winterthur Portfolio 7, 1972, 31-57.
Gordon, Thomas F. A Gazetteer of the State of Pennsylvania. Philadelphia: T. Belknap, 1832.
Hammond, J.W. A Tabular View of the Financial Affairs of Pennsylvania. Philadelphia:
Edward C. Biddle, 1844.
Harshbarger, Jean P., Nancy R. Taylor, Sara H. Zabriskie, and F.R. Zabriskie. Hartslog
Heritage. State College: K-B Offset Printing Inc., 1975.
A History of the Juniata Valley in Three Volumes. Harrisburg: National Historical Association
Inc., 1936.
Hulbert, Archer. The Great American Canals I, Vol. 13. Historic Highways of America.
Cleveland, 1902-03. Reprint, New York: AMS Press, 1971.
Jacobs, Harry A. The Juniata Canal and Old Portage Railroad. Hollidaysburg: Blair County
Historical Society, 1941.
Johnson, George B. Saltsburg and the Pennsylvania Canal. Saltsburg, 1984.
.
"Saltsburg and the Pennsylvania Canal." Indiana County Heritage, Spring
1979, 24-33.
Jordan, John W. A History of the Juniata Valley and Its People. New York: Lewis Historical
Publishing Co., 1913.
Klein, Theodore B. The Canals of Pennsylvania and the System of Internal Improvements.
Harrisburg: William Stanley Ray, State Printer of Pennsylvania, 1901.
Lytle, Milton Scott. History of Huntingdon County, in the State of Pennsylvania. Lancaster:
William H. Roy, 1876.
McCullough, Robert, and Walter Leuba. The Pennsylvania Main Line Canal. York: American
Canal and Transportation Center, 1973.
Melish, John. A Description of the Roads in the United States. Philadelphia: G. Palmer, 1814.
26
Rung, Albert M. "Waning Canal Days in the Juniata Valley." The Daily News. January 28,
1967, 6; Reprint of The Watchman, November 30, 1890; February 8, 1890; May 10,
1890.
Rupp, I. Daniel, Esq. The Geographical Catechism of Pennsylvania and the Western States;
Designed as a Guide and Pocket Companion, For Travellers and Emigrants, to
Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, and Missouri. Harrisburg: John
Winebrenner, 1836.
.
History and Topography of Northumberland, Huntingdon, Mifflin, Centre,
Union, Columbia, Juniata, and Clinton Counties, Pennsylvania. Lancaster, PA: G. Hills,
1847.
Schotter, H. W. The Growth and Development of the Pennsylvania Railroad Company.
Philadelphia: Allen, Line, and Scott, 1927.
Shank, William H. The Amazing Pennsylvania Canals. York: American Canal and
Transportation Center, 1973.
.
300 Years With the Pennsylvania Traveler. York: American Canal and
Transportation Center, 1976.
Sipes, William B. The Pennsylvania Railroad: Its Origin, Construction, Condition and
Connections. Philadelphia: Passenger Department, 1875.
Stephenson, Clarence D. The Early Salt Industry of the Conemaugh-Kiskiminetas Valley.
Marion Center: Mahoning Mimeograph and Pamphlet Service, 1968.
.
Indiana County 175th Anniversary History. Indiana: A.G. Halldin Publishing
Co., 1978.
.
Pennsylvania Canal: Indiana and Westmoreland Counties. Marion Center:
Author, 1961.
Stewart, J.T. Indiana County Pennsylvania: Her People Past, and Present. Chicago: J.H. Beers
and Co., 1913.
Storey, Henry Wilson. History of Cambria County, Pennsylvania. Chicago: Lewis Publishing
Co., 1907.
Swetman, George. Pennsylvania Transportation. Gettysburg: Pennsylvania Historical
Association (Pennsylvania Historical Studies No. 7), 1968.
Trego, Charles B. A Geography of Pennsylvania. Philadelphia: Edward C. Biddle, 1843.
Walkinshaw, Lewis Clark. Annals of Southwest Pennsylvania. New York: Lewis Publishing
Co., 1939.
27
Walling, Henry F. 1827 Historic Topographical Atlas of the State of Pennsylvania.
Philadelphia: Stedman, Brown and Lyon, 1872.
Wallner, Peter Andrew. Politics and Public Works: A Study of the Pennsylvania Canal System,
1825-1857. Ph.D dissertation, Pennsylvania State University, 1973.
Wayland, Fuller Dunaway. A History of Pennsylvania. New York: Prentice-Hall Inc., 1935.
Weitzman, David. Traces of the Past. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1980.
Wiley, Samuel T. Biographical and Historical Cyclopedia of Indiana County. Philadelphia:
John M. Gresham and Co., 1891.
Wolford, Bill, ed. 1987 Canal Days: Special Covered Bridge Souvenir Edition. Saltsburg:
Historic Saltsburg Inc., 1987.
Zelinsky, Wilbur. "The Pennsylvania Town: An Overdue Geographical Account." The
Geographical Review. April 1977, 127-147.
28
Chapter 3:
HISTORICAL OVERVIEW OF ALEXANDRIA
INTRODUCTION
Alexandria is a small central-Pennsylvania town that owes its development to the early
nineteenth-century construction of the Pennsylvania Main Line Canal, which opened up east-
west commercial activity between Philadelphia and Pittsburgh. The canal bisected Alexandria,
feeding off its Juniata River, and nourishing the thriving commercial and small-industrial
center until well after the Civil War, even after it was purchased by the Pennsylvania Railroad
Company. After the canal was closed and the railroad main line bypassed Alexandria, the
town's once-stable economy began to ebb.
Today, little physical evidence of the canal itself remains amid the largely extant stock
of buildings from that era. The bulk of the vernacular residential and commercial architecture
can be collectively characterized as modest, with the exception of a handful of high-style
buildings erected late in the town's development. Collectively, however, they illustrate the
development of a typical vernacular townscape. The purpose of this study is to chronicle the
development of Alexandria--highlighted by nineteenth-century canal and railroad eras--with
particular emphasis on the buildings and architectural heritage that remain intact.
LOCATION
Alexandria is located approximately 150 miles east of Pittsburgh in Porter Township,
northwest Huntingdon County. Laid out in 1798, the town is nestled on the northeast shore
of the Frankstown Branch of the Juniata River, bounded on the west by one of its tributaries.
It is situated approximately one mile east of the town of Water Street, one mile south of
Barree and the Juniata River, and about seven miles northwest of Huntingdon.
The route of the former Pennsylvania Canal and existing Pennsylvania Railroad branch
railbed traverses the borough along a southeast-to-northwest axis that roughly follows the
river. Old U.S. 22 parallels this historical line through the borough, where it constitutes the
majority of Main Street.
Topographically Alexandria lies between Warrior Ridge, which was noted for large
deposits of fire-clay during the late-nineteenth century, and Tussey Mountain, which may have
been named after early Porter Township settler John Tussey.¹ Where the Juniata River flows
southeast past the town, it disrupts slightly the southern boundary of the grid. Rocky bluffs
along its south bank overlook the town. Today, as in the eighteenth century, the tree-covered
hills and surrounding countryside are filled with iron ore. The region is rich with clusters of
sandstone and limestone deposits; along the streams, fertile soil tops a limestone base. During
1 Alexandria Community Bi-centennial (No publisher given, 1955).
29
the late nineteenth century the "Hart's Log Valley" was one of the most prosperous agricultural
regions in the county, boasting a number of prosperous farms.² Principal natural resources
were timber and the Juniata River itself, collectively providing the basis for the commercial
prosperity that occurred when the Pennsylvania Canal began operating in Alexandria.
EARLY SETTLEMENT: 1730 - 1829
White settlement of the Juniata Valley occurred after 1755 because William Penn and
his heirs--the proprietaries of Pennsylvania--would not permit occupation of the land until it
had been properly purchased from the Indians in 1754. Prior to this, as early as 1731, the
only whites to travel through the valley were missionaries, explorers, government agents
mapping the area, and Indian traders. One such man was John Hart. Licensed as a trader in
1744, Hart maintained a successful relationship with the Indians of western Pennsylvania until
1755, when settlers began to arrive--after which he is believed to have moved westward.³
Hart's legacy to the region and local lore was his name and the fallen white oak log at
which legend says he salted his horses. Thus, the area was designated Hartslog Valley, in
which the founding Alexandria land was called the Hartslog tract (Figure 3.1).
Pioneers settled along streams, rivers and other sources of water between Huntingdon
and Tussey Mountain. The first house alleged to exist on the site of present-day Alexandria
was built and occupied by two Scots, Matthew Neal and Hugh Glover. It served as a trading
post for general goods as well as whiskey, which apparently contributed to so many brawls
that the area was popularly known as "Battle Swamp."⁴
The first settlers to the Juniata Valley were largely the Scotch-Irish who immigrated for
religious reasons. In their homeland they had been persecuted since the massacre of Irish
Protestants in 1641, temporarily finding refuge in northern Scotland until laws were enacted
that caused further hardship for both Irish and Scottish religious groups. After emigrating to
Colonial America, they settled in concentration near the Maryland/Pennsylvania line.⁵ Most
were Presbyterian, although a good number of Lutherans and some Roman Catholics lived in
the valley, too. As many as half the early settlers may have been agnostic.⁶
James Sterrat of Carlisle, Pennsylvania, purchased the 400-acre Hartslog tract in 1754
from the Provincial Government. The French and Indian War that began the following year,
2
J. Simpson Africa, History of Huntingdon and Blair Counties, Pennsylvania (Philadelphia: Louis H. Everts, 1883), 408.
3
Jean P. Harshbarger, Nancy R. Taylor, Sara H. Zabriskie et al., Hartslog Heritage (State College, PA: K.B. Offset
Printing, 1975), 7.
4 U.J. Jones, History of the Juniata Valley (Harrisburg, PA: Telegraph Press, 1940), 183-84.
5
I.D. Rupp, History and Topography of Northumberland, Huntingdon, Mifflin, Centre, Union, Columbia, Juniata
and Clinton Counties, Pa. (Lancaster, PA: G. Hills, 1847), 74.
6
Jones, 183.
30
Waterstood Inn
Mytinger:
Mill
(1020)
Coldwall Axe
carol
THIS Juntata
Martiloy Church
(784
Cryder:
Faderal
,NrH School
Coming
hamis
Ware hous
Hartsty
Wookn Mill
Alfareta
Juniata Valley
1. Cryderi MI
(1800)
Park
305
Schools
Canal (1532-1075)
Railroad (1897 -present)
lex andria
lock
(1832)
Ford
Wednerton
Zenel
if
Stryber
(1897)
(1854)
31
M I'v O'UNTAIN
PRE
charlie
Hill
Juniata Rive
Branch
Candit Am
Mill
&
"/1/hs f.oop
Loep
(RIBA)
Conan
Happy (n1815)
a
Hartily
Gerge Crighan
11.
Mamor
day
4
Figure 3.1.
Vicinity of Alexandria, Porter Township, showing the Hartslog Tract of 1755 and the routes
introduced by the canal and railroad (F.R. Zabriskie, 1975).
however, prohibited immediate settlement; it also discouraged and delayed attempts to survey
the land.⁷
By 1766 John Gemmill (died 1785), an early arrival, owned the land that today
comprises Alexandria--then part of Barree Township, Bedford County. Charles Caldwell and
his family were isolated residents, for the influx of families proceeded slowly until after the
Revolutionary War, which marked the beginning the Hartslog area's steady settlement. The
county's population had increased dramatically enough to warrant a division, so in 1787--the
same year Pennyslvania ratified the Constitution and became a state--Huntingdon County was
formed out of the northern portion of Bedford, a common practice as the density of
developing regions increased.⁸
Part of this population increase occurred in what was to become Alexandria, where a
number of dwellings were erected in the 1790s. In 1796 all the buildings in Alexandria
except one were constructed of log, according to tax-assessment records. Four years later,
twenty-six dwellings existed that presumably housed the town's 139 inhabitants.⁹
In 1793 Elizabeth Gemmill (1735-1823), widow of John Gemmill, had the town of
Alexandria formally laid out; the origin of the name is unknown. The town was organized on
a grid pattern, the typical planning practice in the western frontier during the late-eighteenth
and early-nineteenth centuries. Front (also historically cited as First and Main) Street parallels
the river, followed on the north by Second (Shelton) Street and Third (Pine) Street. These
three primary thoroughfares are subdivided by 20-foot alleys and intersect with South, Bridge,
and Hartslog streets. This grid was divided into 100 lots measuring 60 feet by 200 feet,
except for those in the eastern section along the river. Four shorter tracts bounded the
"Diamond," the site of a pre-1800 twice-weekly market house.
These diamonds, "an open space consisting of the right-angle intersection of two streets
at or near the most functionally central point of a town," are common elements to towns such
as Alexandria in west-central Pennsylvania.¹⁰ Its location one block from Main Street and the
pike implies a hoped-for development for this section of town, one that was apparently
derailed by the introduction of the canal. The cost of land (given in English pounds), for
instance, puts this area at the most exclusive: lots around the diamond were priced at £7; on
Main Street, £5.10; Second Street, £4; and Third Street, £3.¹¹ Gemmill, and later her heirs,
collected ground rent amounting to about $1 a year for each of these lots from 1793 until
7 Harshbarger, 7.
8 Harshbarger, 13.
9 Harshbarger, 13, 20.
10 Wilbur Zelinsky, "The Pennsylvania Town: An Overdue Geographical Account," The Geographical Review (April
1977), 136.
11 Harshbarger, 12.
32
about 1920, when the practice was outlawed.¹²
The Gemmill claim to the Hartslog land was not actually upheld by the Board of
Property until 1796, however. This may be the reason that although the surveyed lots were
rented and built upon from 1793, none was actually sold until five years later when the town
plan was attested to and recorded on August 7, 1798. 13 Main Street buildings included those
of William McKillip, Lewis Mytinger, and Matthew Gray, as well as the dwellings and
businesses of Christian Kemler on the diamond and Robert Stitt on Second Street,
One of the oldest dwellings in Alexandria, as well as the only stone structure still
standing, is that of merchant and contractor John Cresswell (HABS No. PA-5400), which he
erected about 1816 at Main and High streets. A typical early-nineteenth century dwelling, it is
three bays wide and two stories high organized on a side-hall plan with a one-story rear ell
that historically contained the kitchen.
Commerce/Industry
The industry necessary to fuel Alexandria's early commercial activities along the Juniata
River was small and scarce. Those businesses that did exist were designed for local
production and consumption. Early skilled laborers included Stitt, a joiner; Kemler, a hatter;
and McKillip, a tanner. There were also cobblers, carpenters (many, like Benjamin Cross, who
built houses), smiths and--crucial to valley development--millers. By 1808 a modestly busy
trading character was evolving in Alexandria, from whence timber arks and log rafts
transported the valley's products downriver. These included an array of goods that reflect the
locale's agricultural economy--grain, whiskey and flour--as well as wood for charcoal and the
most important export item, iron.
The transportation of Juniata iron from two forges in the general vicinity was the
largest industrial enterprise in Alexandria at that time. The Barree Forge opened north of
town in 1794 and originally processed iron from the Centre Furnace in Centre County; later it
obtained its iron from the nearby Mt. Etna Furnace. Alexandria shipped its products, as well
as those of the Huntingdon Furnace and the Tyrone and Dorsey forges.¹⁴
In 1810 Alexandria's population was 751. Yet only four years later its area had
increased enough to justify the establishment of Porter Township, named for Revolutionary
War General Andrew Porter, an area today defined by Porter, Walker and Juniata townships.¹⁵
Although agriculture and the iron industry continued to be the economic mainstay of the area,
local development is reflected in the diversification and slight sophistication of local commerce.
Porter Township could boast seven distilleries, three grist mills, four sawmills, three tanneries,
12 Africa, 426.
13 Alexandria Community Bi-Centennial, 8.
14 Harshbarger, 16, 24.
15 John W. Jordan, A History of the Juniata Valley and its People (N.Y.: Lewis Historical Publishing Co., 1913),
79; Milton S. Lytle, History of Huntingdon County in the State of Pennsylvania (Lancaster: William Roy, 1876), 299.
33
one hempmill, one fulling mill, and one carding machine.¹⁶
Several taverns and inns existed in Alexandria by this time, and at least one served as
the stage-coach office and pick-up point. During the winter of 1809-10, for example, the
stage departed each Saturday from the public house of John Walker on Main Street, two lots
east of Hartslog Street¹⁷; since the stage traveled along this primary thoroughfare--which
superseded the lower road to Water Street--this was the ideal location for lodging
establishments.
Some buildings were not erected for this express purpose, but were converted from
dwellings at a later time. One of these is Robert Lytle's Shelter Inn (HABS No. PA-5408), one
of the oldest buildings in town, erected about 1804 for one of Elizabeth Gemmill's daughters.
The two-story, Federal-style brick inn was located on Second Street, near the canal and one
block north of the Main Street.
General merchandise stores provided supplies from clothing to dry goods to pocket
Bibles, although the businesses seemed to change hands or turn over with great frequency.
William Moore purchased the store of John Ostler on Main Street in 1830; built about 1798
(lot No. 9), Moore was the fourth owner and occupant.
A series of physicians served Alexandria beginning in 1801 with Drs. John Buchanan
and Silas Dibble, as well as Dr. James Charlton, who was in partnership with Dr. Daniel
Houtz. Houtz advertised in 1828 "a new apothecary establishment in Alexandria in the house
lately occupied by Conrad Bucher, one door east of Bucher and Porter's store"; he would not
erect his two-story brick house and office (HABS No. PA-5401, 5402) near central Main Street
until 1842, however.¹⁸
Transportation
Pennsylvania's earliest transportation system evolved during the 1750s. In the Hartslog
Valley, the Frankstown Branch of the Juniata River was a major east-west waterway and
means of travel. The Frankstown Path, the major east-west overland route--also known as the
Great Road--forded the Juniata at Hartslog Street at what was then the west edge of the
community. The road then turned west toward the town of Water Street. Most roads were so
crude and unreliable that they could only accommodate travelers on foot or horseback.
After the turn of the century, road improvements opened up the interior, and in 1808
the Juniata Mail Stage Line--the first stage route in Huntingdon County--made a weekly stop
in Alexandria, the route's western terminus.¹⁹ The frequency of stage runs increased again in
1808 after the turnpike from Harrisburg to Pittsburgh, via Alexandria, was "opened, digged
16 Alexandria Community Bi-Centennial, 10.
17 Alexandria Community Bi-Centennial, 9.
18 Harshbarger, 26-27.
19 Africa, 426.
34
and bridged [so] that horses and wagons could pass and repass." As a result, weekly mail and
stage service commenced that same year. Passengers paid 6 cents per mile, which included 14
pounds of luggage.²⁰
Community
There was little in the way of formal entertainment in Alexandria prior to the canal
boom. One of the most popular social activities--for participants and observers--was the local
militia drill, which included the Huntingdon Light Dragoons of Alexandria. As the threat
levied by the War of 1812 diminished, the militia met less and less frequently until it was
finally disbanded in 1837.
Dancing at "publick balls" and private gatherings was another leisure pastime. In 1804,
for instance, dancing master Blondel St. Hilaire hosted a ball at John Walker's tavern starting
at "early candlelight." The Presbyterian church was apparently opposed to such public
gatherings, though private ones were acceptable.²¹
Boys and girls attended private schools in Alexandria prior to the Free School Act of
1834 when the public school law was passed in Pennsylvania, although this legislation did not
make attendance mandatory. A schoolmaster was sought through newspaper advertisements as
early as 1807, and throughout the early decades of the century more than one person in this
capacity resided in the Alexandria area. The first school was a log building that sat where the
Presbyterian Cemetery is today. This was replaced about 1830 by the "Octagon' brick school
house which stood on the hill, not far from the old log house," on R.G. Stewart's farm. On or
shortly after this, a school for girls was established by a Miss Armstrong in a blue house
located on town lot No. 12. Anne Gemmill Stewart founded a school in her house between
1826-32; but located on lot No. 107, it lay within the canal right-of-way and was shortlived.
In 1835, the first elected school officials for Porter Township were Isaac Martin, Dr. Daniel
Houtz, G.B Young, Thomas Hanna, Henry Knode and John Hewitt.2²
For many years the area's only religious gatherings were those of the Hartslog
Presbyterian congregation, formed in 1785. In 1814 this group-split because of a perceived
pro-British remark made by the reverend, and five years later the unhappy faction erected the
frame "White Church" on land now occupied by Alexandria's Presbyterian Cemetery, bought
from Elizabeth Gemmill for $30. In 1825 the Hartlog Presbyterian Church built its own brick
meeting house on the site of the present Christ United Church of Christ, which the
congregation used until 1831 when it was reconciled and reunited with the former group.
Henceforth they met in the White Church until 1851; the brick meeting house was sold to
James Wilson in 1833 for $800. The first Methodist congregation was formed in 1828,
followed a year later by a Sunday school, but it was not until the mid 1830s that they erected
a church on lot No. 159 at a cost of $450.
20 Lytle, 138-40; Harshbarger, 22.
21 Harshbarger, 27.
22 Harshbarger, 29-30.
35
Alexandria
BlueRun
in the year
1835
Turnpike
167 B
166
142
III
Brow
0
-
141
165
140
164
139
111
Branch rot the Juniata
old lower Road to Waterstreet
163
138
Road to Barree
162
137
River
161
CANAL
Cut by Canal in 1832
136
110
not rebuilt until
160 9
135
land of Dr. James ble (Trimble
,, ,
1840.
134
158
109
157
Lane to the old
? 131
Hartslog Cem.
135
, 130
154 7
7 129
153
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152
127
151 ,
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150
108
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0,
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48
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.
7
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Vacant land, part of
Berwick Tract
Various
Lots
Rairy
Creek
outside the
Borough
Jurnpike to Huntingdom
Figure 3.2
Map of Alexandria ca. 1835, showing the newly opened canal, lower road to Water
Street, and developing street grid that is sparsely dotted with houses (J.P. Harshbarger
et al., Hartslog Heritage, 1975).
36
Poised on the cusp of a new era, all facets of Alexandria's development were merging
to form a well-rounded and healthy community. Transportation improvements permitted
easier travel and better communication. The pike, constructed by the Huntingdon, Cambria
and Indiana Turnpike Road Company, was financed through the sale of stock; and upon
completion a toll was charged travelers at periodic gates, one of which was located between
Alexandria and Water Street. The seventy-seven mile section between Huntingdon and
Blairsville was completed in 1820; a 12-inch mile marker with an iron plaque was extant on
the north side of Main Street near High Street as late as 1976.2³ By February 1829 daily
stages ran through Alexandria, which found itself advantageously located on the main highway
leading West.2 The turnpike physically developed as an extension of Main Street, paralleling
the northwest path of the river and the old "Road to Waterstreet" that lay between the new
turnpike and the river. In 1831 the bridge carrying the turnpike over the branch of the
Juniata below Alexandria was complete. That same year, next-day mail service was provided
from Harrisburg to Alexandria; two-day service continued on to Pittsburgh.
Although maps indicate that in general only a handful of buildings were located west
of Hartslog Street, it is possible that some early dwellings, such as the Patrick McManus House
(HABS No. PA-5393) built concurrent or prior to the turnpike, intentionally fronted this new
thoroughfare. A two-story frame house on the western edge of present-day Alexandria, the
McManus house has been modified over the years to include a partially recessed south facade
that undoubtedly served as a rear porch.
In April 1827 the town's growth was officially recognized by its incorporation as a
borough; extension of the western boundary--the same as today's--was approved on April 4,
1831.² One burgess and five councilmen made up the elected council, which drew support
from the clerk and other officers. After Main Street extended westward, however, additional
lots were laid out along both flanks, which sold for $25 to $75 each.26 Dr. James Trimble,
grandson-in-law of Elizabeth Gemmill, platted the first addition to the borough and began
selling lots in 1829, though this transaction was not recorded until July 1847. He was almost
certainly motivated by the rising population and prosperity ensured by the canal.²⁷
Two later additions resulted in enlarged town boundaries: Brown's Addition at the time of
the 1827 incorporation, and a similar size tract along Main Street by Mary Ann McLain.
Just over thirty years after Elizabeth Gemmill laid out Alexandria, it was a community
characterized by a fairly homogeneous society that combined activities of religion, education,
and commerce. Almost all inhabitants were a mix of the Scotch-Irish and German descent that
still predominates; there were few ethnic or religious minorities.
23 Pennsylvania Historic Resources Inventory form.
24 Africa, 427.
25 Africa, 426.
26 Alexandria Community Bi-Centennial, 9.
27 Africa, 426.
37
CANAL ERA: 1830 - 1875
Vital to the continued prosperity of Alexandria's commercial center was the
announcement of the forthcoming Pennsylvania Canal, an important central link in a statewide
system ultimately composed of more than 1,200 miles.²⁸ Formal preparations for the waterway
began in 1823 when the Pennsylvania General Assembly appointed a canal commission. Two
years later, plans under way for the canal to extend west through Alexandria (Figure 3.2) to
at least Hollidaysburg precipitated a building boom that was founded on a renewed sense of
permanency. Brick was introduced as the preferred building material for houses and stores,
usurping a regional tradition of log and stone construction associated with the settlement era.
Most architecturally elaborate structures were built during the period of canal-related
affluency between 1830 and 1850, when the number of dwellings rose to between sixty-four
and 100.² Thus, the legacy of Scotch-Irish and German inhabitants is a number of solidly
built brick and frame houses combined with two nationally popular architectural movements,
Federal and Greek Revival styling. An estimated 1,221 persons lived in Alexandria in 1830,30
many of whom likely arrived as canal-construction laborers.
Despite the projected prosperity associated with the canal, several Alexandrians had
reservations about its construction. One concern stemmed from the supposition that the canal
would usurp the turnpike, for which Alexandria residents had contributed considerable
financial support. The town's inhabitants were probably also aware of the hostility felt by
wagoners and railroad promoters toward its coming.³¹ Yet, the largest harbinger of anti-canal
sentiments may have been the collective body of landowners whose property the canal path
would cut short.
Canal commissioners and their surveyors selected the right-of-way primarily by drawing
a straight line that paralleled as closely as possible the river; affected landowners could make
claims for buildings lost or damages sustained due to construction.³² The canal required the
flattest available land, to necessitate the fewest possible locks; this formula inevitably entailed
crossing a number of privately owned lots. Many claims for compensation were filed for
damages incurred during construction.
The Juniata Division of the Pennsylvania Canal main line was legislated in 1827 (and
amended shortly thereafter) to extend from Duncan's Island to Hollidaysburg, a route of a
little more than 127 miles. By 1831 the canal between Huntingdon and Hollidaysburg was
under way, and work continued until spring 1833 when regular shipping began. The Juniata
28 McCullough, 170.
29 Harshbarger, 41.
30 Jordan, 211.
31 Alvin F. Harlow, Old Towpaths (NY: D. Appleton and Co., 1926), 138.
32 Robert McCullough and Walter Leuba, The Pennsylvania Main Line Canal (York, PA: American Canal and
Transportation Center, 1973), 44.
38
Division cost $2.6 to $3.6 million to build, well beyond the original estimate of $1.7 million.³
Topographic conditions, particularly the mountains, rendered construction relatively difficult.
Altogether, this division required eighty-eight locks to overcome a rise of 582 feet. Locks No.
49 and No. 50 were constructed in Alexandria just west and east of Hartslog Street; there was
a bridge across the canal at Hartslog Street.
In Alexandria, the lockkeeper's house (HABS No. PA-5406) was built along the canal
path across from the Shelter Inn, fronting it along Hartslog Street at an angle--in keeping with
the canal route--that defied the town grid. It is unknown whether this house (ca. 1832) was
erected by the canal commission or by Robert McClelland--and moved--from whom the lot was
"taken by the common W. [commonwealth] for [a] lock house" in 1835. The modest, framed
gable house was nevertheless oriented with the canal in mind. Laborers directly associated
with the canal included the muleskinners who drove the teams of horses and mules, and the
boat owners and captains. Six boatsmen and three boat makers resided in Alexandria
Borough at mid-century; each lockkeeper lived rent-free in a company-owned dwelling, from
which he was responsible for the two locks. The boats appear in way bills as often as once
a week, with names such as Farmer's Hope, Shamrock, Bonnet of Blue, and Minerva.³
Commerce/Industry
The impact of the canal was immediate. Mercantile emphases shifted away from the
scale of general stores to wholesale businesses and large warehouses.³⁷ These were owned by
individual merchants or partnerships, such as that of Conrad Bucher and John Porter. After
their partnership ended in 1836, Porter is known to have shipped the iron of three companies,
as well as coffee and various grains.³⁸
Like many Alexandrians, Porter and Bucher both owned homes near their respective
businesses at the east end of Main Street. Porter's two-story, brick Federal-style home (HABS
No. PA-5407) exemplifies the typical middle-class dwelling in Alexandria throughout the
nineteenth century. William Phillips, the merchant who transformed the Odd Fellows Hall (ca.
1834) into his residence, lived across from his general merchandise and dry goods store.
Another group of homes were erected toward the western end of Main Street during
the 1830s--although it is often difficult to determine which tracts contained any buildings at
all--and these were somewhat removed from the concentration of business establishments.
One belonged to Alexander Stitt who owned a lucrative tannery (HABS No. PA-5396). His
33 Archer Hulbert, The Great American Canals I, vol. 13, Historic Highways of America (Cleveland: 1902-05),
reprint (NY: AMS Press, 1971), 211; McCullough, 28.
34 State Archives Record Group No. 17, Juniata Division Reports 1826-40, Box 11.
35 McCullough, 118-19.
36 Harshbarger, 41, 45.
37 Harshbarger, 40.
38 Africa, 427.
39
three-bay, frame house on Main west of Hartslog Street provided something of a contrast to
the brick homes of his prosperous neighbors down the street.
The transition to commercial and industrial center based on trading was less apparent
in the central business district along Main Street where the oldest houses and stores owned by
the same person were often close together. In contrast, the secondary areas away from Main
Street, sometimes near the canal, witnessed a growing number of industrial sites that include
Henry Willibrand's new brewery (HABS No. PA-5409), which still stands near the western
edge of Alexandria; William Brown's weaving shop; George Wilson's cabinet-making concern;
and three smithshops and two tanneries. One of these, the tannery of Robert Lytle and
Alexander Stitt, occupied the single-largest business site in Alexandria at what would become
the south side of the canal lock on Hartslog Street. Industrial concerns such as tanneries,
smiths, breweries, and mills were logically located on the outer fringes of the community near
water, which provided transportation as well as a power source.
In 1857, other Alexandria inhabitants were involved in a variety of commercial
pursuits, as indicated by business notices posted that year: William Baker, carpenter and
builder; J.H. Dysart, merchant and custom miller; William Moore, dealer in general
merchandise; John Porter, farmer; W.S. Walker, manufacturer of tin and sheet-iron and copper
ware, as well as stoves.³⁹
By this time, the four blocks between Hartslog Street and Blue Run were lined with
dwellings, shops and a handful of churches (Figure 3.3). E.P. Walker's general merchandise
store was located in his two-story, brick gable-front store (HABS No. PA-5410) on Main Street.
Though erected apart from the Main Street hub, it was next to Walker's house. Joseph Piper
located his carriages and wagons firm toward the western end of Main Street, as Benjamin
Cross did his carpentry shop and, at the terminus, the gristmill of Dr. J.M. Gemmill. The
Cross house (HABS No. PA-5395), erected ca. 1851, boasts an excellent example of Greek
Revival detailing on the front-facing gable, with pilasters and a dominating pediment. The
balance of the building is unusual in that entrance is gained on the long facade, which has
little ornamentation, and a sparse and irregular window arrangement.
Community
The religious circles expanded with the arrival of the German Reformed Church and
reconciliation of the Presbyterian Church.⁴⁰ Two congregations completed new churches in
Alexandria in 1851: German Reformed (HABS No. PA-5412) and Presbyterian (HABS No. PA-
5413). These two Greek Revival edifices were almost identical--perhaps designed by the same
architect, or modeled on the same precedent. The two-story, rectangular-plan brick buildings
were both modestly articulated by pilasters and recessed wall panels, into which tall windows
were placed.
In 1868 the Methodist congregation left its old meeting house for a new, two-story
39 William Christy, "Borough of Alexandria in Porter Township" (map, 1857).
40 Harshbarger, 35.
40
Dr. J.M. Gemmilli
JM.G.
Grist & Saw mill
Alexandria
BlueRun
1855
Turnpike Road
Land
John GemmH
in the year
ipsr's Pipsr's Woods
143
0
166
142
III
Pine Hill
0
141
lil
A
Seanar
65
!
164
139
111
CANAL
new (1840) road
137
to Barree
River
161
136
110
160
methodist
Tip
134
Church
D. Shirely
109
d Grafuis
156
131
mcGillb Cross
135
130
154
129
Foundry
153
?
120
the
152
127
151
?
125
lot
150
w= Shaw
108
49
2109
Branch
ch
German
122
, 106
Reformed
0121
? 108
Canal
Chana
148
Basin
?
ranks town
110
M.W.Neff
147
116
102
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no
1168
101
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115
145
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113
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18
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15
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55
Hill
14
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27
67
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68
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Land of
9
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to
Petersburg
Figure 3.3
Map of Alexandria ca. 1855, showing the canal, covered bridge (1845), and burgeoning
streetscape along the Turnpike Road (J.P. Harshbarger et al., Hartslog Heritage, 1975).
41
brick church it erected on lot No. 150, east of the former church on Main Street.41 A year
later, the Reformed Church--which has physically remained largely unaltered--dropped
"German" from it name; by 1881 it became known as Christ Reformed Church.⁴²
Following election of the first board of school directors in 1842, a number of schools
opened in Alexandria. These include the Loop school, incorporated into the township's public
system, and the Octagon school that was replaced by the McKibben Academy, led by Henry
McKibben from 1853-76. The Alexandria High School (HABS No. PA-5411), completed in
1869, continued as a teaching facility until the 1920s. Architecturally distinguished by an
Italianate cupola and hipped roof, it is academically remembered for graduating the first high
school class in Porter Township.⁴³
The social activities in Alexandria concurrent to the canal period were those of a
prosperous--essentially one-class--community made up of self-made merchants, business
owners, and laborers. One formal society, the International Order of Odd Fellows, Hartslog
Lodge No. 286, was created in January 1848.4 The group located its lodge on the busiest
intersection in town, the corner of Bridge and Main streets. The two-story brick hall
(HABS No. PA-5398) is distinguished from other similiar dwellings on Main Street by an ogee
arch over the front door.
The Odd Fellows shared the building with the Sons of Temperance society for a
number of years. It enjoyed a sizable membership of ninety, including many of Alexandria's
prominent merchants, until the Civil War when the number dropped off to only sixteen. In
1864 the lodge relinquished its charter and sold the hall to William Phillips. The latter
purchased the lot across the street--which contained a log or frame building--in 1867 from the
heirs of John Scott Sr., and a year later he erected the brick store. Phillips remodeled the
Odd Fellows Hall into an imposing dwelling: a modestly styled but expansive seven bays, two
stories tall on the main block and ell, with first- and second-story wraparound porches along
the rear facades. Accounts differ, but between 1872-88, after the post-war repercussions
diminished, the Odd Fellows relocated to a new site, and by 1881 there were twenty-eight
members.⁴ In addition to the Odd Fellows, there existed Hartslog chapters of the Knights of
the Golden Eagle and Freemasons.
General entertainments were presented on the diamond, including traveling Indian
shows and show wagons featuring exotic animals, croquet, and the Alexandria Band
performing in parades and town sings. Throughout the middle decades of the nineteenth
century--the prosperous years of canal-shipping--Alexandria flourished overall.
41 Harshbarger, 58.
42 Africa, 434.
43 Harshbarger, 58.
44 Africa, 430.
45 Africa, 430.
42
PORTER
HUNTINGOONCO
STATES
Scale 200 Rods loch
BARRE Foret.PO.
tyrge
grunt
VSAIM
Bread
PETERSBURG
area
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Mar
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Figure 3.4
Map of Porter Township, Huntingdon County, 1873, showing Alexandria located
between the Tussey Mountains and Warrior Ridge (Atlas of Blair and Huntingdon
Counties, Pennsylvania, 1873).
43
RAILROAD ERA: 1875 - 1930
Railroad transportation usurped canal use at a faster pace in some parts of the nation
than others: it crossed the Allegheny Mountains in 1854, and thereafter began to replace the
canal. The canal company continued to operate the Juniata Division, as well as others, for
several years in the interest of the railroad.⁴⁶
The canal through Alexandria officially closed in 1875; the Juniata ironworks
continued to flourish and represent the principal industry in the Hartslog area until the canal
was abandoned. Prior to 1900, a single track was laid through town, which was served by a
small railway station (HABS No. PA-5415) erected in 1897. The Pennsylvania Railroad main
line bypassed Alexandria to go, instead, north through Barree. The closing had other tangible
and negative impacts, such as the problem of water stagnating in the canal bed and flooding
of the canal and river, but Alexandria was by and large spared the effects of an economic
depression during the years before the railroad was fully established. Despite little
construction or significant development, Alexandria seems to have sustained itself during this
interim period. A history of 1883 describes the town as "having a refined and moral
population, while the healthfulness and quiet beauty of the borough is not excelled by any
village of its size in the state."47
The railroad's initiation of full-fledged shipping via Alexandria in 1900 (Figure 3.5)
marks the beginning of a second--albeit briefer--era of prosperity. The refactory brick plant,
which followed the arrival of the railroad, for instance, employedd 150 to 200 men. The
twentieth century witnessed the embellishment of Alexandria's modest townscape with the
addition of laudable, high-style architecture. Credit for much of this belongs to two men of
longtime Alexandria families: William Woolverton (1842-1914) and William Thompson (1823-
1921). The men were cousins who spent part of their childhoods there, only to return after
making their fortunes elsewhere. Thompson returned and proceeded to renovate and refurbish
his family estate, Kilmarnock, of which only the carriage house remains (HABS No. PA-5405).
Woolverton, a man of fashion and a society leader, established a farm and mansion near the
home of his youth, used principally as a summer retreat. He called the estate, which was
composed of at least 234 acres, Dorfgrenze Farm (later called Hartslog), which means "edge of
the village."
Thompson and Woolverton commissioned and donated the Memorial Free Library
(HABS No. PA-5414) to Alexandria in 1901, dedicating it to their mothers. The gesture was
no doubt modeled after the extensive library-building program of industrialist Andrew
Carnegie. The $16,000 Renaissance Revival-style building occupies a conspicuous setting on
the east corner of Main and Hartslog Streets in the center of Alexandria, and it remains one of
the most formal and unaltered buildings in town.
The library was designed by Frederick J. Shollar (1874-1960), a prominent Altoona-
based architect who is credited with introducing Classical Revival styling to that town.
46 Harlow, 138.
47 Africa, 426.
44
Alexandria
BlueRun
in the year
1 1900
43
42
166
methodist
141
65
40
Cemetery
ill
164
139
111
Pipari
163
20
37
River
161
136
110
160
135
sure
34
158
109
157
156
131
school
135
130
CarriageW
1540
129
153
120
the
152
127
151 B
11126
methodist
125
of
so
108
123
107
Christ
Reformed
21
105
48
Plan of
04
South Alexandria
ranks town
110
147
Harnish
118
laid out for the
sen HJ.
117
addition
no Atser
116
Alexandria Realty Ca
0
(1904)
146
115
in 1905
14-
113
10141
144
Pine
Spreet
rtsing
Street
20
21
160
61
&
19
59m
18
Library
Presey
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17
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96
15
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37
44
77
Alexandrie
38
43
plan ejike (igos)rhey
Femoylvenia
Cemetery
41
79
1
41
80
81
Dairy Creek
ddition"
8
T.
Petersburg
Figure 3.5
Map of Alexandria ca. 1900, showing the Pennsylvania Railroad tracks following the
former canal bed and the new Mierley Addition across the Frankstown Branch of the
Juniata River (J.P. Harshbarger et al., Hartslog Heritage, 1975).
45
Shollar, with and without his sometimes-partner Frank Hersh, designed numerous buildings in
Altoona, including the Altoona Trust Company building, Rothert Building, city hall, and the
Jaffa Mosque.⁴ The stone for the Alexandria library's foundation came from a local quarry.⁴⁹
The library on the first floor was established with an initial 2,000 books, while the auditorium
on the second floor hosted many of the town's social events.
Woolverton, a director of the Pennsylvania Railroad, also allegedly convinced the
company to replace its old Alexandria station with a modern structure more stylistically
compatible with the library, across the street and south of it, which occurred in 1904.
Meanwhile, in 1906 Thompson financed the reconstruction and design of the facade of
the Presbyterian Church on Second Street in the memory of his father, the Reverend James
Thompson, who served as a pastor there. Architects transformed the Greek Revival decor into
Second Gothic Revival through the incorporation of a detailed entrance and pointed-arch
windows.50
This second wave of prosperity in Alexandria was relatively shortlived, for the railroad
could not long compete with its successor in transportation--the automobile. Passenger rail
service ceased in Alexandria in 1930 at the beginning of the Great Depression, and all rail
service ceased in the 1970s.
CONCLUSION
Since the stock market crash of 1929 and the Depression of the 1930s, a stable industrial
base has prevented a rapid decline in Alexandria's economic health. The town today contains
the same largely middle-class population that has historically been characteristic of the
borough. Many modern residents are retired, but the existing work force continues to be
affiliated with local industries and businesses that include the federal government. This
includes the largest employer, Owens-Corning Fiberglas, Mead Corporation west of Alexandria,
and the prison in Huntingdon. Local merchants run the garage, an industrial-tire service, an
appliance store, and similar small businesses.
Current housing consists of nearly all single-family dwellings, although a few have been
converted to multiple use since the 1970s. In general the community is marked by very little
new commercial or residential growth.
RECOMMENDATIONS
Alexandria represents a well-preserved southwestern Pennsylvania town founded in
1793, that swelled during the early nineteenth century in a prosperous agricultural region
along the Juniata River. The surrounding wealth of natural resources contributed to the
48
F.J. Shollar obituary, Altoona Mirror (16 January, 1960).
49
Sara L. Keith, "History of the Memorial Alexandria Library and its Donors" (unpublished, 1971), 4.
50
Harshbarger, 78.
46
implementation of the Pennsylvania Main Line Canal, from which the town benefitted from
approximately 1830 to 1875. The historic core of Alexandria--which notably has not suffered
from the addition of modern, intrusive buildings--is significant for its association with the
canal and its integrity. Architectural resources include a distinguished array of residential,
commercial, civic, and church buildings from ca. 1804 through the turn of the century that
reflect the town's historic vitality as a commercial center along the nation's first major inland
east-west transportation route. For this reason the buildings and structures extant in
Alexandria should be nominated to the National Register of Historic Places as an historic
district.
47
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Books and Periodicals
Africa, J. Simpson. History of Huntingdon and Blair Counties, Pennsylvania. Philadelphia:
Louis H. Everts, 1883.
Alexandria Community Bi-Centennial. No publisher given, 1955.
Commemorative Biographical Encyclopedia of Juniata Valley, Pennsylvania. Chambersburg,
PA: J.M. Runk and Company, 1897.
F.J. Shollar obituary. Mirror (Altoona, Pa.). 16 January, 1960.
Harlow, Alvin F. Old Towpaths. New York: D. Appleton and Company, 1926.
Harshbarger, Jean P., Nancy R. Taylor, Sara H. Zabriskie, and F.R. Zabriskie. Hartslog
Heritage. State College, PA: K-B Offset Printing, 1975.
Jones, U. J., History of the Juniata Valley. Harrisburg, PA: Telegraph Press, 1940. Originally
printed 1856.
Jordan, John W. A History of the Juniata Valley and Its People. New York: Lewis Historical
Publishing Co., 1913.
Keith, Sara L. "History of Memorial Alexandria Library and Its Donors." Unpublished, 1971.
Lytle, Milton Scott. History of Huntingdon County, in the State of Pennsylvania. Lancaster,
PA: William H. Roy, 1876.
McCullough, Robert and Leuba, Walter. The Pennsylvania Main Line Canal. York, PA: The
American Canal and Transportation Center, 1973.
Rupp, I.D. History and Topography of Northumberland, Huntingdon, Mifflin, Centre, Union,
Columbia, Juniata and Clinton Counties, Pennsylvania. Lancaster, PA: G. Hills, 1847.
Wallner, Peter A. "Politics and Public Works: A Study of the Pennsylvania Canal System,
1825-1857." Ph.D. diss., Pennsylvania State University, 1973.
Zelinsky, Wilbur. "The Pennsylvania Town: An Overdue Geographical Account." The
Geographical Review. April 1977; 127-47.
Public Records
Alexandria Borough tax records, 1859 to 1873, Huntingdon County Historical Society.
48
Huntingdon County deed books and probate records, Huntingdon County Courthouse,
Huntingdon, Pennsylvania.
State Archives Record Group 17, Juniata Division Reports 1826-40 Box No. 11 (Misc).
U.S. Bureau of the Census Records, 1850-1880.
Maps and Views
Atlas of Blair and Huntingdon Counties, Pennsylvania, 1873. A. Pomeroy & Co., 1873.
Christy, William. "Borough of Alexandria in Porter Township, Huntingdon County,
Pennsylvania." May 27, 1857. In the Alexandria Memorial Library.
Zabriskie, F.R. "Vicininy of Alexandria, showing Hartslog Tract," and Alexandria town plans of
1835, 1855, and 1900, taken from Hartslog Heritage.
49
HISTORIC AMERICAN BUILDINGS SURVEY
PATRICK McMANUS HOUSE
HABS No. PA-5393
Location:
710 Main St., Alexandria, Porter Township, Huntingdon County, Pennsylvania
Present Owner: John L. Miller, Jr.
Present Use: Single-family dwelling.
Significance: The Patrick McManus House is one of numerous buildings in Alexandria
constructed of log, although it is now distinguished by exterior horizontal wood
cladding. The house, which may have served for a short time as a tavern
during the borough's early days, was occupied by the Piper family for more
than 100 years.
PART I. HISTORICAL INFORMATION
A.
Physical History:
1.
Date of erection: ca. or before 1829. The house appears on the Hartslog
Heritage Map of 1835; Patrick McManus, presumably the original owner,
deeded the "2 story log house" to John Cresswell in 1833. McManus acquired
the property in 1829.
2.
Original and subsequent owners: The gable-end house has a 60' north
frontage on Main Street and extends back 180'. It is bounded on the east by
another lot and on the west by the borough boundary.
The following is an incomplete chain of title to the land on which the
structure stands. Reference is to the Recorder of Deeds Office of the County of
Huntingdon, Pennsylvania.
1829 Deed November 19, 1829, recorded in Volume W1, Page 308.
James Trimble
TO
Patrick McManus.
1833 Deed November 16, 1833, recorded in Sheriffs Deed Book 1, Page 172.
Patrick McManus
TO
Jacob Cresswell.
1833-34 Jacob Cresswell Jr. and his wife deeded the land to John Piper
(Harshbarger, notes), although no such document was located.
According to the 1904 deed, John Piper bequeathed the lot to his
children by will.
50
PATRICK McMANUS HOUSE
HABS No. PA-5393/Page 2
1904 Deed June 1, 1904, recorded in Volume Z4, Page 572.
Nicholas Piper, et al.
TO
Julia Piper.
1904-47 House passed by will among members of the Piper family (Julia Piper
to Edwin Piper, Edwin Piper to W.C. Piper).
1947 Deed May 1, 1947, recorded in Volume L8, Page 367.
W.C. Piper, et al.
TO
Elma C. Miller.
1980 Deed July 24, 1980, recorded in Volume 157, Page 569.
Elma Miller
TO
John L. Miller, Jr.
3.
Original plans and construction: No original plans or drawings have been
located. From inspection of the present-day fabric, however, this was probably
built as a gable-end, two-story, three-bay log house. The house was originally
a side-hall plan having two rooms on east side of the hall; the front rooms
were used as a living room/parlor, and the back rooms as a parlor/dining
room. The second story consisted of bedrooms.
4.
Alterations and additions: The house was most likely constructed in two
phases: Construction of the main, three-bay block was followed by the addition
of the two west bays, which are about two-thirds the depth of the original.
The gable roof and gable-end wall is the full depth, however, creating a recess
that originally contained a second-story porch (no longer extant). This is
supported by the fenestration pattern on the main facade, whereby a greater
amount of unbroken wall space exists on each side of the original three bays.
B.
Historical Context: The McManus House was constructed by 1829 by Patrick
McManus, one of the early citizens of Alexandria who settled on the "Trimble
Addition"--that section of town laid out by Dr. James Trimble in the late 1820s.
John Piper moved into the dwelling, cited in deeds as a two-story log
weatherboarded house, approximately five years after its construction. A cabinet-maker
and carpenter, he took up residency by 1834 and remained there for seventy years.
(Africa, 427). Piper reportedly had a shop next to the log house from at least 1855
until at least 1875, and it was gone by 1900 (Harshbarger, 39, 53, 63).
Born in 1799, Piper was active in the Alexandria community throughout his life,
including his election to school director in 1861. Like other members of his family,
Piper worshipped at Christ's Reformed Church of Alexandria (Africa, 418, 434). Upon
Piper's death, sometime after 1875, his children inherited the property.
51
PATRICK McMANUS HOUSE
HABS No. PA-5393/Page 3
PART II. ARCHITECTURAL INFORMATION
A.
General Statement:
1.
Architectural character: One of the earliest buildings erected on the Trimble
Addition to the westernmost edge of Alexandria Borough, this was a typical
early nineteenth-century, two-story log dwelling.
2.
Condition of the fabric: Good.
B.
Description of Exterior:
1.
Overall dimensions: Approximately 43' X 24'.
2.
Foundations: Stone and brick.
3.
Wall construction: Log with horizontal wood siding.
4.
Structural system, framing: Load-bearing log walls.
5.
Porches: The entrance porch consists of four wood steps leading to the door
with a shoddy, modern wood handrail.
6.
Chimneys: A single ridge chimney near the east gable end.
7.
Openings:
a.
Doorways and doors: The front door is six-paneled wood with a four-
light transom; the casing is simple wood. Two wood doors are located
off the rear facade.
b.
Windows: One-over-one-light and six-over-six-light double-hung wood
sash, each covered by a one-over-one-light modern storm. The shutters
have been removed.
8.
Roof:
a.
Shape, covering: Side gable with asphalt shingles.
b.
Cornice: Plain wood box cornice.
C.
Site:
1.
General setting: The Patrick McManus House is located on the westernmost
edge of Alexandria. Residences lie to the east and north; west is the borough
boundary, beyond which is a stream, south lies an expansive yard, beyond
52
PATRICK McMANUS HOUSE
HABS No. PA-5393/Page 4
which are planted fields.
2.
Outbuildings: Approximately 10' south of the southeast corner of the house is
a small woodshed, possibly dating to the 1820s, which could have been moved
from another location. A free-standing sheet-metal shed is situated a few feet
from the southwest corner of the house.
3.
Landscaping, enclosures: A brick path runs the length of the east facade.
Figure 3.6. Southeast facade.
53
HISTORIC AMERICAN BUILDINGS SURVEY
JAMES CAMERON HOUSE
HABS No. PA-5394
Location:
The house is situated on the northwest corner of Main Street and the western
borough boundary, Alexandria, Porter Township, Huntingdon County,
Pennsylvania.
Present Owner: Ron and Merilyn Dively.
Present Use: Single-family dwelling.
Significance: This substantial dwelling of modest Federal ornament reflects the typical houses
constructed during Alexandria's early canal days: brick structure and a five-bay
rectangular plan. Samuel Isenberg, a longtime carpenter, and his family
occupied the house for nearly forty years.
PART I. HISTORICAL INFORMATION
A.
Physical History:
1.
Date of erection: ca. 1833-36. The 1833 deed does not indicate a brick
building on the property; the 1836 deed does.
2.
Original and subsequent owners: The house faces south on Main Street with a
60' frontage, and extends back 200'. It is bounded on the east by a town lot
and on the west by the borough's northwest boundary.
The following is an incomplete chain of title to the land on which the
structure stands. Reference is to the Recorder of Deeds Office of the County of
Huntingdon, Pennsylvania.
1807 Deed November 14, 1807, recorded in Volume UI, Page 12.
Elizabeth Gemmill, et al.
TO
John Gemmill, Jr.
1833 Deed October 2, 1833, recorded in Volume F2, Page 277.
Rebecca and Amelia Gemmill
TO
James Cameron.
1836 Deed March 23, 1836, recorded in Volume Z1, Page 229.
James Cameron
TO
John Bingham.
1846 Deed February 4, 1846, recorded in Volume F2, Page 278.
54
JAMES CAMERON HOUSE
HABS No. PA-5394/Page 2
John Bingham
TO
Samuel Isenberg and Benjamin Cross.
1850 Deed March 29, 1850, recorded in Volume Y2, Pages 604-05.
Benjamin and Mary Cross
TO
Samuel Isenberg.
1889 Deed February 19, 1889, recorded in Volume Z3, Page 20.
Samuel Isenberg (Joseph Isenberg, executor)
TO
Antis Ellis.
1889-1941 A variety of owners occupied the building as a dwelling.
1941 Deed August 30, 1941, recorded in Volume V7, Page 391.
Martha R. Lockspeiser, et al.
TO
Benjamin F. and Theresa Dively.
1987 Deed October 26, 1987, recorded in Volume 208, Page 351.
Benjamin F. and Marlene K. Dively
TO
Ron L. and Merilyn B. Dively.
3.
Original plans and construction: No original plans or drawings have been
located. The house was originally built with modest Federal styling and five-
bays on a center-hall plan. The two front rooms on either side of the hall
usually served as a living room/parlor and a dining room, the rear two as a
parlor and a kitchen; there is also a cellar fireplace that probably served as a
winter kitchen. The second-story space consisted of four bedrooms.
4.
Alterations and additions: Several additions have been made to the building
over the years. One addition, covered with aluminum or vinyl siding, extends
across the rear of the building; a small aluminum/vinyl-sided northeast corner
addition has a door and window facing east. A fire ca. 1895 destroyed a stable
and severely damaged the dwelling; the repair to the latter may have included
altering the pitch of the roof and the window treatments.
B.
Historical Context: Both James Cameron and John Bingham were landowners.
According to tax records, both men owned houses on the lot that eventually was
deeded to Samuel Isenberg and Benjamin Cross. When Cross and Isenberg bought the
property from John Bingham, it included two houses: one brick, one frame.
Several men named Samuel Isenberg lived in Porter Township at various times
during the nineteenth century, so it is difficult to identify which one was a member of
55
JAMES CAMERON HOUSE
HABS No. PA-5394/Page 3
the Alexandria community. According to the census records of 1850, 1860, 1870, and
1880, the most likely Samuel Isenberg was a carpenter in Alexandria; a Samuel
Isenberg was also president of the Alexandria school board in 1856 (Africa, 431). The
Isenbergs--"one of the largest families in the county" (Africa, 419)--were one of two
families in Alexandria who constituted the bulk of the membership in the German
Reformed Church (Isenberg, 21).
PART II. ARCHITECTURAL INFORMATION
A.
General Statement:
1.
Architectural character: The brick dwelling is built in a modest Federal style,
with five bays across the double-pile, two-story facade.
2.
Condition of the fabric: Fair.
B.
Description of Exterior:
1.
Overall dimensions: The main, original block is 34' X 32' (1,088 square feet);
the rear addition is 39' X 8' (312 square feet); and the small northeast corner
addition is 5' X 12' (60 square feet).
2.
Foundation: Stone.
3.
Wall construction: Seven-course common bond brick with aluminum or vinyl
siding on the frame additions.
4.
Structural system, framing: Load-bearing brick.
5.
Porches: The front porch is frame on masonry piers, with concrete steps on the
east side leading to the wood deck; the wood balustrade has three square
supports and Victorian gingerbread. This porch measures 16' X 6'. Another
porch on the northeast corner of the wood-frame addition shelters a second
door. It is a modern installation.
6.
Chimneys: A rebuilt exterior brick chimney is located on the west gable end; a
second exterior brick chimney is located on the west end of the rear addition.
7.
Openings:
a.
Doorways and doors: The front door is a wood three-paneled door with
a large, single-light transom. The original side door on the northeast
corner of the structure also has a single transom window. A modern
door is located under the northeast porch.
b.
Windows: The facade features double-hung, one-over-one-light wood
56
JAMES CAMERON HOUSE
HABS No. PA-5394/Page 4
sash. The west gable end is punctuated by four windows on the first and
second stories, and two vents at the attic level. There are two windows
on the rear facade in the east section of the second story. The east
gable end has no windows. These windows were probably added after a
ca. turn-of-the-century fire destroyed part of the dwelling.
8. Roof:
a.
Shape, covering: Side gable covered with sheet metal and asphalt
shingles.
b.
Cornice: Wood box cornice with 6" eaves.
C.
Interior: The appearance of the interior is unknown except for some details gleaned
from Huntingdon County Historic Society Survey forms. According to these studies, the
cellar has a basement fireplace that is currently blocked off. The stairway from the
cellar to the first floor is low and steep. The wall and ceiling finishes are plaster.
D.
Site:
1.
General setting: The James Cameron House is located on the westernmost edge
of Alexandria, beyond which is a stream. To the south and east are residences;
to the southeast is an old brewhouse that is now an apartment building; to the
north is an extensive backyard 200' deep.
2.
Outbuildings: A frame stable existed from 1900-09 until 1946, and prior to
1893 when it was probably one of several service buildings on the property.
Figure 3.7. Southwest/front facade.
57
HISTORIC AMERICAN BUILDINGS SURVEY
BENJAMIN CROSS HOUSE
HABS No. PA-5395
Location:
The Benjamin Cross House faces south on the north side of Main Street
approximately 150' from the westernmost edge of Alexandria Borough, Porter
Township, Huntingdon County, Pennsylvania.
Present Owner: Freda Lloyd.
Present Use: Single-family dwelling.
Significance: The Benjamin Cross House is attributed to one of the few known
carpenters/builders in nineteenth-century Alexandria. Constructed for himself,
the house stands out as a showpiece of Greek Revival detailing, compared to
neighboring residences. Architecturally it is vernacular, except for the front-
facing gable end that is a highly ornamental composition of four Doric pilasters
and a deep, dentiled pediment.
PART I. HISTORICAL INFORMATION
A. Physical History:
1.
Date of erection: ca. 1851. This is implied in the 1858 deed, and the fact that
as a carpenter/house builder, Cross would probably have commenced building
his own dwelling soon after acquiring the land in 1850. Also, Cross was taxed
for "one lot and improvements" valued at $150 in 1851, and a year later the the
same property was assessed at $450.
2.
Architect: Benjamin Cross built this house for himself, in addition to other
Alexandria residences. These include two extant buildings east of this lot.
3.
Original and subsequent owners: This lot fronts 60' on the north side of Main
Street, extending back therefrom at right angles thereto 200' to a public alley,
bounded on the east and west by residences, and recorded as lot No. 19 in the
borough plan. It is located in the Trimble Addition to the borough.
The following is a chain of title to the land on which the structure
stands. Reference is to the Recorder of Deeds Office of the County of
Huntingdon, Pennsylvania.
1839 Deed September 16, 1839, recorded in Volume H2, Page 57.
Eliza Trimble (administrator for Dr. Trimble)
TO
Thomas Patterson.
1850 Deed September 11, 1850, recorded in Volume H2, Page 58.
Thomas Patterson
58
BENJAMIN CROSS HOUSE
HABS No. PA-5395/ Page 2
TO
Benjamin Cross.
1858 Deed December 1, 1858, recorded in Volume P2, Pages 16-17.
Benjamin and Mary Cross
TO
Ann Cross (Benjamin's mother).
1863 Deed December 8, 1863, recorded in Volume R2, Page 513.
Ann Cross
TO
Mary M. Cross et al.
1894 Deed January 13, 1894, recorded in Volume E4, Page 414.
Mary M. Cross, et al.
TO
Charles Cross.
1900 Deed September 10, 1900, recorded in Volume R4, Page 137.
Charles M. Cross (wife Laura L. and mother, Mary M.)
TO
Henry Neff.
1916 Deed September 21, 1916, recorded in Volume B6, Page 274.
Henry A. Neff
TO
Bertha A. Lloyd.
1948 Deed May 3, 1948, recorded in Volume R8, Page 250.
Bertha A. Lloyd
TO
Freda and George Lloyd.
4. Original plans and construction: No original plans or drawings have been located.
This is a two-story, frame Greek Revival house built on a variation of the side-hall
plan. Although its three-bay south gable end fronts Main Street, entrance is gained
through the long, east wall. A porch sheltered the front door of the original
rectangular block.
5. Alterations and additions: A one-story porch now wraps around the east and north
facades. A small, one-story frame addition measuring 12' X 16' was added to the
northwest corner of the north wall sometime during the last forty years, according to
the present owner.
B.
Historical Context: Benjamin Cross is identified as a 27-year-old carpenter in the 1850
Census records. At least three of several houses attributed to him are still standing.
59
BENJAMIN CROSS HOUSE
HABS No. PA-5395/ Page 3
Cross was active in the Alexandria community: In 1871 he served as a town burgess,
and he was an officer of the Odd Fellows Society in 1872 (Africa, 427).
PART II. ARCHITECTURAL INFORMATION
A.
General Statement:
1.
Architectural character: The south facade of this two-story house reflects
textbook Greek Revival styling: a deep, pedimented front-gable, and a three-bay
facade articulated by four pilasters. In contrast, the east facade includes an
irregular and scant grouping of windows. The plan is a variation on the three-
bay side-hall arrangement.
2.
Condition of the fabric: Good.
B.
Description of Exterior:
1.
Overall dimensions: The main block measures 26' X 30; the frame addition on
the northwest corner, 12' X 16'.
2.
Foundation: Stone.
3.
Wall construction: Frame with horizontal siding.
4.
Structural system, framing: Frame.
5.
Porches: A one-story porch with a hipped roof wraps around the east, and
part of the north, facades (7' X 36'). Five Victorian turnposts support the
porch, which terminates under the northeastern bay on the east wall. A frame
base and lattice-work infill is supported by brick piers. Four central wooden
steps access the deck.
6.
Chimneys: There are two chimneys: An exterior brick chimney is located near
the center of the west wall, and an interior brick chimney (that appears to have
been rebuilt) rises from the northeast quarter of the east slope.
7.
Openings:
a.
Doorways and doors: The wood front door features two lower panels
and decorative six-light glazing above--two large center panels flanked
by two smaller panels; a two-light transom is overhead.
b.
Windows: The windows on the south facade, second floor, are six-over-
six-light double-hung sash; two-over-two-light double-hung sash on the
first story. The same glazing arrangement exists on the east and west
walls, as well. The east facade is notably irregular, with a single
60
BENJAMIN CROSS HOUSE
HABS No. PA-5395/ Page 4
window in the upper north corner,and two windows in the northern end
of the first floor. The first-floor shutters are typically paneled on the
bottom, louvered on top; the original metal shutter hardware remains.
8.
Roof:
a.
Shape, covering: Front-facing gable with asphalt shingles and tar paper.
b.
Cornice: The cornice reflects a blending of formal and vernacular Greek
Revival styling. The cornice, frieze and plain architrave are supported
by four pilasters. The entablature features dentil molding below the
pediment.
C.
Description of Interior:
1.
Floor plans: The first-floor room arrangement reflects a modified side-hall plan.
The entry hall in the southeast corner leads north under the stairway to the
kitchen. The kitchen and a pantry-like room in the northwest corner of the
plan occupy the rear portion of the floor; a living room, with a fireplace in the
northwest corner, occupy the front section of the plan. Doorways link the hall
and kitchen, kitchen and pantry, pantry and addition, and kitchen and dining
room. The two windows are located in the east wall of the kitchen.
2.
Stairways: The entry stairway is turned with a single landing; it is carpeted.
3.
Wall and ceiling finish: Plaster.
D.
Site:
1.
General setting: The Benjamin Cross House is located across the steet from the
old brewhouse; it is surrounded on the east and west by other residences, and
in the rear by an alley.
2.
Landscaping, enclosures: A low hedge separates the Cross property from that to
the east.
61
62
Figure 3.8. HABS No. PA-5395, Benjamin Cross House:
Figure 3.9. HABS No. PA-5396, Alexander Stitt House:
southwest/street facade.
south/front facade.
HISTORIC AMERICAN BUILDINGS SURVEY
ALEXANDER STITT HOUSE
HABS No. PA-5396
Location:
The Alexander Stitt house is located on the north side of Main Street,two lots
west of Hartslog Street, Alexandria, Porter Township, Huntingdon County,
Pennsylvania.
Present Owner: Marion Neff Baker.
Present Use: Single-family dwelling.
Significance: The Alexander Stitt House on Main Street, despite various additions and
reworkings over the years, represents an imposing frame dwelling highlighted
by Federal ornamental features, it was owned for nearly a half-century during
the canal era by a local tanner.
PART I. HISTORICAL INFORMATION
A.
Physical History:
1.
Date of erection: ca. 1838-39.
2.
Original and subsequent owners: The Alexander Stitt House sits on lot No.
161, which fronts 50' on the north side of Main Street, and extends to the rear
202' to an alley.
The following is an incomplete chain of title to the land on which the
structure stands. Reference is to the Recorder of Deeds Office of the County of
Huntingdon, Pennsylvania.
1837-38 In 1838 Alexander Stitt was taxed for a lot valued at $150; a year
later he was taxed for a house and lot worth $800, according to tax
records. Stitt may have bought the lot as early as 1837 (Harshbarger,
notes), according to an unspecific 1837 deed.
1883 Deed January 31, 1883, recorded in Volume Z6, Page 185.
Alexander Stitt (John D. Dorris, administrator)
TO
Letitia Harnish.
1926 Deed April 3, 1926, recorded in Volume Z6, Page 199.
Letitia Harnish
TO
Walter K. Harnish.
1929 Deed April 22, 1929, recorded in Volume H7, Page 117.
Walter K. and Eleanor H. Harnish
63
ALEXANDER STITT HOUSE
HABS No. PA-5396/Page 2
TO
Letitia H. Neff.
1934 Deed December 3, 1934, recorded in Volume N7, Page 288.
Letitia H. Neff
TO
Edith and Marion Neff.
4.
Original plans and construction: No original plans or drawings have been
located. An early, undated photograph shows a white picket fence surrounding
the then-vacant corner lot and the Stitt house. The house was originally a side-
hall plan with a three-bay front facade. Federal-style details include the front
door on the easternmost bay. The east wall was blind except for two small
attic windows. The original chimney was on the east gable end.
The double porch with stairs from the west existed at the time the
photograph was taken, as did a front porch with a shed roof and north ell
extension (without a porch).
5.
Alterations and additions: A modern exterior brick chimney has been added to
the east wall, north of the ridge.
The one-story frame addition at the west end, which is listed in tax
records as having served as a doctor's office, was probably erected between
1883 and 1906, when Dr. Tobias Harnish may have lived in the house. The
Victorian gabled dormers on three sides of the addition support this theory.
B.
Historical Context: At age 50, Alexander Stitt is identified in the 1850 census as a
tanner. He appears under the same heading in the 1860 census, but in 1870 and 1880
lists he is retired. According to Harshbarger, Stitt's father was a joiner who emmigrated
from Ireland. The Stitts and the Lytles operated a tannery on the hill by the canal
lock, essentially between their respective lots. This is almost surely the tannery where
Alexander worked. The Stitts were one of Alexandria's most prosperous families; he
was elected to serve as a town burgess in 1870.
PART II. ARCHITECTURAL INFORMATION
A.
General Statement:
1.
Architectural character: The house features late Federal styling in details such
as delicate returning eaves, corner boards, and cornice, as well as doorway
treatments, against a basically plain frame mass. The Victorian dormers and
steeply pitched roof of the later addition indicate ongoing changes to the
structure.
2.
Condition of the fabric: Good.
B.
Description of Exterior:
64
ALEXANDER STITT HOUSE
HABS No. PA-5396/Page 3
1.
Overall dimensions: The main mass is 29' X 34'; the north gable end is 22'
wide and extends 64' to the west front of the house. It extends 20' to the
inside corner of the ell on the northeast corner of the buiding, and features a
porch. The frame addition, southwest corner of the south wall, is 12' X 25'.
2.
Foundations: Stone.
3.
Wall construction: Frame with horizontal siding.
4.
Structural system, framing: Frame.
5.
Porches: A single-story, dropped-roof porch shelters the center door on the
two-story north gable end. A double porch, 7' X 18', wraps around the inside
of the ell. There are two wooden pilasters, as well as a simple balustrade and
squared-off balusters. The front porch consists of a roofless brick landing
surrounded by an iron railing, accessed from the east by four brick treads.
6.
Chimneys: An interior brick chimney is located on the west slope of the north
ell. There is a second, exterior, brick chimney on the east gable end.
7.
Openings:
a.
Doorways and doors: The front door features Federal styling: flanking
four-light sidelights and a seven-light transom. The decorative crown
rises approximately l' above the door casing, framed by flanking
pilasters. A wooden door is located above the second story above the
porch roof on the north gable end. The wooden door on the south
facade of the west addition is glazed with a single boxed transom.
Doors in the southernmost two bays of both stories, in the recessed
northeast section of the house, are sheltered by the porch roof.
b.
Windows: Each window bay in the main mass contains one-over-one
light sash set on a wooden sill, under a Federal lintel.
The west addition features the same one-over-one sash, but with far
more elaborate hoods: Four-part stepped wood projections with interior
rows of dentil-like moldings. The dormer windows are one-over-one-
light sash.
The east wall is blank except for two small two-over-two-light
attic windows that flank the chimney. The one-bay north section
contains a six-over-six-light sash above the second-story door.
The shutter hardware is extant, as are the original shutters on
the south facade of the main block: they are typically two-paneled
wood on the first-floor, louvered on the second.
8.
Roof:
65
ALEXANDER STITT HOUSE
HABS No. PA-5396/Page 4
a.
Shape, covering: The main block has a side-gabled roof with shallow
returning eaves. The western addition is hipped, with gables on the
south, west, and north. The north-ell roof is dropped. The roof is
covered with asphalt shingles.
b.
Cornice: Wooden box cornice.
c.
Dormers: A sunrise motif is carved into the western gabled dormer,
under the eaves. The south and north gables feature smaller motifs
carved onto a smaller projecting triangle of wood. The gable ends of
the dormers have returning eaves.
D.
Site:
1.
General setting: The Alexander Stitt House is on Main Street. The bank
building is located across the street to the east; two lots east of the house,
across Hartslog Street, is the Memorial Public Library. An alley runs along the
property's north border; houses border its east and west flanks.
2.
Outbuildings: A small frame shed with a metal roof occupies the back lot by
the alley.
3.
Landscaping, enclosures: A large garden takes up most of the back yard in the
north section of the lot.
66
HISTORIC AMERICAN BUILDINGS SURVEY
JOHN PORTER HOUSE
HABS No. PA-5397
Location:
The John Porter house is located approximately 90' west of the southwest
corner of Bridge and Main streets, on the south side of Main Street, Alexandria,
Porter Township, Huntingdon County, Pennsylvania.
Present Owner: R. Alan Isenberg.
Present Use: Single-family dwelling.
Significance: This is a good example of a gable-and-wing plan vernacular dwelling, with
Federal styling largely confined to doorway detailing. Constructed on the cusp
of the canal era, the house remains little-altered today.
PART I. HISTORICAL INFORMATION
A.
Physical History:
1.
Date of erection: ca. 1822-24.
2.
Original and subsequent owners: The house is located on lot No. 14 in the
original layout of Alexandria; its property includes the area of lot No. 15
adjacent to No. 14 up to the brick dwelling on the corner, then south 200' to
the Juniata River.
The following is an incomplete chain of title to the land on which the
structure stands. Reference is to the Recorder of Deeds Office of the County of
Huntingdon, Pennsylvania.
1824 Deed April 30, 1824, recorded in Volume W1, Page 523.
Conrad Bucher
TO
John and Maria Porter.
1897 Deed December 13, 1897, recorded in Volume N4, Page 353.
J.M. Porter and C.H. Porter (executors for John Porter)
TO
Salome Porter.
1932-73 Various owners occupied the building as a dwelling.
1973 Deed April 23, 1973, recorded in Volume 110, Page 512.
Carl R. and Elvira Bruno
TO
R. Alan and Helen Isenberg.
67
JOHN PORTER HOUSE
HABS No. PA-5397/Page 2
3.
Original plans and construction: No original plans or drawings have been
located. The five-bay, L-plan brick building features a center-hall interior
arrangement. The front rooms were generally used as parlor/living room and
dining room. The kitchen was behind the dining room in the wing. In two-
story residences such as this, the upstairs generally contained bedrooms. There
is a brick cellar floor and fireplace.
4.
Alterations and additions: A single-story, shed-roofed frame addition--covered
with aluminum siding--is located in the space created by the rear ell, in the
southwest corner of the south rear wall.
An aluminum-sided porch extends along the south wall, approximately
30' X 10'. The door into the porch is located in the northeast corner of the east
wall; a one-over-one-light aluminum window is directly opposite. On the south
wall of the porch there are three small one-over-one-light aluminum windows.
B.
Historical Context: A number of similar brick houses from this period are extant in
Alexandria--four or five of them on Main Street. This structure exemplifies their
modest Federal character.
The owner of this house throughout the canal era, John Porter, was a locally
eminent man. He was director of the Alexandria school in 1848, and secretary of the
school board from 1857-64. An elder of the Presbyterian Church in its early years, he
was also clerk of the Presbyterian sessions for fifty-six years (Africa, 430). One of the
most successful of Alexandria's merchants, Porter also served as postmaster in 1830
(Africa, 427). This house also was the birthplace of his son, Thomas Conrad Porter, a
moderately well-known botanist whose accomplishments led to a tree and a flower
being named after him (Huntingdon County Historical Society).
PART II. ARCHITECTURAL INFORMATION
A.
General Statement:
1.
Architectural character: Front-facing, two-story L-plan refects a typical five-bay
arrangement with Federal styling.
2.
Condition of the fabric: Good.
B.
Description of Exterior:
1.
Overall dimensions: The main block is an estimated 50' X 40'; the rear south-
projecting ell is approximately 20' long.
2.
Foundation: Stone.
3.
Wall construction: Brick, laid in Flemish bond on the main facade; five-course
common bond on the south, east and west walls.
68
JOHN PORTER HOUSE
HABS No. PA-5397/Page 3
4.
Structural system, framing: Load-bearing brick.
5.
Porches: A modest Victorian hipped-roof porch covers the entrance; it is
supported by a pair of double turnposts on the northern corners and single
attached posts at the facade. The railing, too, is simple wood.
6.
Chimneys: The gable ends are distinguished by double interior brick chimneys.
On the east end there are three narrow, vertical windows at the attic level,
situated between the two flues. A third less-formal chimney that probably vents
the kitchen stove protrudes from the intersection of the main block and rear ell.
7.
Openings:
a.
Doorways and doors: The front door is a single, six-paneled wood door
surrounded by a decorated fanlight and flanking three-light sidelights.
b.
Windows: The wood windows on the five-bay facade are six-over-six-
light double-hung sash with a thin, projecting wood sill. Three small
vertical windows represent the sole openings on the east gable-end wall:
a modest Palladian composition of an arched four-light window flanked
by two rectangular three-light windows. The exposed gable-end of the
ell features a four-light window in the uppermost corner. The west wall
of the main mass is blank. The west facade of the ell has two windows
on each floor; the south wall has a small, four-light square window; the
east wall features a four-over-four-light window on the second story.
8.
Roof:
a.
Shape, covering: The side-gabled roof has a parapet, from which rise
double interior brick chimneys. It is covered with asbestos shingles set
in a diamond pattern.
b.
Cornice: Simple wood boxed cornice.
C.
Description of Interior: The interior has been unsympathetically remodeled
(Huntingdon County Historic Sites Survey).
D.
Site:
1.
General setting: The John Porter House is located on Main Street near the
intersection with Bridge Street, historically a major entry into Alexandria from
the south. Behind the lot flows the Juniata River. Residences line the street
on either side of this structure, as well as across the street, although originally
the building to the west of the house served as a store.
2.
Landscaping, enclosures: A gravel driveway aligns the east flank of the house.
69
Figure 3.10. HABS No. PA-5397: John Porter House, Alexandria, northeast/front facade.
Figure 3.11. HABS No. PA-5398: Dr. James Charlton House, Alexandria, southwest facade.
70
HISTORIC AMERICAN BUILDINGS SURVEY
DR. JAMES CHARLTON HOUSE
(Odd Fellows Hall)
HABS No. PA-5398
Location:
The Dr. James Charlton House is located on the northeast corner of Main and
Bridge streets, Alexandria, Porter Township, Huntingdon County, Pennsylvania.
Present Owner: Philip J. Lukish.
Present Use: Multi-family dwelling.
Significance: The Dr. James Charlton House is one of the few structures remaining in
Alexandria that was used as a formal meeting hall for the activities of a social
organization. The Odd Fellows were an active group during the second half of
the nineteenth century, indicated by the building's location at a prominent Main
Street intersection. The structure was later converted into the home of William
Phillips, a prominent Alexandria merchant.
PART I. HISTORICAL INFORMATION
A.
Physical History:
1.
Date of erection: ca. 1831.
2.
Original and subsequent owners: Lot No. 29 containing the structure fronts 60'
on Main Street, and extends north 200' to an alley; Bridge Street borders on
the west; a brick residence and lot borders on the east.
The following is an incomplete chain of title to the land on which the
structure stands. Reference is to the Recorder of Deeds Office of the County of
Huntingdon, Pennsylvania.
1822 From Lazarus McLain's estate to John McLain.
1831 John McLain's heirs to Dr. James Charlton and his widow, Nancy
Charlton; according to the former's will, the property subsequently went
to Samuel Charlton (in 1832), although tax records show that Nancy
paid the taxes for the brick house on this lot in 1834 (Harshbarger, 19).
1848 Deed November 6, 1848, recorded in Volume G2, Page 297.
Samuel J. Charlton
TO
Dr. Daniel Houtz.
1848 Deed December 11, 1848, recorded in Volume G2, Page 296.
Dr. Daniel Houtz
TO
71
DR. JAMES CHARLTON HOUSE
HABS No. PA-5398/Page 2
Nathaniel Watkins, Charles Huey, and Henry Grafuis (Trustees of Sons
of Temperance and I.O.O.F.).
1848 Deed December 11, 1848, recorded in Volume Q2, Page 477.
Nathaniel Watkins, Charles Huey, and Henry Grafius (Trustees of Sons
of Temperance and I.O.O.F.).
TO
Jacob Baker, et al.
1858 Deed January 10, 1858, recorded in Volume Q2, Page 475.
John W. Given, Robert Laird, and John Whittaker (Trustees of
Alexandria Division 134, the Sons of Temperance of Pennsylvania)
TO
Jacob Baker, Jacob Bellman and Dr. Daniel Houtz (Trustees of Hartslog
Lodge No. 286, I.O.O.F.).
1863 Deed March 6, 1863, recorded in Volume Q2, Page 478.
Jacob Baker, Jacob Bellman, Joseph Becker (Trustees for Hartslog Lodge
No. 28, I.O.O.F.)
TO
William Phillips.
1917 Deed February 17, 1917, recorded in Volume C6, Page 190.
Kepler Beck (Clerk of Orphans Court for William Phillips)
TO
John Phillips.
1917 Deed October 25, 1917, recorded in Volume E6, Page 79.
John Phillips
TO
Samuel Neff.
1943 Deed May 3, 1943, recorded in Volume B8, Page 413.
Ella M. McMahon et al. (F. and R. Lauder, N. Neff and G.I. Phillips)
TO
G.I. Phillips.
1952 Deed March 19, 1952, recorded in Volume B8, Page 413.
G.I. and Frances Phillips
TO
George Irwin and Francis Phillips.
1952-76 Various owners used the building as a dwelling as well as Phillip's
Fly and Tackle Company.
1976 Deed September 1, 1976, recorded in Volume 132, Page 695.
72
JAMES CHARLTON HOUSE
HABS No. PA-5398/Page 3
Wayne and Madalyn Talasky
TO
Philip J. Lukish.
3.
Original plans and construction: No original plans or drawings have been
located. According to an 1880-90 photograph, a Victorian porch with double
columns and a wooden balustrade was located on the front facade, at least in
the southwest corner, and possibly extending the full length of the south
facade.
4.
Alterations and additions: According to tax records, the north end of the ell
has been extended approximately 15'; a carport further increases this extension
northward.
B.
Historical Context: Harts Log Lodge No. 286, of the International Order of Odd
Fellows (I.O.O.F.), was instituted in Alexandria on January 15, 1848. That November,
Dr. Daniel Houtz purchased the lot on the corner of Bridge and Main streets from
Samuel Charlton, to serve as the lodge site. Other minor social groups existed at the
time, the largest being the Sons of Temperance, with whom the I.O.O.F. shared their
lodge until 1858.
A "secret society" of men, the I.O.O.F. numbered ninety members prior to the
Civil War. During the War, however, that number fell to sixteen. In 1863 the hall
was sold to William Phillips, and within a year the I.O.O.F. relinquished its charter.
In 1872 the lodge was reinstituted, and by 1881 it had twenty-eight members.
(Africa, 430). Deeds indicate the lodge may have been relocated to a structure near
the corner of Hartslog and Main streets, but no specific site has been determined.
William M. Phillips, of York, Pennsylvania, arrived in Alexandria as a teenager
in 1846. By 1862 he was engaged in merchandising in what was known at that time
as the Charlton Building (Africa, 427). In 1850 Phillips, age 25, is identified in the
census as a grocer. In 1870 the census includes a William Phillips, 44, who was a dry-
goods merchant possessing $12,000 in real estate, and $2,000 personal funds; in 1880
he again appears as a dry-goods merchant. In 1866 Phillips erected a brick store with
an attached dwelling (Harshbarger, 57). He was a citizen as well as leading merchant
in the county, having served on several occasions as school secretary and treasurer, as
well as town burgess (Africa, 431).
PART II. ARCHITECTURAL INFORMATION
A.
General Statement:
1.
Architectural character: This Federal-style L-plan building is an unusual
design, with off-center hall and entry highlighted by an ogee arch, as well as its
general large size.
2.
Condition of fabric: Good.
73
JAMES CHARLTON HOUSE
HABS No. PA-5398/Page 4
B.
Description of Exterior:
1.
Overall dimensions: Main block is 60' X 22'; the ell extends north about 38'.
2.
Foundation: Rough-cut stone.
3.
Wall construction: Brick.
4.
Structural system, framing: Load-bearing brick.
5.
Porches: The front door has a concrete landing with three treads approaching
from the west; a modern iron balustrade borders the east and south edges.
The rear, "interior" facades feature a full, wrapped wood porch with first- and
second-story decks, decorated supports, balustrades, an exterior stairway, and
bracketed eaves.
6.
Chimneys: The main block features interior double brick chimneys on the gable
ends; the north wall of the ell's gable includes a single interior brick chimney.
7.
Openings:
a.
Doorways and doors: The single wooden front door features a recessed-
panel decoration; it is set a deep 7" into the framing, which includes an
ornamental transom and flanking sidelights underneath dramatic ogee-
arch framing. The two doors on the west wall are also deeply set into
their sills and are topped by a one-light transom.
b.
Windows: All windows have been modernized to feature one-over-one-
light synthetic sash; originally they were six-over-six-light wood sash.
The front and side facades have nineteen such windows; there are
several more on the rear facades. Two quarter-circle windows flank the
west-end chimney.
8.
Roof:
a.
Shape, covering: Side-gabled with asphalt shingles.
b.
Cornice: Wood box cornice beneath rain gutter.
C.
Site: The James Charlton House sits on the northeast corner of Main and Bridge
streets, historically a busy intersection. Across the street, on the south, is the former
store whose owner occupied this structure. Diagonally to the southwest is a brick
structure that also served as a store. Across Bridge Street and to the east are
residences.
74
HISTORIC AMERICAN BUILDINGS SURVEY
ISRAEL GRAFIUS HOUSE
HABS No. PA-5399
Location:
The Israel Grafius House is located at 215 Main St., two lots east of the
northeast corner of Main and Bridge Streets, Alexandria, Porter Township,
Huntingdon County, Pennsylvania.
Present Owner: Esther Kling.
Present Use: Single-family dwelling.
Significance: The house is an elegant and well-preserved example of the formal Federal-style
dwelling type once common along Main Street. Prominently located in the
center of historic Alexandria, its architectural features such as portico, fanlight,
and double chimney are indicative of its occupation by prosperous merchant
Nicholas Cresswell during the second half of the nineteenth century.
PART I. HISTORIC INFORMATION
A.
Physical History:
1.
Date of erection: ca. 1826-34 (tax records).
2.
Original and subsequent owners: Israel Grafius House is located on lot No. 30
in the original borough plan. It fronts 60' on the south side of Main Street and
extends back 200', bordered on the east and west by other town lots with
residences.
The following is an incomplete chain of title to the land on which the
structure stands. Reference is to the Recorder of Deeds Office of the County of
Huntingdon, Pennsylvania.
1826 Deed July 18, 1826, recorded in Volume W1, Page 81.
George and Sophia Hyle
TO
Israel Grafius.
1830 Deed February 3, 1830, recorded in Volume W1, Page 82.
Israel and Elizabeth Grafius
TO
William Moore.
1830 Deed February 3, 1830, recorded in Volume W1, Page 83.
William and Rebecca Moore
TO
Joseph Adams.
75
ISRAEL GRAFIUS HOUSE
HABS No. PA-5399/Page 2
1830 Deed February 3, 1830, recorded in Volume W1, Page 84.
Joseph Adams
TO
Henry P. Dorsey.
1846 Deed November 30, 1846, recorded in Volume F2, Page 439.
John P. Dorsey et al. (heirs of Henry Dorsey)
TO
Nicholas Cresswell.
1901 Deed May 9, 1901, recorded in Volume R4, Page 425.
Eliza Barr et al. (heirs of Nicholas Cresswell)
TO
John Phillips.
1902 Deed July 1, 1902, recorded in Volume V4, Page 81.
John Phillips
TO
Dr. John M. Beck; the house was occupied by numerous tenants, even
after the property was inherited by Xopher Beck.
1960 Deed May 5, 1960, recorded in Volume 43, Page 337.
Union National Bank and Trust Company of Huntingdon (administrator
for Xopher Beck, who died June 22, 1958)
TO
James and Esther Kling.
3.
Original plans and construction: No original plans or drawings have been
located. The five-bay, center-hall plan originally had a slate roof (Huntingdon
County Historic Sites Survey).
4.
Alterations and Additions: A one-story brick wing was created out of the first-
floor rear portion of the gable-end porch at the northeast corner of the
building, ca. 1902. This was used as a doctor's office when Dr. John M. Beck
resided there. Later, a frame extension was added to the north wall of the
brick block. Inside, a bathroom has been installed under the west side of the
main stairway; its construction appears flimsy and impermanent.
B.
Historical Context: In 1826 this lot sold for $74, whereas in 1830 the property was
purchased by Henry Dorsey for $2,200, indicating the construction period. Nicholas
Cresswell, the longtime occupant, trained as a potter, but the 1850 census lists him as
a merchant, and a decade later he is identified as a farmer; in 1870 he is listed as a
retired merchant (Harshbarger, 47). In 1851 he served as president of the school
board; a portrait of Cresswell by local painter Jeremy Wilson (ca. 1840s) hangs in the
Alexandria library.
76
ISRAEL GRAFIUS HOUSE
HABS No. PA-5399/Page 3
PART II. ARCHITECTURAL INFORMATION
A.
General Statement:
1.
Architectural character: This five-bay, Federal-style house is built on a center-
hall plan with parapet ends and paired chimneys. A Classical Revival porch
located on the front and east sides of the house, as well as other details, reflect
a dwelling of noticeable high-style construction.
2.
Condition of the fabric: Fair.
B.
Description of Exterior:
1.
Overall dimensions: Approximately 40' X 32'.
2.
Foundations: Cut stone.
3.
Wall construction: Brick, with Flemish-bond coursing on the main facade.
4.
Structural system, framing: Load-bearing brick.
5.
Porches: The Classical Revival front porch has a very low slope and shed roof,
supported by four Doric columns with fluted shafts; the two front columns are
free-standing, the rear two are attached half-columns. The raised porch has a
brick base with wood treads and deck.
The east gable end features a one-story porch that has been partially
enclosed: similiar features include four full and two half columns; the
foundation is composed of brick piers. The hipped roof slope is normal, with
wide eaves. The remaining porch area is located in the front of this space,
including a wood baluster with simple supports. The rear portion of this 'porch'
has been bricked in to create the office room; this is accessed by a south door
off the porch.
A full shed-roofed porch extends across the north, rear facade that is
supported by five square posts with decorative molding.
6.
Chimneys: Double brick gable-end interior chimneys.
7.
Openings:
a.
Doorways and doors: The six-panel front door is flanked by three-light
sidelights and is topped by a semicircular decorated fanlight. The east
gable-end porch accesses the interior via double glazed French doors
topped by a single-light transom. The easternmost paneled wood back
door has a glazed upper section, topped by a three-light transom.
The door on the south face of the brick addition is a four-
paneled wood door with a single-light transom.
77
ISRAEL GRAFIUS HOUSE
HABS No. PA-5399/Page 4
b.
Windows: The first-story windows are nine-over-six-light double-hung
sash with simple wood casing; the second-story windows are six-over-six-
light. On the rear facade, the center second-story window is dropped
the height of one sash. The brick addition features one-over-one-light
and nine-over-six-light double-hung wood sash. All major windows
feature highly visible jack-arch lintels; the wood shutters are typically
four-paneled on the first floor and louvered on the second. Original
shutter hardware is extant.
8. Roof:
a.
Shape, covering: Gable roof with parapet ends; asphalt shingles have replaced
the original slate covering.
b.
Cornice: Four-stepped wooden cornice.
C.
Description of Interior:
1.
Floor plans:
a.
Cellar: A full cellar.
b.
First floor: Two rooms flank each side of the center hall. The
southeast corner contains the dining room, the northeast room the
kitchen. The west half of the house forms a double parlor, divided by a
squared off entryway that fills almost the entirety of this wall, and
flanked by two large Ionic columns. Classical molding extends the
length of the upper opening.
c.
Second floor: The second floor contains four large rooms originally
used as bedrooms. The northeast corner space has been converted into
a bathroom, according to the present owner, the first one in Alexandria.
2.
Stairways: The main, open-welled stairway leads north from the hall up the
east wall of the hall, turning south at the landing up to the second floor. This
is repeated between the second floor and attic. A closed-well stairway runs
from the northwest section of the upstairs bathroom, south along the west wall,
to turn into the southwest corner of the kitchen. A closed-well stairway runs
between the kitchen and cellar.
3.
Flooring: Wood, partially covered with linoleum.
4.
Wall and ceiling finish: Plaster and wallpaper.
5.
Doorways and doors: The door frames have bull's-eye moldings in the squared
corners. Doors on the first floor are six-paneled wood; the upstairs doors may
78
ISRAEL GRAFIUS HOUSE
HABS No. PA-5399/Page 5
be seven-paneled.
6.
Decorative features: The double-parlor opening is highly decorated with
columns and moldings. There are fireplaces in each room; all feature Classical
moldings except for the one in the southwest parlor, which is a marbled
Victorian design.
D.
Site: The Israel Grafius house is located near the east end of Main Street's north side,
very close to the bridge that crosses the Juniata River. Across the street to the west,
on the southeast corner, is a large brick residence that for many years served as a
store. Directly across the street is a bar. A large yard is on the west, while another
building lies only 1-1/2' from the west wall of the house.
Figure 3.12. Southwest/front facade.
79
HISTORIC AMERICAN BUILDINGS SURVEY
JOHN CRESSWELL HOUSE
HABS No. PA-5400
Location:
Situated 120' east from the southeast corner of High and Main streets, in the
southeasternmost corner of town, fronting Main Street in Alexandria, Porter
Township, Huntingdon County, Pennsylvania.
Present Owner: Robert Eugene Walters.
Present Use: Single-family dwelling.
Significance: The John Cresswell House is one of the few surviving buildings from the pre-
canal period. Also one of the few only remaining stone buildings in the
borough--and one of the earliest--it was conscientiously restored for the first
time in 1976. Cresswell, a merchant and contractor, occupied the house for
nearly fifty years, during which time the canal was built and in use.
PART I. HISTORICAL INFORMATION
A. Physical History:
1.
Date of erection: ca. 1816.
2.
Original and subsequent owners: The John Cresswell house lies south of Main
Street on lot Nos. 1, 2, and 38-1/2' of lot No. 3, fronting Main Street and
extending approximately 200' to the Juniata River on the south.
The following is an incomplete chain of title to the land on which the
structure stands. Reference is to the Recorder of Deeds Office of the County of
Huntingdon, Pennsylvania.
1815 Deed November 24, 1815, recorded in Volume P1, Page 20.
Thomas Rees
TO
John Cresswell.
1864 Deed April 2, 1864, recorded in Volume S2, Page 310.
John Cresswell
TO
Mary Ann Garland.
1897 Deed November 16, 1897, recorded in Volume N4, Pages 164-67.
David Garland et al. (Moses Garland's heirs) and Samuel Isenberg
TO
Mahlon M. Garland.
1900-76 Two owners occupied the structure as a dwelling.
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JOHN CRESSWELL HOUSE
HABS No. PA-5400/Page 2
1976 Deed December 22, 1976, recorded in Volume 134, Page 739.
Harry and Jewel Frazer
TO
Robert E. Walters.
3.
Original plans and construction: No original plans or drawings have been
located. The house is a side-hall plan, two rooms deep. A one-story stone ell
with gable roof and brick chimney was constructed at or about the same time
as the main block. The two upstairs rooms were probably bedrooms. The
large, front room downstairs was probably the living room/parlor; the rear
room probably the dining room/hall; and the ell, the kitchen.
4.
Alterations and additions: The house was probably unaltered until 1976 when
its restoration was undertaken to permit rehabitation. This process was well-
documented by the owner. The interior walls were moved inward
approximately 1' to accommodate insulation; the original walls were plaster on
stone. Existing baseboards and chair rails were replaced. The exterior,
originally stuccoed, is now bare stone.
The rear porch fell off and was rebuilt about 1976, in a design that
approximates its original appearance.
B.
Historical Context: Stone houses were common in early-nineteenth century
Pennsylvania, but not in Alexandria. The Cresswell House was built in the easternmost
corner of the borough, north of the Juniata River and south of the canal path. One
other residence occupied a lot to the west, perhaps the only other structure in the
area; although a tannery may have stood across Main Street, northeast of Cresswell's
house, it was gone by 1819.
Chairmaker Patrick Hayes was an apprentice to John Cresswell, the original
building owner; Hayes operated on his own from 1815 to about 1830, prior to other
mercantile and civic undertakings that include justice of the peace, county
commissioner, canal and bridge contracter, and general merchant.
PART II. ARCHITECTURAL INFORMATION
A.
General Statement:
1.
Architectural character: This is a three-bay Federal-style structure constructed of
stone on a side-hall plan.
2.
Condition of the fabric: Good.
B.
Description of Exterior:
1.
Overall dimensions: 22' X 35,' including the one-story ell.
2.
Foundations: Stone.
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JOHN CRESSWELL HOUSE
HABS No. PA-5400/Page 3
3.
Wall construction: Double stone with rubble-stone filling.
4.
Structural system, framing: The double walls have rubble-stone filling up to the
gable and diminish in width from bottom to top. (Interview with the current
owner who conducted the restoration.) The wall is 4' thick at the base, 3' at the
basement, 2-1/2' at the first floor, 2' at the second floor, and a single-wall
width at the gable. The walls recede at each floor to support the log floor
joists. Thus, the rooms at the top of the building are larger than those at the
bottom.
5.
Porches: The one-story rear ell that faces west has an extended, shed-roofed
frame porch under the secondary roof that wraps around the rear facade of the
dwelling.
6.
Chimneys: There are two interior gable-end brick chimneys; one on the east
gable, the other on the ell's south gable end.
7.
Openings:
a.
Doorways and doors: The front doorway is inset about 1-1/2' and the
door is a new wood panel; the boxing is original.
b.
Windows: The windows are new, with twelve-over-eight-light sash on
the first floor, six-over-six-light on the second story. Interior boxing is
about 1'.
8.
Roof:
a.
Shape, covering: Gable with asphalt shingles.
b.
Cornice: Simple boxed frame cornice.
C.
Description of Interior:
1.
Floor plans:
a.
Cellar: The cellar, a single large room extending the length and bredth
of the house, has a dirt floor.
b.
First floor: The entrance hall is about 5' wide and extends the full
depth of the main block. The space in the northeast corner is the living
room. Its fireplace features the original wood surround with modest and
shallow carved Federal ornament. A door leads from this room south
into the dining room, which is also accessible through the hallway. The
dining room also has a fireplace, though its mantel may not be original.
Beyond the dining room is the kitchen ell. A door under the main
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JOHN CRESSWELL HOUSE
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stairway leads to the cellar stairway.
2.
Stairways: The main stairway in the entrance hall is open-welled and runs
along the west wall to a landing, from which the stairway turns east, then
north up to the second level. It is made of cherry.
3.
Flooring: The interior woodwork is predominantly cherry. The floor boards, of
unequal widths running on a north-south axis, may also be cherry.
4.
Wall and ceiling finish: Plaster.
D.
Site:
1.
General setting: Close to the southeastern border of Alexandria and fronting on
Main Street, the house is bordered by the river to the south, an appliance shop
on the east, and by residences on the west and north. The canal, and later the
railroad, crossed Main Street just east of the Cresswell property.
2.
Landscaping, enclosures: The property includes a large lawn east of the house.
Figure 3.13. Northeast/front facade.
83
HISTORIC AMERICAN BUILDINGS SURVEY
DR. DANIEL HOUTZ HOUSE
HABS No. PA-5401
Location:
The house is situated on three lots west of Hartslog Street, on the south side of
Main Street, Alexandria, Porter Township, Huntingdon County, Pennsylvania.
Present Owner: William Swigart.
Present Use: Single-family dwelling.
Significance: This two-story brick residence is significant for its ownership by two important
figures in Alexandria's history: state Senator Harry McAteer, a lawyer who
introduced the first telephone line to Alexandria, and Dr. Daniel Houtz, a
physician and community leader who accumulated his wealth from timber in
Centre County. The formal, Federal-style residence is closely associated with
the nearby utilitarian building, the Dr. Houtz Office.
PART I. HISTORICAL INFORMATION
A.
Physical History:
1.
Date of erection: ca. 1845.
2.
Original and subsequent owners: The lot fronts the south side of Main Street
for 100', and extends back 200' to an alley, being the northern half of the
original lot No. 165, the entire lot No. 166, and the south 10' of lot No. 167.
The following is an incomplete chain of title to the land on which the
structure stands. Reference is to the Recorder of Deeds Office of the County of
Huntingdon, Pennsylvania.
1835 Dr. James Trimble owned the land with no buildings (Harshbarger, 19).
1840 Dr. Daniel Houtz owned the property (Harshbarger, "Historic
Alexandria")
1872 Deed July 8, 1872, recorded in Will Book 7, Page 329.
Daniel Houtz
TO
Clara Houtz McAteer (Daniel's daughter)
1951 Deed February 28, 1951, recorded in Volume O8, Pages 158-59.
Grange Trust Co. (trustee for Clara McAteer)
TO
William Swigart.
3.
Original plans and construction: No original plans or drawings have been
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DR. DANIEL HOUTZ HOUSE
HABS No. PA-5401/Page 2
located; floor plans drawn at the request of William Swigart are in his
possession. The house was originally a five-bay, Federal-style with a center
hall: two rooms symmetrically placed on the east side, and a large front room
on the west that may have extended the full depth of the house. The kitchen
was first in the cellar, where traces of it still remain. The second floor
contained bedrooms.
4.
Alterations and additions: Two photographs of the building, as well as
insurance records, in the possession of William Swigart indicate that a number
of additions and alterations have been made to the structure. Most occurred in
1876, a year after the estate was settled. The renovation may have been
planned for a few years prior to this, however, because additional insurance
was acquired in 1871.
In August 1888 "some addition has been made" to Clara McAteer's
house, according to the insurance policy. This included a frame ell, and a
porch that extended along the east and rear south walls. The ell burned in
February 1934, according to the present owner. The door shown in the
northeast corner of the east wall in a late-1800s photograph was remodeled
into a window soon after, and a bay window was constructed in the center of
the east wall to enhance the interior parlor space in the southeast corner of the
house. This window was allegedly designed for Dorthea Houtz McAteer, the
granddaughter of Daniel Houtz, who lived in the house until her death in 1950;
her mother, Clara, owned the property, however.
The fireplace mantels in the living room and the parlor were installed as
part of the 1888 remodeling; the mantel in the dining room is original. The
china cabinet with its glazed door, in the southeast corner of the living room, is
original, as is the one directly above in the master bedroom. The dining room
was the largest room in the house before the 1934 fire, extending the length of
the structure's west side. It was sectioned off to accommodate a kitchen in the
southwest corner of the house after the fire, according to Swigart.
In the original scheme, the kitchen was in the cellar--typical of the
1840s--where it remained until the 1888 renovation when moved to the frame
ell. The fountain, which is now behind the house, was originally on the west
side, and its relocation was probably part of the same renovation. At the same
time, McAteer changed the entrance from a single door to a double door.
Swigart returned the front entry to a one-door design after 1950.
The house was unpainted until at least 1895, according to a photograph
in the owner's possession.
B.
Historical Context: Dr. Daniel Houtz (1826-73) promoted the Alexandria community
as well as serving as local physician. He owned extensive acreage rich in coal deposits
and timber, and after the railroad passed through his Centre County property--which
occurred largely through Houtz's influence--he named the community that developed
into Houtzdale.
Houtz arrived in Alexandria in 1826 and married Susan Bucher, daughter of
Conrad Bucher, one of the wealthiest merchants in Alexandria. After buying some of
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DR. DANIEL HOUTZ HOUSE
HABS No. PA-5401/Page 3
the land from Dr. Trimble, he built the house on lot No. 166 as a home for his new
wife. Houtz opened Alexandria's first apothecary in 1828, perhaps inspired by his
father-in-law (Harshbarger, 27).
Dr. Houtz's investments and civic involvements were widespread. He owned an
interest in a sawmill on Clearfield Creek and land in Centre County, where he helped
develop the railroad line from Moshannon to Houtzdale. In 1835 he was elected to
the one-year position of school director; and in 1846 was appointed to head the group
charged with building a new school house. In 1857 and 1859 Houtz was a town
burgess, interrupting his time in that position in 1858 to serve as a state representative.
A member of the Presbyterian Church and one of its trustees for many years, Houtz
died in 1873 and is buried in the Presbyterian cemetery (Africa, 428-30). A stone in
the cemetery on which he is supposed to have often sat now bears his initials.
The Houtz estate included a spring about 150 yards north of the house and one
of a number of private sewage lines to the river prior to the arrival of municipal water
in Alexandria. At one time a water line also went into the cellar where there was a
butter-cooling trough, according to Swigart.
H.J. McAteer, who married Houtz's daughter and essentially became the second
owner of the house, was born in 1838 in West Township. He worked ten years for the
Pennsylvania Railroad Company (he's listed as a conductor as late as the 1870 census)
before being elected to the state legislature in 1869, and re-elected in 1870. In 1873
he became involved in the coal business in Clearfield County, and is listed in the 1880
census as a coal operator.
Like his father-in-law, McAteer was a member of the Presbyterian Church and
served as deacon in 1881 (Africa, 426). Apparently also trained as a lawyer, McAteer
is thought to have used the second building on this estate as his office (Interview with
William Swigart). In 1882 McAteer asked permission of the insurance company to
install a telephone line into the house, and in doing so introduced Alexander Graham
Bell's invention to Alexandria (insurance-policy documentation).
PART II. ARCHITECTURAL INFORMATION
A.
General Statement:
1.
Architectural character: The brick house is Federal-style, two stories, with a
five-bay facade.
2.
Condition of the fabric: Very good.
B.
Description of Exterior:
1.
Overall dimensions: 45' X 36'.
2.
Foundations: Rough-cut stone.
3.
Wall construction: Brick laid in Flemish-bond coursing.
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DR. DANIEL HOUTZ HOUSE
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4.
Structural system, framing: Load-bearing brick.
5.
Porches: The partial, frame front porch is 27' X 9', centered across the middle
three bays of the five-bay facade. The hipped roof features a cross-gable with
decorative woodwork. Two wood steps lead to the wood deck; the porch
balustrade features Victorian spindlework.
6.
Chimneys: There are four interior gable-end brick chimneys.
7.
Openings:
a.
Doorways and doors: The six-panel wood front door features a seven-
light transom, and three-light sidelights.
b.
Windows: The windows on the first story are one-over-one-light double-
hung sash, each flanked by three-panel shutters. The second-story
windows are six-over-six-light sash with louvered shutters. The west
and east sides feature attic windows. There is a header arch over the
second-story window in the northwest corner of the west wall, but not
over the one on the southwest corner. All feature brick jack-arch lintels.
8.
Roof:
a.
Shape, covering: Side gable with asbestos shingles.
b.
Cornice: The frame cornice is plain and wide.
C.
Description of Interior:
1.
Floor plans:
a.
First floor: Beyond the front door is the hall. An open-welled stairway
leads south to a landing. The back door to the west of the stairway
originally opened onto the back porch; it is now a walk-in closet.
The northeast space is the living room; the southeast room, the
parlor/study; the northwest corner contains the dining room; and the
southwest room contains the kitchen.
b.
Second floor: The second floor contains four large rooms in each
corner; the north-south hall axis is terminated at the former end by a
bathroom, on the latter by the main stairs. A shorter, perpendicular
hallway contains a bathroom and secondary stairs that lead to the attic.
All four main spaces were originally devoted to bedrooms.
At present the southwest corner is a workroom; the northwest
corner contains a bedroom; the northeast corner is the master bedroom;
and the southwest corner contains a study. The master bedroom has a
built-in cabinet with glazed doors, though plainer than the one in the
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DR. DANIEL HOUTZ HOUSE
HABS No. PA-5401/Page 5
living room. The northwest bedroom retains an original, shallow closet.
2.
Stairways: The main stair is an open well with two landings and twenty-three
treads leading south, west, and finally north. The attic access is a straight-run
stairway of nine treads.
3.
Flooring: Wood.
4.
Wall and ceiling finish: Plaster.
5.
Doorways and doors: The original doorways are wood with surrounds about 6"
wide and bulls'-eye corner blocks.
6.
Decorative features: In the corners of the living room and the master bedroom
there are built-in china closets of fairly elaborate woodwork; the plain glazed
doors are intact.
D.
Site:
1.
General setting: The Dr. Daniel Houtz House is located near the center of
Main Street, surrounded by residences on the north, east, and west sides, and
by fields on the south. The residences in this area are slightly grander than
those near the ends of Main Street. See DR. DANIEL HOUTZ OFFICE.
3.
Landscaping, enclosures: None, although a white-picket fence surrounded the
front yard in the late-nineteenth century.
Figure 3.14. Northeast/front facade.
88
HISTORIC AMERICAN BUILDINGS SURVEY
DR. DANIEL HOUTZ OFFICE
HABS No. PA-5402
Location:
The office is located three lots west of Hartslog Street, on the south side of
Main Street, Alexandria, Porter Township, Huntingdon County, Pennsylvania.
Present Owner: William Swigart.
Present Use: Single-family dwelling.
Significance: This one-and-a-half story building is significant for its ownership by two
important figures in Alexandria's history: state Senator Harry McAteer, a lawyer
who introduced the first telephone line to Alexandria, and Dr. Daniel Houtz, a
physician and community leader who accumulated his wealth from timber
harvesting in Centre County. The modest and utilitarian building is closely
associated with the nearby residence, the Daniel Houtz House.
PART I. HISTORICAL INFORMATION
A.
Physical History:
1.
Date of erection: ca. 1845.
2.
Original and subsequent owners: The lot fronts 100' on the south side of Main
Street and extends back 200' to an alley, being the northern half of the original
lot No. 165, the entire lot No. 166, and the southern 10' of lot No. 167.
The following is an incomplete chain of title to the land on which the
structure stands. Reference is to the Recorder of Deeds Office of the County of
Huntingdon, Pennsylvania.
1835 Dr. James Trimble owned the property with no buildings.
1840 Dr. Daniel Houtz owned the property, according to Jean Harshbarger.
1872 Deed July 8, 1872, recorded in Will Book 7, Page 329.
Daniel Houtz
TO
Clara Houtz McAteer.
1951 Deed February 28, 1951, recorded in Volume 08, Pages 158-59.
Grange Trust Co. (trustee) for Clara McAteer
TO
William Swigart.
3.
Original plans and construction: No original plans or drawings have been
located. The building, constructed as an office, was probably one large room
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DR. DANIEL HOUTZ OFFICE
HABS No. PA-5402/Page 2
with some division between the examining room and the waiting area, or two
separate rooms, one in the front section, and one in the back.
4.
Alterations and additions: There have been no major alterations or additions.
Of interest, however, is the fact that the facade/roof design resembles that of
the Presbyterian Church after its 1906 renovation.
B.
Historical Context: See DR. DANIEL HOUTZ HOUSE.
PART II. ARCHITECTURAL INFORMATION
A.
General Statement:
1.
Architectural character: This is a rectangular, utilitarian building with no
outstanding architectural character other than the parapet of the primary
facade, which approximates a mission-style roof line.
2.
Condition of the fabric: Good.
B.
Description of Exterior:
1.
Overall dimensions: 15' X 20'.
2.
Foundation: Cut stone.
3.
Wall construction: Brick laid in Flemish bond.
4.
Structural system, framing: Load-bearing brick.
5.
Porches: The front porch is composed of a modern metal shed roof supported
by two metal poles. Three concrete steps lead up to the front door. The porch
on the west facade has four concrete steps, a metal shed roof, and no railing.
6.
Chimneys: There is one undecorated chimney on the roof ridge near the south
gable end.
7.
Openings:
a.
Doorways and doors: There are two doors; both are glazed, wood doors
with two lower panels. The front door is located on the west side of
the two-bay facade. The side door is located on the southwest corner of
the west wall.
b.
Windows: A transom tops the front window, a double-hung one-over-
one-light wood sash. The upper half of the facade features three-over-
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DR. DANIEL HOUTZ OFFICE
HABS No. PA-5402/Page 3
three-light window.
8.
Roof:
a.
Shape, covering: The structure has a front-gabled roof with mission-
style parapet on the main facade; it is covered with asphalt shingles.
b.
Cornice: The corbeled cornice incorporates three brick courses.
D.
Site: The Dr. Daniel Houtz Office is located near the center of Main Street,
surrounded by residences on the north, east, and west sides, and by fields on the
south. Three lots to the east is the bank building. The residences in this area are
slightly grander than those elsewhere on Main Street.
Figure 3.15. Northwest/front facade.
91
HISTORIC AMERICAN BUILDINGS SURVEY
FRANCIS CONNOR HOUSE
HABS No. PA-5403
Location:
The building is located on the corner of Shelton Avenue and the eastern edge
of the southeastern corner of the town square, Alexandria, Porter Township,
Huntingdon County, Pennsylvania.
Present Owner: Raymond and Pamela Tononi.
Present Use: Multi-family dwelling.
Significance: The Francis Connor House exemplifies the type of large residential structures
that were built around the town square, several of which are extant. It is also
a good example of the board and batten cladding applied to Alexandria's
nineteenth-century buildings.
PART I. HISTORICAL INFORMATION
A.
Physical History:
1.
Date of erection: ca. 1856. Mary Gemmill owned a house on this site in 1826,
according to tax records. However, when Francis Conner acquired the land, it
is likely that he enlarged it or built anew on the lot in 1856, based on the tax
assessment, which indicates an increase in the land's value from $300 in 1855
to $600 the next year.
2.
Original and subsequent owners: The Francis Conner House sits on lot No. 51,
located on the south side of Shelton Avenue. The property fronts 60' of
Shelton Avenue on the north, and extends back 200'. The northwest corner of
the lot borders the diamond, or town square, while the southwest corner
borders another town lot. An alley borders the south and another town lot
borders the east side.
The following is an incomplete chain of title to the land on which the
structure stands. Reference is to the Recorder of Deeds Office of the County of
Huntingdon, Pennsylvania.
1823 Deed November 12, 1823, recorded in Volume W1, Page 577.
John and Elizabeth Brown
TO
Mary Gemmill.
1830 Deed December 22, 1830, recorded in Volume W1, Page 578.
Mary Gemmill
TO
James Rainey.
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FRANCIS CONNOR HOUSE
HABS No. PA-5403/Page 2
1834 The 1855 deed history notes that in 1834 a Mr. Rainey deeded the
property to John Scott.
1855 Deed March 16, 1855, recorded in Volume L2, Page 254.
John and George Scott (sons, executors for John Scott)
TO
Francis Connor.
1873 Deed May, 26, 1873 recorded in Volume E3, Page 384.
Francis Connor
TO
Mary Bauslaugh.
1880 Deed February 16, 1880, recorded in Volume L3, Page 320.
David Miller and Calvin Bauslaugh (administrators for Mary Bauslaugh)
TO
Henrietta Miller.
1904 Deed June 13, 1904, recorded in Volume Z4, Page 200.
Henrietta and David Miller
TO
J. Calvin Mierley.
1976 Will recorded in Will Book 26, Page 182.
J. Calvin Mierley
TO
Helen Mierley (wife).
1983 Deed December 20, 1983, recorded in Volume 174, Page 598.
Helen Mierley
TO
Raymond and Pamela Tononi.
3.
Original plans and construction: No original plans or drawings have been
located. The seven-bay, side-facing L-plan structure is frame with board-and-
batten and horizontal siding, on the south and north facades, respectively. An
(early) undated photograph indicates that at one time the house had two
interior brick chimneys, and a five-bay west facade with a frame porch over the
central door; it also featured five or six steps leading north up to the porch,
shutters, and what appears to be two-over-two-light sash. Three cellar windows
are present on this west wall, one under the northernmost bay; the other two
are uncentered under the two southernmost bays.
4.
Alterations and additions: The west end of the building has horizontal frame
siding and was possibly added ca. 1906 (Huntingdon County Historic Sites
Survey form). The assumption that the two east bays of the main block are the
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FRANCIS CONNOR HOUSE
HABS No. PA-5403/Page 3
added portion is supported by two visual factors: foremost, the use of
horizontal weatherboard siding, which was commonly used later than the 1860-
70s vertical board and batten that covers the stacked-plank walls used for the
other five bays; and, the irregular spacing between these two areas of the
building on the rear facade, whereby the rhythm of the windows is disrupted.
A small shed-like, one-story building is attached to the south end of the
ell, with a hipped roof and board and batten siding. This is probably
contemporary with the rest of the board and batten section of the house.
A narrow, exterior brick chimney has been installed between the two
northernmost bays on the west wall.
B.
Historical Context: In the early nineteenth century, private landowners often initiated
the development of town grids. In Pennsylvania, the plans often included open squares
or "diamonds," at a primary intersection, designed for practical uses such as parking
wagons and market areas, particularly if a tavern or inn was nearby. These diamonds
also acted as centers of social activity, and thus the land around them was considered
prime real estate--sometimes fetching more money than even the houses along the
Main Street (Stotz, 29). In Alexandria, the lots around the diamond were the most
expensive in town. For this reason it is supposed that some of the wealthiest citizens
chose to live on them; although in Alexandria, this is not necessarily borne out.
Francis Connor, who occupied the house from 1855-73, is identified in the 1860
census as a carman--possibly referring to a position with the railroad. As of two years
earlier, he also owned an interest in the Alexandria brewery (Harshbarger, notes).
PART II. ARCHITECTURAL INFORMATION
A.
General Statement:
1.
Architectural character: The house is a large, vernacular two-story building
distinguished by two wood siding materials and an apparent series of additions
and alterations.
2.
Condition of the fabric: Good.
B.
Description of exterior: This structure is a two-story L-plan with seven bays on the
long facade and five bays on the ell. It features a board and batten exterior finish atop
a stacked plank diagonal lath, combined with the addition of horizontal weatherboard.
The house has a number of unusual features: There are six fireplaces, the
west-end walls are constructed of stacked plank (Harshbarger, notes), and the windows
operate on a lever system (Huntingdon County Historic Sites Survey form). Two front
doors are set asymmetrically into the north facade.
1.
Overall dimensions: The main block is 54' X 41'.
2.
Foundation: Stone.
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FRANCIS CONNOR HOUSE
HABS No. PA-5403/Page 4
3.
Wall construction: Board and batten siding on the west end of the house;
horizontal weatherboard siding on the east end.
4.
Structural system, framing: Frame and stacked plank.
5.
Porches: The house features three porches, none of which are completely
original. A partial, one-story off-center porch (28' X 8') protects four openings
on the main (north) facade, including two doors; its hipped roof with deep
moulded cornice is supported by four plain, wood Doric columns on a raised
deck. The side porch (20' X 6') is nearly identical, although it is raised higher
and is centered over only three bays, including one door; it also features a
simple balustrade that retains a mismatch of turned and infill spindles. A
wrapped porch along the rear south and east facades is raised and has a shed
roof; it is considerably less formal than the other two, with informal wood
supports and horizontal rails.
6.
Chimneys: There are two brick chimneys: a ridge chimney in the main block,
between the fifth and sixth bay, and a new exterior chimney on the west wall.
7.
Openings:
a.
Doorways and doors: There are at least four doors, most of which
appear to be at least somewhat modernized.
b.
Windows: All windows are two-over-two-light double-hung wood sash.
8.
Roof:
a.
Shape, covering: Gable roof with asphalt shingles.
b.
Cornice: The raked wood cornice is very deep.
D.
Site: The house stands on the southeast corner of the town's diamond--once a center
of Alexandria activity, but now simply a grassy open space. It is surrounded by
residential lots to the east and across Shelton Avenue on the north; to the south,
beyond the large and sheltered back yard, lies an alley and, directly beyond that, the
old canal embankment.
95
HABS No. PA-5403/Page
Figure 3.16. Southeast/front and side facades.
HISTORIC AMERICAN BUILDINGS SURVEY
SOLOMON BAKER HOUSE
HABS No. PA-5404
Location:
The Solomon Baker house is located on the north side of Shelton Avenue, three
lots west of High Street in Alexandria, Porter Township, Huntingdon County,
Pennsylvania.
Present Owner: Charles Brenneman.
Present Use: Single-family dwelling.
Significance: The house that Solomon Baker erected about mid-century and occupied for a
decade represents a large residence with late-Federal characteristics
overshadowed by Victorian elements that were added late in the century--a
common pattern of architectural amalgamation as the canal activities of this
period attracted money and taste to Alexandria.
PART I. HISTORICAL INFORMATION
A.
Physical History:
1.
Date of erection: ca. 1846. According to 1846 tax records, Solomon Baker was
taxed for a $600 "new house," which was not in records of the previous year.
2.
Original and subsequent owners: Lot Nos. 74 and 75 in the original plan for
Alexandria front 120' on the south side of Shelton Avenue, and extend north
200' to an alley.
The following is an incomplete chain of title to the land on which the
structure stands. Reference is to the Recorder of Deeds Office of the County of
Huntingdon, Pennsylvania.
1843 Deed March 27, 1843, recorded in Volume F2, Page 310.
Thomas B. and Margaret Ann Patterson
TO
Solomon Baker.
1853 Deed August 16, 1853, recorded in Volume 12, Page 470.
William Zeigler, Sheriff
TO
Mary Neff.
1889 Deed January 1889, recorded in Volume W3, Page 292.
Heirs of Mary Neff
TO
Samuel Hatfield.
1921 Deed December 3, 1921, recorded in Volume P6, Page 544.
97
SOLOMAN BAKER HOUSE
HABS No. PA-5404/Page 2
Samuel Hatfield Jr. (executor for Samuel Hatfield Sr.)
TO
Mary Stryker (Hatfield Sr.'s daughter).
1958 Deed December 17, 1958, recorded in Volume 36, Page 151.
Mabel S. and Chalmers Brumbaugh; Mary S. and Henry Conner; Annie
Black; Ella S. Phillips, guardian of Eliabeth Neff Stryker (incompetent)
TO
Charles D. and Betty Brenneman.
3.
Original plans and construction: No original plans or drawings have been
located. Built as a two-story, five-bay residence, the interior was probably
arranged on a center-hall plan.
4.
Alterations and additions: Stained-glass windows around the front door and
over the main stairwell on the north wall were probably added in the late
1800s when many Alexandria houses were updated using Victorian details. The
three-sided bay window on the south facade and heavily bracketed front porch
were also added at this time, based on their design.
A wood porch has been recently added to the second floor, rear facade,
supported by cinder-block piers, at least at the northeast corner. A cinder-block
chimney on the northeast gable slope of the east wall is also new.
B.
Historical Context: In 1847 Jacob Baker sued Samuel Baker for work and material on
a two-story frame dwelling, valued at $561; Jacob Baker had a mechanic's lien on the
property. When Mary Neff gained title to the property in the 1880s, according to a
local historian, a relative of hers built a Victorian house on the adjacent lot, which
probably accounts for the addition of Victorian details to that structure (Harshbarger,
interview).
PART II. ARCHITECTURAL INFORMATION
A.
General Statement:
1.
Architectural character: This is a five-bay, Federal-style structure that has been
updated through the addition of Victorian elements.
2.
Condition of the fabric: Fair.
B.
Description of Exterior:
1.
Overall dimensions: The main block is approximately 40' X 25'; the single-story
addition, 12' X 20'.
2.
Foundations: Stone.
98
SOLOMAN BAKER HOUSE
HABS No. PA-5404/Page 3
3.
Wall construction: Wood covered with synthetic or aluminum siding.
4.
Structural system, framing: Frame.
5.
Porches: A one-story, partial front porch shelters the central three bays; the
hipped roof is supported by six Victorian turnposts with extravagant brackets.
6.
Chimneys: One interior gable-end chimney remains on the east end; its mate
on the west gable fell off, according to the Huntingdon County Historic Society
survey form.
7.
Openings:
a.
Doorways and doors: The wood front door features a three-light
stained-glass transom and four-light flanking sidelights.
b.
Windows: The first- and second-story windows are a mix of six-over-six-
light and one-over-one-light wood sash; the latter replacing the former.
The only variation from this scheme are the six-light attic windows and
the tall, round-topped windows in the Victorian bay, two-over-two-light
and one-over-one-light sash.
8.
Roof:
a.
Shape, covering: Side-gabled covered with asbestos shingles.
b.
Cornice: Wood box cornice.
C.
Site: The Solomon Baker House is situated in a residential neighborhood in the
northeast end of town. It is bounded on the rear by a public alley.
99
HISTORIC AMERICAN BUILDINGS SURVEY
THOMPSON CARRIAGE HOUSE
(Kilmarnock Hall Carriage House)
HABS No. PA-5405
Location:
Lot No. 108, west of Church Street between an alley and the canal, Alexandria,
Porter Township, Huntingdon County, Pennsylvania.
Significance: Kilmarnock Hall, of which only this carriage house remains, was the grand
summer residence of William Thompson (1823-1921), a philanthropic
Alexandrian who made a fortune in the western Pennsylvania oil fields.
Description: Two-story frame structure with primary gable roof and two cross gables with
exaggerated eaves supported by decorated brackets; ornament is provided by
stylized, false half-timbering. The main facade features two single-door entries
and a second-story paneled door situated like an implied hay hood. An
assortment of irregular window sash include sixteen-over-two-light, six-over-six-
light, and twelve-light decorated atop two-over-two-light sash; a decorated
semicircular opening sits above the second-story door.
History:
Kilmarnock Hall was built by the Reverend James Thompson, named after the
county in Ireland from which his family emigrated. Thompson owned it until
1831; from 1831 until 1910 it belonged to his heirs, including William
Thompson, who lived there sporadically during most of his life. Sometime after
1875 the younger Thompson remodeled the house and used it as a summer
residence (Harshbarger, 75). William E. Hoffman then acquired the property,
and he deeded it to the present owner. According to him, a carriage house
existed in the north section of this present lot during the mid-nineteenth
century canal operation, which served as a rest stop for canal horses and mules.
Due to its architectural styling, however, this is probably a new or remodeled
building, attributable to Thompson after his return. A 1979 fire destroyed the
accompanying house.
Sources:
Africa, J. Simpson. History of Huntingdon and Blair Counties, Pennsylvania.
Philadelphia: Louis H. Everts, 1883.
Alexandria Borough tax records, 1859 to 1873, Huntingdon County Historical
Society and Huntingdon County Courthouse.
Harshbarger, Jean P., Nancy R. Taylor, Sara H. Zabriskie, and F.R. Zabriskie.
Hartslog Heritage. State College, Pennsylvania: K-B Offset Printing, Inc., 1975;
p. 75.
Huntingdon County Deed Books and Probate Records, Huntingdon County
Courthouse, Huntingdon, Pennsylvania.
Historian:
Karen Genskow, NPS Project Historian, August 1988.
100
Figure 3.17. HABS No. PA-5405: Thompson Carriage House, northeast/front facade.
Figure 3.18. HABS No. PA-5406: Pennsylvania Canal Lockkeeper's House, northwest-northeast facades.
101
HISTORIC AMERICAN BUILDINGS SURVEY
PENNSYLVANIA CANAL LOCKKEEPER'S HOUSE
HABS No. PA-5406
Location:
On the southeast corner of Hartslog Street and Shelton Avenue, Alexandria,
Huntingdon County, Pennsylvania.
Present Owner: Warren and Rebecca Itinger.
Present Use: Single-family dwelling.
Significance: This structure was the only lockkeeper's house constructed in Alexandria, where
the lockkeeper was responsible for two locks, No. 49 and No. 50, which flanked
the dwelling. It is also the only building constructed at an angle to the regular
street grid, to accommodate the canal path, which it originally fronted. As
such, it is the single-most important building in the context of canal
maintenance in Alexandria.
PART I. HISTORICAL INFORMATION
A.
Physical History:
1.
Date of erection: ca. 1832.
2.
Original and subsequent owners: The house is located on lot No. 20, the
corner of Hartslog Street and the canal, thence by the line formerly of the canal
N 68° W 60' to a post, thence S 32° W 97.5' to Shelton Avenue. Thence S 68°
E 60' by Shelton Avenue to the corner of Hartslog Street, and by Hartslog
Street N 32° E 97.5' to the beginning.
The following is an incomplete chain of title to the land on which the
structure stands. Reference is to the Recorder of Deeds Office of the County of
Huntingdon, Pennsylvania.
1835 Deed December 30, 1835, recorded in Volume Y1, Page 321.
Robert McClelland
TO
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
1875 Deed December 31, 1875, recorded in Volume X3, Page 402.
Pennsylvania Canal Company
TO
William P. Robison.
1876 Deed May 19, 1876, recorded in Volume X3, Page 404.
William P. Robison
TO
John H. Robinson.
102
PENNSYLVANIA CANAL LOCKKEEPER'S HOUSE
HABS No. PA-5406/Page 2
1890 Deed September 15, 1890, recorded in Volume Y3, Page 230.
John H. Robinson
TO
William M. Phillips.
1903 Deed June 24, 1903, recorded in Volume W4, Page 232.
William M. Phillips
TO
George A. Trimmer.
1909-50 The building was occupied by various owners as a dwelling.
1950 Deed April 25, 1950, recorded in Volume X8, Page 33.
Walter C. Feagley
TO
Warren and Rebecca Itinger.
3.
Original plans and construction: No original plans or drawings have been
located. Old photographs and present condition indicate that the house was
originally two stories tall with a front-facing gable; the front door was set in
the western corner of the south facade, looking south and fronting the canal.
The interior may have been a side-hall plan, two rooms deep.
4.
Alterations and additions: At some point the front door was installed in the
west facade, reorienting the house to face Hartslog Street. Another door stands
in the northeast corner of the second story on the gable end, facing northeast.
This probably dates to the original construction and accessed a porch that was
once attached to the rear of the house. A two-story shed addition with a brick
chimney was also amended to the southeast corner of the building.
A one-story wood porch wraps around the south, west, and north
facades. A frame porch with a Victorian balustrade once extended across the
front facade, depicted in an early, undated photograph as a partial, dropped or
extended roof on the south facade.
A one-story wood garage measuring 27' X 13' has been added to the
northeast corner of the building. An above-ground swimming pool is situated
south of the house.
Remnants of a stone foundation exist on the northeast corner of the
building, which extend east approximately 10'. A late-nineteenth century
photograph reveals a ridge chimney that no longer exists.
B.
Historical Context: The house was undoubtedly erected by the Pennsylvania Canal
Company after it obtained deed to the land in 1835, gable-front oriented to
accommodate the canal's diagonal alignment through Alexandria. No other building in
town violates the rectangular town grid. The occupant of this company-owned, rent-
free house was responsible for two locks, No. 49 and No. 50, one on either side of
Hartslog Street north of the alley between First and Second streets.
103
PENNSYLVANIA CANAL LOCKKEEPER'S HOUSE
HABS No. PA-5406/Page 3
Census records identify some of the resident locktenders. In 1850 it was W.
Mealy, 53; a decade later a young man aged 17, Thomas Madow, tended the locks. In
1870 the last locktender listed is Perry Robinson, 58, who is most likely William P.
Robinson, the last owner of the house.
In 1875, after the canal closed, the house became a private residence. William
Phillips, a grain-buyer and commission merchant from York, Pennsylvania, came to
Alexandria; prior to acquiring the house--which had lacked a lockkeeper for fifteen
years in 1890--he was a leading citizen in Alexandria. In 1862 he was engaged in
merchandising from the Charlton Building, and by 1868 Phillips was a leading
merchant in the county. In 1868-69 he served as secretary of the Alexandria school
board, and was its treasurer in 1881 (Africa, 427).
Phillips was politically active, as well. In 1861, 1864-65, and 1879, he was a
town burgess (Africa, 431). He lived in the former Odd Fellows lodge (HABS No. PA-
5398), though he owned other properties in town, including the lockkeeper's house.
PART II. ARCHITECTURAL INFORMATION
A.
General Statement:
1.
Architectural character: The house is gable-end, two-story, of frame with two
bays on the short (formerly main) facade and three bays on the long (presently
main) facade.
2.
Condition of the fabric: Fair, with numerous additions and alterations.
B.
Description of Exterior:
1.
Overall dimensions: The building is an L-plan, taking into account three
additions: the main block is 32' by 18'; the shed, 20' by 12'; and the garage,
27' by 13'.
2.
Foundations: Stone and brick.
3.
Wall construction: Frame with horizontal siding.
4.
Structural system, framing: Wood frame.
5.
Porches: A one-story, 7'-deep frame porch wraps around the north, south, and
west facades. A partial porch on the south facade no longer exists.
6.
Chimneys: One chimney is located on the east end of the shed addition on the
east wall, in the northeast corner of the house.
7.
Openings:
a.
Doorways and doors: The original front facade was the south facade,
104
PENNSYLVANIA CANAL LOCKKEEPER'S HOUSE
HABS No. PA-5406/Page 4
facing the canal. That wood door is now the southwest bay; the present
front door is located in the southern bay of the west facade.
b.
Windows: One-over-one-light wood sash; no shutters. Two windows on
the second story, and two or three on the first story.
8.
Roof:
a.
Shape, covering: Originally a gable front; now a side-facing gable with
asphalt shingles.
b.
Cornice: Wood boxed cornice.
C.
Description of Interior:
1.
Floor plans:
a.
First floor: A living room occupies the full width of the south wall. A
second room extends from the center to the north wall, which serves as
the present hall. At the back of this room is the stairway to the second
floor. The kitchen is located in the northeast frame addition.
2.
Stairways: The main, wood stairway rises a few treads up to the east, then
turns with a landing and rises along the east wall, north.
3.
Wall and ceiling finish: Plastered.
4.
Doorways and doors: Two first-floor doors and one on the second story.
D.
Site:
1.
General setting: The house is situated in what is now a predominantly
residential area. Originally, however, an inn was across Hartslog Street to the
west; the Presbyterian Church was built across the street to the north; to the
south was the canal bed, and beyond that, the library; to the east is another
residence. All except the library are contemporary to this building.
2.
Landscaping, enclosures: There is a sizeable side yard north of the house. A
gravel driveway leads to the garage from Shelton Avenue.
105
HISTORIC AMERICAN BUILDINGS SURVEY
THOMAS STEWART HOUSE
(Shelter Inn/Canal Inn)
HABS No. PA-5408
Location:
The Thomas Stewart House is located west of the intersection of Hartslog Street
and Shelton Avenue, Alexandria, Porter Township, Huntingdon County,
Pennsylvania.
Present Owner: Gladys and Elmer Huggler.
Present Use: Single-family residence.
Significance: This residence facing the canal route was owned by Robert Lytle and for many
years served as the Shelter Inn, a tavern that catered to canal--and perhaps
later, railroad--travelers. It is one of the oldest buildings in town, notable for
its placement away from Main Street and the turnpike.
PART I. HISTORICAL INFORMATION
A.
Physical History:
1.
Date of erection: ca. 1804. Tax records show that in 1804 the Stewarts were
taxed for a house. Also, a letter written by Jane Woolverton when the inn was
sold gives its history and the 1804 construction date (Interview with Jean
Harshbarger). In 1867 deeds first mention the building as having been
"formerly a hotel."
2.
Original and subsequent owners: The lot is located on a tract east of the
corner of Hartslog Street and Shelton Avenue, extending westward to the east
end of what was formerly a 12' alley, thence south along said strip to the right-
of-way of the Petersburg Branch of the Pennsylvania Railroad Company to the
west side of Hartslog Street.
The following is an incomplete chain of title to the land on which the
structure stands. Reference is to the Recorder of Deeds Office of the County of
Huntingdon, Pennsylvania.
1816 Deed March 23, 1816, recorded in Volume P1, Page 46.
Elizabeth Gemmill
TO
Thomas and Ann Stewart (daughter).
1826 Deed April 16, 1826, recorded in Volume U1, Page 282.
Thomas Stewart
TO
Robert Lytle.
1867 Deed 1867, recorded in Volume D3, Page 136.
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THOMAS STEWART HOUSE
HABS No. PA-5408/Page 2
Robert Lytle (Orphan's Court)
TO
Dr. Tobias Harnish.
1897 Will recorded in Will Book 15, Page 84.
Tobias Harnish (died May 13, 1897)
TO
Lettie Harnish.
1901 Deed July 25, 1901, recorded in Volume R4, Page 456.
Letitia Harnish
TO
William Woolverton.
1921 Deed February 14, 1921, recorded in Volume S6, Page 355.
Edith Beaver Woolverton, et al.
TO
William H. Baker.
1932 Deed December 28, 1932, recorded in Volume L7, Page 315.
Blanche Putt
TO
William and Celia M. Baker.
1964 Deed September 14, 1964, recorded in Volume 62, Page 365.
Frances P. Baker (executor for William S. Baker)
TO
Donald B. English.
1971 Deed August 2, 1971, recorded in Volume 98, Page 51.
Donald B. English
TO
Gladys and Elmer Huggler.
3.
Original plans and construction: No original plans or drawings have been
located. The structure was designed to front south, and did when the canal
and railroad came through Alexandria. Originally the house was a three-bay
side-hall plan with the front door on the southwest corner. The two
westernmost bays were added shortly after the building was constructed, about
1804. The cellar is contained under the east section of the building. The wall
between the hall and the west rooms--historically an exterior wall--is about 1'
thick. This wall has reportedly been removed at the attic level; perhaps carried
out at the time of the addition.
Originally a bank barn and springhouse were part of the complex.
4.
Alterations and Additions: A two-story frame ell has been added to the north,
107
THOMAS STEWART HOUSE
HABS No. PA-5408/Page 3
rear wall corner of the house; this is wrapped with a one-story shed-roofed
porch. The entirety of this addition serves to reorient the house to front on to
Shelton Avenue, from its original position facing the canal. The front door now
occupies a former, central window bay. The original doorway opening is extant
on the south side, which now holds a modern, aluminum door.
The interior has been altered dramatically. A bathroom now separates
the south and north sections of the hall, creating a small foyer for what is now
the front entry on the north side of the structure.
According to the Huntingdon County Historic Sites Survey, the stairs to
the second floor have been partially enclosed, and the position of the stairway
to the third floor changed. Both may have been open originally.
A late-nineteenth-century porch has been removed.
The original wooden window casings on the first floor, south facade,
have been replaced with a synthetic material. No shutters remain, but the
shutter hardware does.
B.
Historical Context: In 1816 Elizabeth Gemmill, founder of Alexandria, deeded this land
to her daughter, Ann, and son-in-law, Thomas, who had apparently been living on it
for some time (Harshbarger, 32). She also deeded the tannery lot east of the house,
and "the privilege of continuing the conduit for water from the upper spring as it now
passes to the tanyard. (Gemmill's deed). The tanyard was passed among several
owners until 1826 when the sheriff sold it to Robert Lytle.
Robert Lytle operated a public house, the Shelter Inn, during the canal era, as
well as working as a tanner (Africa, 427). It is probable that this building was
converted from a house into an inn about 1830 in anticipation of the canal, although
no mention of it as such is documented until 1867. Lytle was in the tanning business
with Robert Stitt Sr., who lived on Shelton Avenue, while Alexander Stitt lived a block
away on Main Street; together Lytle and the younger Stitt advertised for green hides.
Lytle later deeded to Alexander Stitt's son, Robert, the tanyard, outbuildings, and
springhouse.
Dr. Tobias Harnish, the buildings' owner during the last quarter of the
nineteenth century, practiced medicine in Water Street before moving to Alexandria
(Africa, 430). His Alexandria residence in the late 1800s was on Main Street, so it is
likely that he rented the tavern to a resident innkeeper.
The Shelter Inn was erroneously called the Shelton Inn in 1971, after a
misderivation or misspelling of the street name, Shelton Avenue.
PART II. ARCHITECTURAL INFORMATION
A.
General Statement:
1.
Architectural character: Side-gabled, double pile.
2.
Condition of the fabric: Good, although there is indication of structural stress.
B.
Description of Exterior:
108
THOMAS STEWART HOUSE
HABS No. PA-5408/Page 4
1.
Overall dimensions: The house is 45' X 32'; the addition from 12' to 38'.
2.
Foundation: Stone.
3.
Wall construction: Brick laid in Flemish bond with a stringcourse between the
cellar and the ground floor.
4.
Structural system, framing: Load-bearing brick.
5.
Porches: A large shed-roofed porch has been added to the north facade, into
which is constructed a two-story frame ell.
6.
Chimneys: One interior brick chimney remains on the east gable end; in
addition to which there is a newer brick exterior chimney.
7.
Openings:
a.
Doorways and doors: The original, single front door centered on the
south facade is a synthetic replacement, as is the door on the north
facade. The opening, however, features flanking three-light sidelights.
b.
Windows: Six-over-six-light double-hung sash.
8.
Roof:
a.
Shape, covering: Side-gable with asbestos shingles.
b.
Cornice: Wood boxed cornice.
C.
Description of Interior:
1.
Floor plans:
a.
Cellar: Some bark is visible on the log walls of the cellar.
b.
First floor: The southeast corner (family room) space and northeast
kitchen each contain a fireplace on the east gable wall; an open
doorway connects them. Another doorway on the kitchen's west wall
leads into the present front hall, which is divided from the rest of the
original hall by a modern bathroom. The stairway leads up the west
wall to the second floor.
The southwest corner living room and southeast corner dining
room also contain a fireplace on their west walls, and open into each
other and the extremities of the hall space.
2.
Stairways: The stairs to the second floor have been partially enclosed, and the
109
THOMAS STEWART HOUSE
HABS No. PA-5408/Page 5
position of the stairway to the third floor has been reoriented, according to the
current owner. Both may have originally been open.
3.
Wall and ceiling finish: Plaster.
4.
Doorways and doors: The west section of the second floor is 8" higher than
this level of the original, east end.
5.
Decorative features: The original chair rails have been removed. One original
fireplace mantel remains in a bedroom.
D.
Site: General Setting: The old Shelter Inn building is located on a large lot on the
north edge of Alexandria's grid plan. While there are residences across Shelton Avenue
to the north, they are spaced farther apart than those on Main Street. The
Presbyterian Church is on the northeast corner of Hartslog Street and Shelton Avenue.
South of the house is a steep embankment that once led to the canal, and later to the
railroad bed. The current fire station lies below the embankment on the other side of
what is now the filled-in canal bed. Landscaping, enclosures: A hedge bounds the
property on the east flank.
Figure 3.19. Southwest/front facade.
110
HISTORIC AMERICAN BUILDINGS SURVEY
HENRY WILLIBRAND BREWERY
HABS No. PA-5409
Location:
700 Block, Main Street, Alexandria, Porter Township, Huntingdon County,
Pennsylvania.
Present Owner: William L. and Nancy B. Howe.
Present Use: Apartment building.
Significance: The Willibrand Brewery was one an important commercial enterprise in
Alexandria from the inception of the canal era until at least mid-century, into
the period dominated by the railroad. It reflects the lucrative brewing and
distilling industry that thrived in Pennsylvania into the early twentieth century.
Although the building has been adapted for residential use, it is one of the few
buildings in the borough that serves as a reminder of its industrial heritage.
PART I. HISTORICAL INFORMATION
A.
Physical History:
1.
Date of erection: ca. 1824 or ca. 1833; in 1824 Henry Willibrand advertised
his brewery in Alexandria. He may have been renting from the previous owner,
James Trimble, or the brewery could have been located elsewhere in Alexandria,
since Willibrand did not gain title to the land until 1829.
In 1833 he advertised his brewery again: Either Willibrand tore down
the existing facility to build anew, or he made additions to it.
2.
Original and subsequent owners: The building is set 80' back from the street,
situated on two lots that front 120' on the south side of Main Street, and
extend back 180' to an alley. It is located in the western end of the borough,
two lots from the southwestern boundary line.
The following is an incomplete chain of title to the land on which the
structure stands. Reference is to the Recorder of Deeds Office of the County of
Huntingdon, Pennsylvania.
1829 Deed 1829, recorded in Volume F2, Page 263.
Dr. James Trimble and wife
TO
Henry Willibrand.
1835 Henry Willibrand is first listed in the tax records of Porter Township,
Huntingdon County, as owning "1 Brewery and 2 lots."
1840 Deed September 1, 1840, recorded in Volume F2, Page 264.
Henry Willibrand (Orphans Court docket)
TO
111
HENRY WILLIBRAND BREWERY
HABS No. PA-5409/Page 2
Henry and John Fockler (John later sold his half to Henry).
1856 Deed May 2, 1856, recorded in Volume M2, Page 147.
Henry Fockler
TO
Philip M. Piper and Nicholas Isenberg.
1864 According to Harshbarger, in August or September 1864, an article in
the Huntingdon Globe noted that E.O. Colder has purchased the interest
of T. Newell in this establishment and it would henceforth operate as
E.O. Colder and Company. No deed was found to support this.
1873 Deed February 22, 1873, recorded in Volume D3, Page 420.
Samuel T. and Sarah J. Brown, and John M. Bailey and Lettie F. Bailey
TO
Jacob Hoffman (one-third), G. Estep (one-third), B. Neff (one-third).
1877 Estep and Hoffman's combined two-thirds interest was deeded to Robert
E. Speer, probably on April 18, 1877, but the records are unclear.
1879 Deed April 21, 1879, recorded in Volume M4, Page 346.
Benjamin Neff (one-third)
TO
Peter Harnish.
1898 Deed September 7, 1898, recorded in Sheriff's Book 2, Page 403.
Union National Bank of Huntingdon for Peter Harnish estate (one-third)
TO
E.S. McMurtrie ("formerly Brew House, now occupied as a residence").
1899 McMurtrie and Speer sold to John H. Hutchison separately in 1899
(Volume P4, Page 324).
1902 Deed March 3, 1902, recorded in Volume S4, Page 202.
John H. Hutchison (full interest)
TO
George R. Hutchison.
1940-85 Various owners used the building as separate apartments.
1985 Deed May 28, 1985, recorded in Volume 182, Page 32.
Peter Simpson (trustee for Shawn, Greg, and Andrew Simpson)
TO
William and Nancy Howe.
3.
Original plans and construction: No original plans or drawings have been
112
HENRY WILLIBRAND BREWERY
HABS No. PA-5409/Page 3
located. Originally the house was probably without porches except, perhaps, for
one over the front two doors. It was a simple, commercial two-story building
with a side-gabled roof. One large room occupied the western section of the
first floor for the brewing operation, adjacent to which was an office in the
eastern section.
4.
Alterations and additions: The building has been remodeled into four
apartments; no original brewery equipment remains. The building has been
increased to two-and-a-half stories through the addition of cross-gable dormers.
The attic and cellar are relatively intact.
B.
Historical Context: Brewing and distilling, founded as cottage industries, were
significant and lucrative enterprises beginning in the Colonial era and continuing into
the twentieth century. Western Pennsylvania distilleries found a good market in the
rapidly expanding Midwest frontier, with exports down the Ohio River reaching
100,000 gallons annually by 1794.
Whiskey was one of the leading commodities carried on the varied river craft
that traversed the Susquehanna, Juniata, and connecting waterways prior to the Civil
War. After 1850 the number of small distilleries declined as production centered in
larger, specialized facilities such as those in Alexandria. In 1860, for instance, there
were 182 producers of malt liquors in Pennsylvania; in 1870 there were 246 breweries
in the state. By 1900, Pennsylvania had 281 distilleries and breweries.
In 1824 Willibrand advertised his brewery in Alexandria, possibly at a site
previous to this one. In an 1833 Huntingdon Gazette advertisement, Willibrand
announced that his new brewery was operating in Alexandria, headed by a brewer
from Philadelphia. Willibrand did not long enjoy his new operation, however, for in
1835 he drowned in the canal lock while substituting for a sick lock- keeper
(Harshbarger, 25).
The succession of men who owned or had an interest in the brewery defined
themselves by different professions. According to the 1850 census, two P. Pipers, ages
54 and unknown, were farmers; Henry Fockler, 37, was a brewer; and Jacob Hoffman,
50, a merchant. Yet, in 1860 Hoffman is listed as a miller and Nicholas Isenberg, 38, a
brewer; in 1870 Isenberg is identified as an auctioneer. The 1880 census lists 48-year-
old Peter Piper as as a carpenter, and 31-year-old Jacob Hoffman as a wagonmaker.
In 1873 the business was operated as the Alexandria Brewery. Until at least 1879, the
property included a stable and other outbuildings, according to the deed between
Benjamin Neff and Peter Harnish. The site may have served as a brewery upto 1880.
PART II. ARCHITECTURAL INFORMATION
A.
General Statement:
1.
Architectural character: The Willibrand Brewery is a vernacular industrial brick
building distinguished by its relatively large utilitarian mass and uniform wall
openings, despite modern alterations.
2.
Condition of the fabric: Fair.
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HENRY WILLIBRAND BREWERY
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B.
Description of Exterior:
1.
Overall dimensions: The brewery is 81' X 35'. The two front porches, probably
added when the building was remodeled into apartments, are both 27' X 5'.
The side porch on the east facade is 15' X 7'. The rear porch on the southeast
section is 16' X 6'. The southwest corner porch is 43' X 6'.
2.
Foundation: Cut stone.
3.
Wall construction: Red brick laid in Flemish bond on the front facade;
common-bond courses on the east (and probably west and rear) facades.
4.
Structural system, framing: Load-bearing brick.
5.
Porches: Five porches have been added to the building during its conversion
into apartments. Two in the front, one on the east end, and two on the rear
facade of the building. Each porch is functional, with a shed roof of sheet
metal over wood, and little or no adornment. The east porch is enclosed frame.
All flooring, steps, and railings are wood.
6.
Chimneys: There is currently one exterior chimney on the west gable end; in
1976 there were three chimneys.
7.
Openings:
a.
Doorways and doors: Doorways and modern aluminum doors have been
added to the main facade to provide access to each of the four
apartments. The two original door openings are in the northwest corner
of the building, and three bays east of that. The wood doors are
paneled.
b.
Windows: The five windows in the east end of the facade, as well as
some along the first floor, feature two-over-two-light double-hung sash;
the eight paired second-story windows in the west section are one-over-
one-light modern aluminum sash, as are three first-floor windows. The
three windows on the east-end wall (first floor) are double-hung, four-
over-four-light wood sash. Modern dormers each feature small, one-
over-one-light windows. There are no shutters.
8. Roof:
a.
Shape, covering: Gable-end with three cross-gable dormers on front
facade; all covered with sheet metal.
b.
Cornice: Wood box cornice with gutter.
C.
Description of Interior: Much altered.
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HENRY WILLIBRAND BREWERY
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D.
Site:
1.
General setting: The brewhouse is located at the western end of Alexandria,
surrounded by residences on the north, east, and west sides. To the south is a
gravel parking lot, beyond which are fields.
2.
Outbuildings: A stable and other original outbuildings are gone.
Figure 3.20. Northeast/front facade.
115
HISTORIC AMERICAN BUILDINGS SURVEY
EVANDER P. WALKER STORE
HABS No. PA-5410
Location:
The Walker Store is located on the north side of Main Street, five lots north of
Hartslog Street, Alexandria, Porter Township, Huntingdon County, Pennsylvania.
Present Owner: Robert Foster.
Present Use: Video arcade and apartments.
Significance: This is the only gable-front, three-bay commercial building in Alexandria that
dates from the mid-nineteenth century, although it was constructed after the
canal-boom period and north of Hartlog Street. It is also one of the few
buildings that retains its commercial character, despite having been partially
converted into a dwelling. It remained in the Walker family for 100 years.
PART I. HISTORICAL INFORMATION
A.
Physical History:
1.
Date of erection: ca. 1855-75. According to a period map of Alexandria
(Harshbarger, 39), Henry C. Walker owned this lot in 1855. In 1860 he sold
the property with only a dwelling on it for $700. The lot was sold again in
1862, for $800, to Evander P. Walker, who was a merchant in Alexandria at
that time. He also owned a store in 1875 and 1900; it is likely he erected the
store after acquiring the lot, although the specific year has not been
determined.
2.
Original and subsequent owners: Lot No. 17, on which the store now stands,
originally fronted 60 feet on the north side of Main Street and extended back
200 feet to Canal Street. However, the property now fronts 20' on the north
side of Main Street and extends back 59' from the curb line.
The following is an incomplete chain of title to the land on which the
structure stands. Reference is to the Recorder of Deeds Office of the County of
Huntingdon, Pennsylvania.
1860 Deed August 28, 1860, recorded in Volume P2, Page 390.
Henry C. Walker
TO
Samuel Isenberg.
1862 Deed September 12, 1862, recorded in Volume Q2, Page 354.
Samuel Isenberg
TO
Evander P. Walker.
1868 Deed March 20, 1872, recorded in Volume B3, Page 356.
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EVANDER P. WALKER STORE
HABS No. PA-5410/Page 2
(Originally deeded September 16, 1868, but document was burned.)
Evander P. Walker
TO
Susan Walker.
1885 Deed September 10, 1885, recorded in Volume U3, Page 179.
Charles E. Ault et al. (heirs of Susan Walker)
TO
Evander P. Walker.
1935 Deed July 13, 1935, recorded in Volume N7, Page 538.
Mary Claire Hughes et al. (granddaughter of E.P. Walker, daughter of
Fred Walker)
TO
Sue Y. Walker and Mary Walker.
1962 Deed December 27, 1962, recorded in Volume 55, Page 88.
Mary and Sue Y. Walker (Paul Swigart, executor)
TO
Frederick Cullinan.
1982 Deed November 14, 1981, recorded in Volume 164, Page 706.
Frederick Cullinan
TO
Robert P. Foster.
3.
Original plans and construction: No original plans or drawings have been
located. The vernacular structure was originally a front-facing gable, three-bay
brick store.
4.
Alterations and additions: All windows have been replaced with modern sash.
A metal shed has been added to the rear facade. Today there is evidence of a
brick accretion resembling a buttress, about 5' tall at the north end of the east
wall; this does not appear in historic photographs.
B.
Historical Context: The Walker store first appears on period maps in 1855, when it
was one of the few commercial buildings on Main Street north of Hartslog Street and
away from the concentrated eastern end of town. From 1850-60 Henry C. Walker was
a merchant in Alexandria. He also served as school board secretary in 1850 at age 35
(Africa, 430).
Evander P. Walker, probably Henry's son, acquired the store in 1862 and is
identified as a dry-goods merchant in 1862-63 and 1880 censuses. He was a member
of the Odd Fellows, for which he served as treasurer in 1881. Walker was a burgess in
Alexandria from 1875-76 and 1880-81.
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EVANDER P. WALKER STORE
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PART II. ARCHITECTURAL INFORMATION
A.
General Statement:
1.
Architectural character: This two-story, three-bay, brick storefront represents
the lone extant example of mercantile vernacular architecture in Alexandria.
2.
Condition of the fabric: Good.
B.
Description of Exterior:
1.
Overall dimensions: Approximately 20' X 55'.
2.
Foundation: Stone.
3.
Wall construction: Brick laid in seven-course American bond on all facades,
indicative of its utilitarian function. Ornamentation is confined to mouse-tooth
and dentil coursing at the cornice.
4.
Structural system, framing: Load-bearing brick.
5.
Porches: The front door is accessed by three steps. A one-story wood porch on
the rear facade dually serves as a balcony accessed through the second-floor
door.
6.
Chimneys: An exterior cinder-block chimney is located on the northeast corner
of the north facade.
7.
Openings:
a.
Doorways and doors: The wood front door features two bottom panels
and three-light glazing on the top portion.
b.
Windows: The original two-over-two-light double-hung sash flanking
the door have been replaced with one-over-one-light double-hung sash;
one set of paneled shutters on the west window are extant. On the
second floor, six-over-six-light double-hung sash have been replaced with
one-over-one-light and fixed sash. The modern window casings have
been set within the original openings surrounded by brick infill.
8.
Roof:
a.
Shape, covering: Front-facing gable with asbestos shingles.
b.
Cornice: Decorative brickwork--mouse-toothing and dentil coursing--is
located under the eaves of the east and west (side) facades. The corners
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EVANDER P. WALKER STORE
HABS No. PA-5410/Page 4
feature brick corbeling.
D.
Site: The Evander P. Walker Store is located in the what historically has been a mixed
residential and commercial neighborhood on Main Street. Across the street is a bank
and a funeral home; behind it is a fire hall. To the east is a small open lot; on the
west is the residence that historically has been associated with the store in deed
transactions.
Figure 3.21. Southwest/front facade.
119
HISTORIC AMERICAN BUILDINGS SURVEY
ALEXANDRIA HIGH SCHOOL
HABS No. PA-5411
Location:
The former Alexandria school is located on the northwest corner of Main and
Church streets, Alexandria, Porter Township, Huntingdon County, Pennsylvania.
Present Owner: Gladys Sponsler.
Present Use: Boarding house for the elderly.
Significance: This building contained the first high school to graduate a class in Porter
Township; it served Alexandria Borough children from its construction in 1869
into the 1920s. Its modest Italianate detailing is unique in Alexandria.
PART I. HISTORICAL INFORMATION
A.
Physical History:
1.
Date of erection: 1869.
2.
Architect: Jacob Baker (Africa, 431).
3.
Original and subsequent owners: Lot Nos. 121 and 122, on which the building
sits, front 50' on the north side of Main Street and extend back 200' to an
alley. Bounded on the west by an adjacent lot and on the east by Church
Street, the property consists of three adjoining tracts of land.
The following is an incomplete chain of title to the land on which the
structure stands. Reference is to the Recorder of Deeds Office of the County of
Huntingdon, Pennsylvania.
1839 Deed November 1, 1839, recorded in Volume B2, Page 164.
Reverend John McKinney
TO
John Cresswell.
1839-68 Deed trace is confused.
1868 Deed December 17, 1868, recorded in Volume Z2, Page 215.
William Moore
TO
Jacob Baker, et al. (Trustees for the school).
1929 Deed January 16, 1929, recorded in Volume D7, Page 515.
School District of Alexandria Borough
TO
Lock Haven Realty Company.
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ALEXANDRIA HIGH SCHOOL
HABS No. PA-5411/Page 2
1945 Deed October 16, 1945, recorded in Volume G8, Page 638.
Lock Haven Realty Company
TO
Gladys Sponsler.
4.
Original plans and construction: No original plans or drawings have been
located. A local history (about 1883) describes the structure as "a large and
attractive-looking brick edifice, on the Main Street of the Borough, [with] a
spacious yard. In the building are four rooms, well-furnished and heated by a
furnace in the basement" (Africa, 431). The two-story school was designed as a
modest Federal-style plan with a center hall flanked by two large rooms. The
principal, or headmaster, occupied a small office at the top of the stairs. Two
stairways rose from the entrance hall along the west and east walls,
respectively, and north to the second floor.
A stove used to heat the building was vented through a pipe whose hole
can still be discerned in the east wall on the first floor. A photograph taken
sometime in the late 1800s shows that originally the windows contained six-
over-six-light sash, with three-light transoms above the double front door. A
shed-roofed Greek Revival porch on the front facade was supported by four
pairs of plain wood columns and two attached half columns.
5.
Alterations and additions: A 1924 photograph reveals a two-story frame wing
extending perpendicularly from the center of the rear wall. The windows are
six-over-six-light sash like those on the main block. On to that, a one-story
brick extension with two smaller windows has been added. The full porch on
the main facade was probably added sometime during the 1950s, when the
building was used as a hotel. Two large, modern picture windows have been
installed on the east and west ends of the main facade, flanking the three
central entry doors; only the center door is original.
The fire-escapes on the east and west facades were added by the present
owner in the 1960-70s; accessed by the central opening on the second floor,
which has been converted from a window into a door.
The two stairways that rose from the entrance hall along the west and
east walls, north to the second floor, have been removed. In their place is a
single, straight wood stairway that runs from the center of the hall to the
second floor.
The interior of the building has been remodeled. The original two
rooms upstairs apparently have been partitioned into several rooms. The
existing floorboards have been laid over the original floors.
Gas pumps were in the front yard in the 1930s, say local residents.
B.
Historical Context: The transactions concerning this piece of property are difficult to
trace. According to a local historian, Mary Ann McLain sold the tract to Reverend
John McKinney. McKinney then sold it to John Cresswell, who owned a number of
lots in town, as well as a stone house on the east edge of Alexandria. Cresswell sold
the land to the borough for use as the site of a frame or log school, 1841-68; this
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ALEXANDRIA HIGH SCHOOL
HABS No. PA-5411/Page 3
building was later moved to the rear of the lot where the current brick school is
located, from which it was later removed completely. When the town decided to erect
the building, it bought back an adjacent tract that had previously been sold to William
Moore (Harshbarger, notes).
A log school house, predecessor of the present structure, was reputedly
maintained on the property for several years after the brick school house was
constructed. In 1929, after a new school had been erected outside the borough limits,
the school district of Alexandria sold this property. From that time until at least 1945
the building was used for a variety of purposes, including a tea room and a hotel; it
was sold as a hotel in 1945. The present owner continued to operate the hotel for
several years before turning it into a boarding home for elderly residents of Alexandria.
PART II. ARCHITECTURAL INFORMATION
A.
General Statement:
1.
Architectural character: This is a standard, five-bay, rectangular-plan structure
distinguished by an Italianate cupola at the center of a hipped roof.
2.
Condition of the fabric: Good.
B.
Description of Exterior:
1.
Overall dimensions: The main rectangular block is 71' X 34'. The kitchen
extension on the north wall is 11' X 28', and the extension west of this along
the north wall is 18' X 14'.
2.
Foundations: Stone.
3.
Wall construction: The brick walls are laid in seven-course common bond; the
two rear wings are frame.
4.
Structural system, framing: The structure is supported by brick load-bearing
exterior walls.
5.
Porches: The full, one-story front porch measures 71' X 12'. It is supported by
six fluted wood columns, matched by two half-columns on the facade.
6.
Chimneys: One brick exterior chimney is located on the north wall, 15' from
the northeast corner.
7.
Openings:
a.
Doorways and doors: There are three front doors. The original door
opening is in the center of the south wall. A French door of wood, with
a deep one-light transom, has replaced the original double doors.
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ALEXANDRIA HIGH SCHOOL
HABS No. PA-5411/Page 4
b.
Windows: The windows on the five-bay, front facade and the three-bay
east and west gable-end walls, are new, one-over-one-light sash; the rear
facade features six-over-six-light double-hung sash. Picture windows
flank the three front doors. The louvered shutters have been removed,
though some of the hardware remains. Each window has a wooden
lintel and projecting lower sill. There are modern one-over-one-light
windows on each facade of the rear additions.
8.
Roof:
a.
Shape, covering: Low-pitched hipped roof covered with asphalt shingles.
b.
Cornice: The stepped brick cornice forms a modest Italianate pattern of
corbeling; the corners are treated like stepped brick capitals.
c.
Dormers, towers: A square Italianate wood cupola dominates the
roofline; set on a plain base, each of the four sides has two louvered
shutters articulated by pilasters, all under a deep cornice. A smaller,
secondary cupola rises from the hipped roof of the pirimary one,
boasting four blank round-arched openings, a wide cornice with
brackets, and a metal weather vane.
C.
Description of Interior:
1.
Floor plans:
a.
First floor: The easternmost front door leads into a dining area, which
is separated from the west portion of the room by a partition
approximately 3' high with an opening for access in the center. West of
this room is the entrance hall, accessed by a southwest-corner door.
North of this room is the kitchen addition.
b.
Second floor: The two original, large rooms on the second floor have
been divided into separate apartments.
2.
Stairways: One open-well stairway rises north from the center of the entrance
hall to the second floor. Originally there were two stairways--one east and one
west of the hall--both rising north to the second floor.
3.
Flooring: The building presumably features wood floors underneath existing
carpeting and linoleum.
4.
Wall and ceiling finish: Plaster.
5.
Doorways and doors: The wood door in the southeast corner of the entry hall,
leading to the east room, is original.
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ALEXANDRIA HIGH SCHOOL
HABS No. PA-5411/Page 5
D.
Site:
1.
General setting: The former school is situated on the primarily residential Main
Street. Opposite, to the south, is the German Reformed Church; two lots west
is the Methodist Church. Other surrounding buildings are residential.
2.
Landscaping, enclosures: At an earlier date, according to an undated
photograph, an iron-rail fence surrounded the school lot. It no longer exists.
Figure 3.22. Alexandria High School, northeast/front facade.
124
HISTORIC AMERICAN BUILDINGS SURVEY
GERMAN REFORMED CHURCH
(Christ Reformed Church)
HABS No. PA-5412
Location:
Fronting 120' on the south side of Main Street, the church lot is approximately
20' west of Church Street, Alexandria, Porter Township, Huntingdon County,
Pennsylvania.
Present Owner: Christ United Church of Christ congregation.
Present Use: Church.
Significance: This church has been the focal point for religious and social activity for many
residents of Alexandria from the middle of the nineteenth century to present, a
prominence evidenced by its location on Main Street. Stylistically it represents
a modest Greek Revival church design that has remained largely unaltered.
PART I. HISTORICAL INFORMATION
A.
Physical History:
1.
Date of erection: Built 1849, consecrated 1851.
2.
Original and subsequent owners: On April 13, 1846, John G. Stewart
conveyed a lot of ground to Benjamin and John Huyett, in trust for the
Reformed congregation (Africa, 434). The German Reformed Church
congregation erected the building in 1849 and has owned it since, though the
name has changed over the years.
3.
Original plans and construction: No original plans or drawings have been
located. Originally the church was a brick, Greek Revival-styled building; the
bell tower was added soon after construction of the main block. The windows
are placed into four recessed panels demarked by plain brick pilasters. It has
four tall two-over-two-light double-hung sash on the second-story of the east
and west side-wall facades. A small rectangular two-over-two-light sash is
located below each of these, on the first-story. The three-bay front facade
includes a central set of double paneled doors; vertical sash like those on the
side facades flank the doorway, below which is a blank, recessed panel. An
early photograph shows the churchyard surrounded by a low iron railing with a
gate before the door (which had no stoop before it).
4.
Alterations and additions: A frame, exterior bay-like addition behind the pulpit,
placed approximately 15' up the south wall, was added to illuminate the
interior somewhat; this wall was originally without windows or it contained the
two stained-glass side windows that are now on the shallow west and east sides
of the addition. The addition rests on iron poles that support an iron beam. A
doorway directly below the pulpit bay has been bricked up.
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GERMAN REFORMED CHURCH
HABS No. PA-5412/Page 2
A one-story frame shed is attached to the southwest corner of the
building. A brick exterior gable chimney rises from inside the shed and extends
up the south wall of the church.
A modern stained-glass transom panel above the front door reads,
"Christ Reformed Church." The dedication stone set into the recessed brick
panel above the front door originally read "German Reformed Church 1851,"
but the word "German" was reportedly chipped away during World War I when
anti-German sentiments ran high.
B.
Historical Context: The German Reformed and Lutheran congregations in the area
surrounding Alexandria (including Water Street, approximately a mile and one-half
west of Alexandria) built a meeting house in Shaffersville about 1817. Between 1843
and 1852, under Reverend Samuel H. Reid, the Water Street charge was divided into
three new congregations: Keller, Sinking Valley, and Alexandria. They functioned
independently, but under the same ministerial direction (Africa, 434). The
reorganization may have been spurred by the prosperous canal era of the 1840s, when
membership increased substantially.
The lot on which the building now stands was previously occupied by the
Hartslog Presbyterian Congregation from 1825--when it built a brick church on the
property--until 1831, when the congregation moved to the White Church in Alexandria
(see ALEXANDRIA PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH). The first brick church building was sold
to James Wilson in 1833, possibly for use as a store (Harshbarger, 27-28). It was
probably gone by 1846 when the German Reformed group purchased the lot from John
G. Stewart. The present church, constructed to house 500 worshippers, was begun in
1849 (Africa, 434). Records of 1852 for Alexandria show that the church and its one-
quarter acre of land was tax-exempt.
The Reformed parsonage lot was purchased in 1846 or 1850 (sources disagree),
three lots east of the southeast corner of the town square, on what is now Shelton
Avenue (Harshbarger, 43).
Many members of the Alexandria church belonged to the Harnish, Isenberg,
Neff, and Piper families; the names that appear in the churches' stained-glass windows.
In 1881 the church trustees were Henry G. Neff and Benjamin Neff; the church council
that year included Benjamin Neff and Benjamin Isenberg as elders, Henry G. Neff as
deacon, and Benjamin Isenberg as superintendent of the Sunday school (Africa, 434).
By 1881 the facility was known as Christ Reformed Church (Africa, 434), the
name that appears above the front-door transom.
PART II. ARCHITECTURAL INFORMATION
A.
General Statement:
1.
Architectural character: This is a modest, Greek Revival-style two-story brick
church with a bell tower atop the pedimented front gable.
2.
Condition of the fabric: Good.
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GERMAN REFORMED CHURCH
HABS No. PA-5412/Page 3
B.
Description of Exterior:
1.
Overall dimensions: 43' X 62'.
2.
Foundations: Stone, with a two-brick stringcourse on the east and west
facades.
3.
Wall construction: Brick, running bond on the front, north facade; five- or six-
course common bond on the east, south, and west walls. Brick pilasters and
recessed panels articulate the four-bay east and west facades and the three-bay
north facade.
4.
Structural system, framing: Load-bearing brick.
5.
Porches: The front entrance features a raised brick landing bounded by a
modern iron railing.
6.
Chimneys: A brick exterior chimney rises from the southwest corner of the
south wall.
7.
Openings:
a.
Doorways and doors: The front door is a solid wood recessed double
door with six panels and a stained-glass transom that reads: "Christ
Reformed Church." The recessed casing that extends up beyond the
transom about 2' has four vertical panels. A wood lintel is set into the
brick above the door.
b.
Windows: All windows are two-over-two lights. The second-story
fenestration is vertical stained-glass in wood, double-hung sash; these
also flank the front doorway. Smaller two-over-two-light sash are
located below the second-story windows and the side facades. The
stained-glass window on the southwest corner is covered with six-over-
six-light protective glazing. Some original shutter hardware remains on
the lower windows.
8.
Roof:
a.
Shape, covering: Gable-front with asphalt shingles.
b.
Cornice: The molded wood cornice is unadorned.
c.
Dormers, towers: The Greek Revival hexagonal bell tower with a metal-
sheathed domical roof has round-arched openings on each of its six
sides. It rises from atop a square wood base at the roof ridge on the
north gable.
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GERMAN REFORMED CHURCH
HABS No. PA-5412/Page 4
C.
Description of Interior:
1.
Floor plans:
a.
First floor: Two doorways that lead into classrooms border the south
side of the entry hall, which is about 13' deep. A wall divides the first
floor (north to south). The east half contains three rooms with
doorways along the west wall. The opposite side is partitioned into
three rooms by folding curtains.
b.
Second floor: The sanctuary occupies the second floor. The altar area
and pulpit are located in the south recess, which is framed by a Tudor-
arch opening. Fifteen rows of pews divided by an aisle fill the room,
including four rows of pews against the north wall that are stepped
upward on risers. The organ is in the southwest corner.
2.
Stairways: A pair of closed-well stairways lead from the entry up the north
wall, along the west and east inside walls to a landing, and then south to the
rear of the sanctuary.
3.
Flooring: Wood.
4.
Wall and ceiling finish: Plaster. The ceiling is highly decorated with coffers
and circular patterns.
5.
Doorways and doors: The exterior woodwork over the entry is recessed and
paneled wood.
6.
Decorative features: The stained-glass windows throughout the church are alike
in color and design, although the names inscribed on them differ. Low
wainscoating and molding line the interior wall of the sanctuary. The altar is
seen through a Tudor-arch opening.
7.
Lighting fixtures: Four brass (electric) chandeliers are suspended from the
ceiling, one in each corner of the sanctuary, respectively.
D.
Site: The church lot is in the town center on the south side of Main Street, a major
thoroughfare. A gravel parking lot is located west of the building. The church is
surrounded by houses on the east and west; north across Main Street is a home for
elderly persons; and south of the building are fields. A short hedge borders the north
and east flanks of the property.
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GERMAN REFORMED CHURCH
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Figure 3.23. Interior view to altar (top) and detail of front facade.
129
HISTORIC AMERICAN BUILDINGS SURVEY
ALEXANDRIA PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
HABS No. PA-5413
Location:
The church is located on the northeast corner of Hartslog Street and Shelton
Avenue, Alexandria, Porter Township, Huntingdon County, Pennsylvania.
Present Owner: Alexandria Presbyterian Church.
Present Use: Church.
Significance: The Alexandria Presbyterian Church served as a center of social and religious
activity for members of its congregation, and the town as a whole, from the
mid-nineteenth century to present. This was particularly the case prior to the
early-twentieth century when the library auditorium hosted graduation
exercises, plays, and other festivities.
PART I. HISTORICAL INFORMATION
A. Physical History:
1.
Date of erection: 1851.
2.
Architect: William Walker, an Alexandria "house carpenter" (Harshbarger, 42).
3.
Original and subsequent owners: The Alexandria Presbyterian Church erected
and constructed this building and has owned it since.
4.
Original plans and construction: No original plans or drawings have been
located. Originally the main facade was identical to that of the German
Reformed Church: a simple three-bay scheme with a central front door and
Greek Revival bell tower above the front gable-end pediment (Harshbarger, 44).
A ca. 1890 photograph reveals a white picket fence that originally surrounded
the church. The hexagonal bell tower had six square openings, six pilasters, a
box cornice, and small lintels under a round dome.
5.
Alterations and additions: The major alteration to the church occurred in 1906
when the front facade was rebuilt. The bell tower was removed and the gable
front extended southward: the new facade features a double-height, inset Gothic
arch with a rusticated surround that fills most of the upper facade; it contains
relatively elaborate tracery and quatrefoil window openings. The boxed
doorway--which is inscribed with "1850 - First Presbyterian Church - 1906"--
features a shaped parapet and Gothic ornament that mimics the windows above,
but is executed in moldings and recessed wood panels. There is an abbreviated
tower crossing with a crenellated roof line, and contrasting white masonry sills
and lintels that extend to form beltcourses and a water table; these wings
perpendicular to the entry allude to a formal cruciform plan.
Originally the sanctuary windows were sixteen-over-sixteen-light, double-
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hung wood sash. Four vertical pointed-arch windows were installed on the
second floor, in the recessed bays of the east and west side walls; below are
simpler, squarish versions. These feature wood frames set in the original
opening with quatrefoil tracery and stained glass. It's likely that during this
renovation, an 18'-wide apsidal "oriel" was added to the center of the north
wall.
At a later date, a small, one-story cinder-block shed was inserted in the
northwest corner recess that was created by the central entry enlargement.
Also, the rear area of the first floor has been modified to accommodate a back
door and picture window in the north wall. Another door has been added in
the recess of the northeast corner of the north wall.
B.
Historical Context: In 1814 some members withdrew from the Harts Log Church
congregation because the pastor, Reverend John Johnston, allegedly expressed some
pro-British sentiments; in the wake of the War of 1812 this was not well received, and
a large number of the Scotch-Irish congregation formed the Alexandria Presbyterian
Church. In 1819 this contingent from Alexandria united with the nearby Shaver's
Creek congregation, and contacted Reverend James Thompson (1792-1830). At that
time there was no meeting house for the Presbyterian congregation, so they met in the
shop of George Wilson (Africa, 433). The "White Meeting House" was built on the
east side of Alexandria, and was used until the present building was erected in 1851.
Meanwhile, in 1830 the two Presbyterian congregations were reunited.
The present Alexandria Presbyterian Church was built in 1851 at a cost of more
than $6,000, including the land. Incorporated in this structure is some of the fabric of
the material from the White Meeting House (Africa, 433-34). In 1852 the Presbyterian
Church was listed in the tax records as occupying three-quarters of an acre on three
town lots. Because of striking similarities between this building and the German
Reformed Church on Main Street, it is possible the same architect was responsible for
both structures, or they were modeled after the same precedent. Both buildings were
completed in 1851.
Between 1836 and 1843 the industrious congregation grew considerably, from 164
to 220 members (Africa, 434). The facade of the building was renovated in 1906 with
the financial support of one of Alexandria's leading citizens, William Thompson. The
project was undertaken in memory of his father, the Reverend James Thompson, who
preached from 1819-30.
PART II. ARCHITECTURAL INFORMATION
A.
General Statement:
1.
Architectural character: Built at mid-century and remodeled during the early-
twentieth century, the Alexandria Presbyterian Church reflects a Greek Revival
form with extensive Second Gothic Revival detailing, including a prominent
entry and pointed-arch stained-glass windows.
2.
Condition of the fabric: Good.
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ALEXANDRIA PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
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B.
Description of Exterior:
1.
Overall dimensions: The two-story, loosely cruciform-plan building features a
front facade that is 56' X 77; the added apse extends north 18' X 6'.
2.
Foundations: The foundation of the original mass is stone, like that of the
German Reformed Church in Alexandria; that of the added facade is concrete.
3.
Wall construction: Brick, with the main facade laid in running-bond courses;
the other three facades are constructed in five-course common bond. The
buttresses flanking the entrance and the crenellated wings feature contrasting
concrete beltcourses.
4.
Structural system, framing: Load-bearing brick.
5.
Chimneys: Two interior end chimneys are located on the corners of the north-
wall extension.
6.
Openings:
a.
Doorways and doors: The Tudor-arch main doorway and entrance foyer
is surrounded by decorative Gothic woodwork and a shaped parapet.
The front door double doors of wood are Gothic-styled, with three iron
strap hinges. The surround is embellished with intricate carving.
b.
Windows: The second-story sanctuary windows were replaced with
Gothic-style pointed arches in 1906. The east and west side walls
feature four each; there are two on the main, south facade. On the first
level of the side facades are four smaller Gothic-arched windows.
Twenty-four stained-glass windows are designed into the frame Gothic
entranceway.
7.
Roof:
a.
Shape, covering: The roof is a front-facing gable covered with sheet
metal. This is fronted by a shaped brick parapet with concrete coping
and cruciform-shaped silhouettes.
b.
Cornice: A simple projecting wood cornice exists along the eaves of the
original block.
C.
Description of Interior:
1.
Floor plans: The original rectangular plan of the church became a modified
cruciform shape after remodeling.
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ALEXANDRIA PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
HABS No. PA-5413/Page 4
D.
Site: The church is on the northeast corner of Hartslog Street and Shelton Avenue, in
an otherwise residential neighborhood. The parsonage was located in the fourth house
east east of the church in 1875, but it had become a private dwelling by 1900.
Figure 3.24. Southwest/front facade.
133
HISTORIC AMERICAN BUILDINGS SURVEY
ALEXANDRIA MEMORIAL PUBLIC LIBRARY
(Memorial Free Library)
HABS No. PA-5414
Location:
The building is located on the northeast corner of Hartslog and Main streets,
Alexandria, Porter Township, Huntingdon County, Pennsylvania.
Present Owner: Alexandria Memorial Library Inc., a private endowment.
Present Use: Library.
Significance: The Alexandria Memorial Public Library is one of the most formal and high-
style buildings in town. Two of Alexandria's leading citizens and
philanthropists, William Woolverton and William Thompson, donated it to
Alexandria, though it served as the first such facility in the three counties of
Huntingdon, Blair and Bedford. This is the only library donated to any
community in Huntingdon County, a precept modeled after the library-building
program of Andrew Carnegie. The building, a good example of turn-of-the-
century civic architecture, is rivaled in size only by the Presbyterian Church.
PART I. HISTORICAL INFORMATION
A.
Physical History:
1.
Date of erection: 1899-1901.
2.
Architect: Frederick James Shollar (1874-1960). Shollar, a prominent Altoona-
based designer who appears in that city's directories in 1896 (alone); 1904,
1914 (Shollar & Hersh); 1917 (alone); 1925, 1927, 1930 (Hersh & Shollar);
1936, 1939 (alone); and 1941 (with W.G. Shollar). He was a protege of
Charles M. Robinson of Altoona in 1887, and three years later he opened an
office with Frank Hersh, a partnership that continued, on and off well into the
twentieth century. Shollar is credited with helping to establish Altoona's city
planning commission, chairing it for six years; with Hersh he is credited with
introducing the Classical Revival to that city. Among his other commissions are
the Altoona Trust Company building, Rothert Building, city hall and the
Shriner's Jaffa Mosque--all in Altoona (Mirror).
3.
Original and subsequent owners: The lot, including landscaping, fronts on
Main Street, and extends north 200' to an alley. The privately run library is
administered by a board of trustees and a self-perpetuating endowment.
4.
Builder: J.C. Hall of Huntingdon built the library at a cost of $16,000.
5.
Original plans and construction: No original plans or drawings have been
found. The library has not been significantly altered since its construction,
except for use of the upstairs space. The second floor was originally an
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ALEXANDRIA MEMORIAL LIBRARY
HABS No. PA-5414/Page 2
auditorium used for plays, lectures, and other social and civic events. Its 200
seats faced the stage area on the north wall.
6.
Alterations and additions: Fans were installed in the ceilings of both the first
and second floors in summer 1988. The auditorium interior was remodeled into
a museum in 1975, at which time the seats were removed. The velvet curtain
and footlights also have been removed. (Harshbarger, pamphlet, October 13,
1979) The stage is intact, as are the flanking dressing rooms. The building's
original lighting was powered by acetylene gas, manufactured in a small brick
outbuilding which stood until recently; the power is now electric.
B.
Historical Context: Established in the same philanthropic spirit as industrialist Andrew
Carnegie's endowment of local libraries, the Alexandria Public Library of Alexandria--
and a $30,000 endowment for maintenance and new books--was built for the use of
borough citizens by two cousins who had spent part of their childhoods in Alexandria:
William Thompson (1823-1921) and William Woolverton (1842-1914). On October 10,
1900, the building was dedicated to their mothers, Eliza (Stewart) Thompson and Anna
Maria (Stewart) Woolverton-Kinsloe, respectively.
Thompson was the son of Reverend James Thompson, minister of the
Alexandria Presbyterian congregation from 1819 to 1830, and Eliza Stewart Thompson,
granddaughter of Alexandria's founder, Elizabeth Gemmill. He eventually made a
fortune in the early oil development of western Pennsylvania; he organized and served
as president of the Oil City Savings Bank, and was director of the Centennial Bank of
Philadelphia. Thompson owned considerable property in the Alexandria area, including
a summer residence. Among other philanthropic activities he remodeled the facade of
the Presbyterian Church, founded and equipped the borough's Thompson (fire-fighting)
Hose Company, and supported various charities (Harshbarger, 77-78).
Woolverton was involved with the Pennsylvania Railroad in a number of
capacities until 1872 when he moved to New York City. There he became a director,
and later president, of the New York Transfer and Dodds Express Company, as well as
president of the Bell Telephone company of New York. In 1899 Woolverton purchased
a farm just beyond the eastern edge of Alexandria, where he built a summer estate
called "Dorfgrenze (later, Hartslog) Farm" (Harshbarger, 77). Woolverton's great-
grandmother was also Elizabeth Gemmill.
The Alexandria library stands on three lots: two double dwellings and a single
house were torn down to accommodate it. Total cost of construction, furnishings, and
the initial 2,000 books was $20,000. The auditorium was the site of many community
gatherings, particularly secular ones, such as plays, poetry readings, minstrel shows,
concerts, local talent shows, and graduation exercises.
PART II. ARCHITECTURAL INFORMATION
A.
General Statement:
1.
Architectural character: The library represents high-style NeoRenaissance design
and is one of the most formal buildings in Alexandria. The main facade boasts
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ALEXANDRIA MEMORIAL LIBRARY
HABS No. PA-5414/Page 3
a wide denticulated entablature at the roof and a secondary beltcourse at the
second floor, brick quoins on the first-floor corners, and a full-height cross-
gable entry porch with a decorated pediment.
2.
Condition of fabric: Very good, although the entry porch is damaged and the
plaster is failing.
B.
Description of Exterior:
1.
Overall dimensions: 51' X 75'.
2.
Foundations: The cut-stone foundation is topped by a 1' beltcourse of concrete.
3.
Wall construction: Brick laid in running-bond courses; the walls are
approximately 1' thick. A molded beltcourse separates the first and second
stories, and the corners of the first story feature eight rusticated brick quoins.
4.
Structural system, framing: Probably steel frame with exterior load-bearing
masonry.
5.
Porches: The library features a full-height, pedimented entry porch; its recessed
floor is patterned brick; and six central concrete steps lead upto the porch.
Above the decorated arch surround that features a keystone, are two sculpted
medallions on a recessed panel: the west medallion reads "AD," the east
medallion, "1899." "MEMORIAL PUBLIC LIBRARY" is inscribed on the frieze.
6.
Chimneys: There are two interior brick chimneys near the south gable end.
On the interior, the fireplace in the west section of the first floor is free
standing. There may have been a matching, symmetrically placed fireplace in
the librarian's office at the east end of the building, but now there is only a
protrusion where the firebox would have been.
7.
Openings:
a.
Doorways and doors: The front door consists of two pairs of double
wood doors, each with five horizontal panels; these are topped by a
large transom with six decorated lights, and sidelights flank each set of
the doors. Modern glazing has been installed in the arched opening
above the transom. The five-paneled wood doors on the east and south
sides of the building are located about 20' from the north wall.
b.
Windows: The windows are of various design. Paired triple-light
verticals topped by an ornamented multi-light transom are centered on
the interior bays of each facade. Elliptical windows with ornamental
glazing punctuate the ends of the second-story facades, below which are
arched window openings.
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ALEXANDRIA MEMORIAL LIBRARY
HABS No. PA-5414/Page 4
8.
Roof:
a.
Shape, covering: Hipped roof with central cross-gable on the west and
east facades, and a gabled front entry porch. At least part of the roof is
covered with sheet metal.
b.
Cornice: A full entablature is composed of wood, with a double row of
dentils, plain frieze, and architrave.
C.
Description of Interior:
1.
Floor plans:
a.
First floor: The full-width entrance hall is about 10' deep and contains
symmetrical open-welled stairways that have independent landings and
climb to meet at the second floor. The main library room is beyond two
double glass doors, and occupies the full length of the building. The
interior is divided into a check-out area and librarian's office, using solid
walls, decorated wood columns (probably masking the steel frame
supports), segmental-arches and open arcades. The northwest fireplace
is free-standing, with the firebox opening south. Two small, rear
stairways run along the east and west walls north, to exits on the
respective facades.
b.
Second floor: Access is gained by the east and west stairways
approaching from the sides. Two solid wood double doors are set into
angled walls. The auditorium is one large room with an enclosed
stairway leading south along the rear portion of the east wall, up to an
enclosed platform that extends about 12' from the south wall and 10'
from the east wall. The stage on the north wall is flanked by two doors
that lead into the backstage area, two small dressing rooms, and the
stairways to the first floor.
2.
Stairways: The entryway stairs on the east and west walls are half-turn with
landings, rising along the south wall of the entryway. Thirteen treads rise from
the floor to the landing, and eleven treads lead from the landing to the second
floor. Wood panels decorate the string below each tread. The squared newel
post is flat with modest egg-and-dart and bead-and-reel carvings.
The
two wood stairways on the rear east and west walls lead to a landing on the
north wall and take a quarter-turn; the first section is open-welled, the area
above the landing is closed. Approximately 2-1/2' wide and 4' long, its newel
post features an urn and carved detailing around the top base is a simpler
version of that on the entryway stair newel posts--a line of egg and dart, and
on the corners of the post, a bead-and-reel line down to the base.
3.
Flooring: Modern carpeting obscures most of the first floor; the entryway is
137
ALEXANDRIA MEMORIAL LIBRARY
HABS No. PA-5414/Page 5
linoleum. The second floor is wood plank.
4.
Wall and ceiling finish: All walls are plastered. Dark, stained wood is used for
support columns, door, and window trim, approximately l' base molding, and to
mask the steel infrastructure.
5.
Doorways and doors: Double doors lead from the entry to the main room on
the first floor, with four panels on the lower section and glazing above. The
doors at the top of the rear stairs are five-paneled wood. The three double
doors between the auditorium space and hall on the second-floor are solid
wood, over which are arched transoms.
6.
Decorative features: Much of the original hardware remains, such as door
handles and shelving on the west section of the south wall. The original
furniture features the bead-and-reel motif, and the diamond pattern in the
columns are repeated in the woodwork of the window transoms. The fireplace
surround is rusticated and molded brick.
7.
Lighting fixtures: Three of the original gas wall fixtures are in the museum
and one is in the small, first-floor kitchen. The lighting is now electric.
8.
Heating: Oil.
D.
Site:
1.
General setting: The library is situated in the center of Alexandria on Main
Street. The Bank of Alexandria was constructed across the street in the 1920s.
The businesses that intermingled with the houses along Main Street are now
used as dwellings, so the area is predominantly residential.
2.
Landscaping, enclosures: A wide lawn east of the building is the site of a war
memorial stone encircled by small flags. A stone commemorates the spot where
John Hart, the Indian Trader believed to have been the first white man to stop
at the Alexandria area. Trees and bushes surround all but the north side of
the building. At one time an iron rail fence surrounded the building, or at
least its front "yard," and a sidewalk led to both side doors.
138
ALEXANDRIA MEMORIAL LIBRARY
HABS No. PA-5414/Page 6
Figure 3.25. Southwest/front facade (top) and interior view.
139
HISTORIC AMERICAN BUILDINGS SURVEY
PENNSYLVANIA RAILROAD STATION
HABS No. PA-5415
Location:
North side of Shelton Avenue, between Hartslog Street and the old canal basin,
Alexandria, Porter Township, Huntingdon County, Pennsylvania.
Significance: This served as Alexandria's first railroad station from 1897 to 1903. The
railroad purchased this section of the canal in 1866, but did not close it until
1875; thus, the transportation industry in Alexandria during the last quarter of
the century was served by one railroad, and this was the first, albeit short-lived,
local depot.
Description: Square frame structure approximately 18' by 18', with a pyramidal, low-pitched
roof. One facade featured a central door flanked by six-over-six-light wood
sash; another is dominated by oversized double wood doors. The wide eaves
and modest cornice brackets are the sole ornamentation.
History:
Constructed in 1897 (HAER inventory), this railroad station was erected when
the railway company extended the tracks (off the mainline at Petersburg)
through Alexandria. It was used until 1903 when William Woolverton
convinced the Pennsylvania Railroad Company to erect a finer building
(demolished) to reflect the new, nearby Alexandria Memorial Library. The
Pennsylvania Railroad occupied the building until this time, when it ceased to
be a depot and was relocated. It is currently unused.
Sources:
Harshbarger, Jean, N.R.Taylor, S.H. Zabriskie, F.R. Zabriskie. Hartslog Heritage.
State College, PA: K-B Offset Printing Co., 1975; 74, 78.
Figure 3.26. Southwest/northwest facades.
140
Chapter 4:
HISTORICAL OVERVIEW OF SALTSBURG
INTRODUCTION
Saltsburg, Pennsylvania, is located at the confluence of the Conemaugh and
Kiskiminetas rivers in Conemaugh Township, Indiana County. The borough was named after
the abundant salt wells in the river valley near the town, and evaporating it subsequently
became a mainstay of local industry. Saltsburg's proximity to important water routes, as well
as an abundance of other natural resources, prompted it to become an early commercial center
between Philadelphia and Pittsburgh. With the arrival of the Pennsylvania Main Line Canal
and later the Pennsylvania Railroad, both of which passed through the center of Saltsburg, the
borough achieved the rank of "one of the principal towns in the Conemaugh Valley."¹
Since a late nineteenth-century economic burst founded on area coal-mining
operations, the mid-twentieth century has been one of a comfortable, if static, economy. The
local industrial base is aging, however, and the railroad closed in the relatively recent 1950s.
The purpose of this study is to chronicle the development of Saltsburg--highlighted by
nineteenth-century canal and railroad eras--with an emphasis on the buildings and
architectural heritage that remain intact.
LOCATION
Saltsburg is located in the southwest corner of Conemaugh Township, cradled on the
eastern shore of a bend of the Conemaught River where it meets the winding Loyalhanna
River. The Kiskiminetas is formed by the confluence of the Conemaugh River to the east and
the Loyalhanna; it serves as the boundary between Indiana and Westmoreland counties (Figure
4.1).
This hilly, sparsely settled area is part of the fourth great coal basin west of the
Allegheny Mountains, and thus it is rich in coal, iron ore, and limestone.² Today its valleys
and inclines are interspersed with gas wells and strip mines. Saltsburg is situated thirty-one
miles east of Pittsburgh and nineteen miles south of the county seat of Indiana; locally, New
Alexandria is six miles to the south, and Tunnelton is four miles to the southeast. The
borough is accessible only by state roads. Routes 981 and 286 converge at the bridge that
crosses the Kiskiminetas River and enter Saltsburg at Washington Street, with the latter
thoroughfare continuing northeastward.
1 Samuel T. Wiley, Biographical and Historical Cyclopedia of Indiana County (Philadelphia: John M. Gresham
and Co., 1891), 217.
2 Wiley, 218.
141
Enth
MINITES
WITES
SCOREMAUGH
rivize
142
=
SALTSBURG
Notals.
John Markers
John M. Marshall
Attorney and Law.
Hugh W. Weir
SALTSBURG.
I 8.8. Jamison
44 Sumon Klise
Jamb Barhart
J.&O Moor's Store
45 We Laughrey
46 R Taylor
J. W Johnston, B. Bwith
47 A. Getty
A. Taylor
48 Mrs M. Deagharty
ER
R. R McCrea, Dragglest
49 Shepherd M. Hawkies,
Figure 4.1.
The Peelor Map of Saltsburg, 1856, showing the route of the Pennsylvania Canal along
the Kiskiminetas and Conemaugh rivers, and north of it the railroad tracks that bend
to cross the river.
EARLY SETTLEMENT: 1760s 1824
One of the first, although temporary, settlers in this portion of Indiana County was
Robert Robinson Sr., who built a cabin on the Conemaugh River opposite the town of
Coalport in 1766. He soon departed for a homestead property on Robinson's Run near the
Armstrong County line.³
It was not until 1769, when a law was passed that invited large-scale settlement of the
region, that applications were accepted from those willing to survey tracts of land for sale and
occupancy. Most of these first arrivals were the Scotch-Irish who came from east of the
Alleghenies. The first local-land applicant was William Gray who, on June 20, 1769,
documented the parcel that became known as "Gray's Mount" (a portion of this tract later fell
into the possession of the Robinson family of Saltsburg). That same year another application
was submitted by brothers Hugh and Thomas Wilson, for a large area of land that
encompassed both sides of the Conemaugh and Kiskiminetas rivers at the the mouth of the
Loyalhanna. They eventually sold some of it to William Johnson, who would become one of
the first to make his fortune in salt wells; Johnson, in turn, sold some of this land to his
sister, the wife of Andrew Boggs.4
As the population increased, so did the need for established political boundaries. In
1807 Conemaugh Township was formed out of Armstrong Township, named after the river
that forms its southern boundary.⁵ At the time, Saltsburg was located in what was called
"Upper Westmoreland."6 In the first township election, held in spring 1807, Samuel Marshall
was voted constable; Robert Fulton and John Matthews, supervisors; Robert Ewing and
Thomas Reed, overseers of the poor; and John Marshall and Alexander Thompson, judges.⁷
Andrew Boggs, Johnson's brother-in-law, in 1816-17 laid out the settlement that grew
into Saltsburg on a tract known as "the salt works."8 Boggs then advertised the new town in
The American, in which he persuasively stated: "The local situation of Saltzburgh (sic) gives it
many advantages, an abundant supply of timber and stone for building purposes, good water
and plenty of it, and the town site is two miles from the Conemaugh Salt Works and in view
of William Johnston's Mill." Boggs himself certainly found the region advantageous, as he
3
J. T. Stewart, Indiana County, Pennsylvania: Her People, Past and Present (Chicago: J.H. Beers, 1913), 499.
4
Stewart, 252.
5
Stewart, 499.
6
John A. Bonya, "A Check List of Indiana County's Early Stone Buildings," Indiana County Heritage (Winter 1987-
88), 29.
7
Stewart, 502-503.
8
Arms and White, 381; Stewart, 253.
143
owned three fairly profitable salt wells by 1829.9 By the first official land sale in 1817, it is
estimated there were already approximately twelve to fifteen houses, and "in a short time a
town began to rise from the woods."¹⁰
Commerce/Industry
Years earlier, between 1795 and 1798, a local woman discovered along the bank of the
Conemaugh River near the future town, a natural resource that would ignite the area's first
industry--salt water. Legend says she used it in a palatable mush, and as salt was utilized in
large quantities as a food preservative, seasoning, and as a tanning ingredient, it was an
expensive commodity. Vast supplies of salt existed in the low lands along the Conemaugh
River.
The War of 1812 precipitated a dramatic rise in the price of salt when the British
blocked the usual salt-shipping route from New York via Lake Erie to Pittsburgh and points
west.¹¹ This, coupled with its apparent abundance in the area, prompted Johnston, who hailed
from Franklin County, to purchase land from the Wilson brothers. He and a partner invested
$3,000 in start-up costs to bore a well; the latter deserted the venture only ten days before it
came to fruition, and Johnston later sold one-third of his interest for $12,000.¹² His success
was repeated by other entrepreneurs, and "very soon the hitherto silent and solitary banks of
this river were all bustle, life and enterprise."¹³ Enthusiasm generated by the "salt craze,"
comparable to that of discovering oil, quickly attracted settlers, entrepreneurs, and capital from
the East to the burgeoning region near Saltsburg called the Great Conemaugh Salt Works
(later White's Station stop of the Pennsylvania Railroad).¹⁴
The presence of salt was indicated by slightly brackish water oozing out of the rocks;
these "salt licks" frequently attracted animals, and therefore hunters. Although easy to locate,
early production of salt was time-consuming and expensive to initiate. Holes were bored into
the ground using a treadle, the poles connected with open mortise and tongue, and pumping
was at first the work of horses. The salt itself was manufactured by boiling salt water in large
kettles, the fires fueled with local timber. As prices fluctuated between $5 and $1 a bushel--
eventually to be fixed at $2 each--extraction technology improved. Long, deep, shallow iron
pans replaced the kettles, coal replaced wood as fuel, and the steam engine was introduced to
facilitate boring and pumping--all equipment and ingredients that had to be hauled by wagon
9 Clarence D. Stephenson, Indiana County 175th Anniversary History (Indiana: A.G. Halldin Publishing Co.,
1978), 78; hereafter cited as 175th.
10 Arms and White, 203, 382.
11 "1798 Salt Strike led to Birth of Saltsburg," Indiana Evening Gazette (16 April, 1963); Dr. Ernest Coleman,
"Western Division Canal Boomed Salt Sales," Canal Currents (Summer 1971), n.p.
12 Stephenson, 175th, 183.
13 Stewart, 502.
14 Stewart, 502, 253; Arms and White, 381.
144
from Pittsburgh and ferried across the river on keelboats.¹⁵
Soon, however, the market for salt generated enough revenue to justify the acquisition of
more efficient machinery and appliances.¹⁶ Miners and other laborers arrived who were
willing to work the sites, as did coopers ready to produce the barrels used to ship the salt
south to New Orleans. The excavations quickly proved detrimental to the environment of the
Kiskiminetas Valley, however, for according to a report in the American Journal of Science
(1827), "Black bituminous smoke rises in clouds over the hills or draws through the dusky
valley."¹⁷
Despite the primitive means of access to Saltsburg, both overland and water, the small
cluster of houses and occasional merchants gradually began to resemble a settlement. In 1820
John Williams opened the first tavern in Saltsburg; but discouraged by poor early business, he
departed and did not return until after the canal was constructed.¹⁸ One of the earliest
gristmills was erected on the Conemaugh River across from Saltsburg, to which settlers within
a five- to ten-mile radius packed their grain for processing. Later, an oil mill and still house
were erected there; all the mills were powered with overhead wheels equipped with buckets.
Transportation
The rivers at Saltsburg provided the simplest and most expedient means of
transportation, compared with hauling wagons along narrow trails, followed by down-river
shipping to ports in New Orleans.¹⁹ The first ferry to operate in the vicinity of Saltsburg was
on the Kiskiminetas near the junction of the Conemaugh River and Middle Creek. The first
proprietor is unaccounted for, but it is known that Andrew Armstrong, a black man, ran a
passenger ferry about 1816-17, with fares of 6 cents a person, 10 cents a horse, and 25 cents
per horse and wagon.20 The first bridge in the area, erected by Jacob Weister about 1820,
spanned 100 feet across the Loyalhanna Creek.
With crude roads in place, the postal service was not far behind. Mail was delivered
for the first time on October 2, 1804, via Armaugh, Beulah, and Conemaugh to Saltsburg;
deliveries were made twice a month.²¹
Community
As in most embryonic settlements, the foundations for community development such as
formalized religious sects were scarce or limited; education and recreational opportunities were
15 Stewart, 502.
16 Wiley, 251.
17 Coleman, 5-6.
18 Arms and White, 382.
19 Stewart, 499.
20 Stewart, 507.
21 Stephenson, 175th, 165.
145
considered amenities if they existed at all. At the first sale of land, one lot was deeded to the
Presbyterian church, then the only religious group in Saltsburg. Worshippers existed without
much official organization in 1817, when they had to ask a neighboring Presbytery for
supplies as well as "application for preaching at the salt works." It was not until 1824 that
Reverend Thomas Davis arrived and the formal congregation of the Saltsburg Presbyterian
Church was formed.²²
Saltsburg's first burial ground was located by the river; the second, located adjacent to
the first Presbyterian meeting house--a $600 stone church slowly but surely erected between
1820 and 1831--was near the east edge of the town. This half-acre was sufficient until after
mid-century, when it was supplanted by the formal Edgewood Cemetery. The stone church
served residents until it burned shortly after being completed.²³
The first school to serve Indiana County was only about one-half mile from the
Kiskiminetas River in Conemaugh Township. It is believed to have functioned from about
1777 until at least 1785, in a dwelling owned by Robert Robinson. Students gathered for
three hours in the evening, under the tutelage of James McDowell.²⁴ Informal efforts toward
education, with classes held in private homes, would continue for several decades.
CANAL ERA: 1826 1864
The first leg of the Western Division of the Pennsylvania Canal was legislated on
February 26, 1826, paralleling the Conemaugh and Kiskiminetas rivers; its operation included
sixty locks (excluding four at each end), sixteen aqueducts, 152 bridges, ten river dams, sixty-
four culverts, thirty-nine waste weirs, and two tunnels. Between Johnstown and Blairsville the
fall in height was about 8 feet per mile, and from the latter to Pittsburgh was about 3 feet per
mile. Saltsburg contained one lock, No. 8, located at the north end of Salt Street where it
met the Conemaugh River; a second nearby lock, No. 9, was about one mile due east of town
(Figure 4.2).
Although the Main Line Canal was authorized in February 1826, construction did not
commence until September of that year because of disputes over the route, primarily at the
Allegheny River terminus in Pittsburgh. Ultimately, work followed the same pattern as the
Juniata Division, the eastern one-third of the canal. The locks measured 90 feet long and 15
feet wide, with the prism measuring 40 feet at the top-water line, 28-feet at the bottom, and 4
feet deep. Here, however, the locks were built of cut stone laid in mortar, as compared with
the rubble-stone and wood locks of the Juniata section. "The locks on this line have cast-iron
paddle gates, eight to each lock. The time of filling a lock or of discharging the water, where
the lift is 8 feet, is about one minute and a half, and a boat can easily pass through in either
22 Stewart, 252-53.
23 Stewart, 252-53, 508.
24 Stewart, 500.
146
16-2
John
w
Kelly
LOCK 7
15
19
keliy
Hull
AQUEDUCT
North
Musser
Saltsburg
Anna
-58,
RIVER A
Hndrew
18
Robe
21
206
willinm
LOCK 8
vodopivec
LOCK 9
faul
Graft
Saltsburg
10
17
Treese
FLORE
Celeste
Behrend
CONEMAUCH
CENT
RIVER
Figure 4.2.
Site plan of Saltsburg depicting property lines and the nearby locks, No. 7, 8, and 9,
and the aqueduct that carried the Pennsylvania Canal across Black Legs Creek.
147
direction, in three minutes."
The Pittsburgh terminus of the canal opened in spring 1829, but traffic through
Saltsburg was stalled until summertime because of construction on the Conemaugh tunnel and
aqueduct. The first two packets through lock No. 8 were the Pioneer and Pennsylvania, on
May 15, part of David Leech's line; this company was also one of the last boat lines in service,
until 1855.²⁶
Wheelwright and chairmaker Samuel Shryock Jamison (1797-1877) was a resident of
Indiana, Pennsylvania, from 1818 until 1826, when he "obtained a contract
for the
construction of a section of the Pennsylvania Canal"; three years later he was named
supervisorof the entire Western Division. Lock No. 8 and its boat basin, constructed in 1828-
29, are believed to have been the responsibility of two local men, Jacob Drum and John
Gamble, about whom little is known for certain.²⁷
In 1830 upon overall completion, the Western Division cost $2.9 million to build,
nearly twice the original estimate of $1.5 million.2⁸
In Saltsburg, the canal caused little disruption in the street pattern aside from the
addition of a number of canal bridges. It did, however, attract a cluster of warehouses and
businesses near the channel, as well as along the lock and canal basin at the north edge of
town. As navigation and trade on the canal grew, real estate adjacent to it became
increasingly valuable. Besides the canal proper, the main line also furnished a market for
subsidiary ventures: inns and hotels, boat-making and repair, packet-fleet operation, and land
speculation.
Each lock required round-the-clock attention by a lockkeeper who lived nearby.
Information exists for two keepers of Saltsburg's lock No. 8. James Mears held the position
from 1844-46. He was followed by Hugh Kelly, who tended the lock from 1847 until the
close of the canal in 1863-64. Kelly was also a grocer from mid-century on, and his store was
next to the now-lost residence.²⁹
Commerce/Industry
The salt industry continued to flourish, and by 1826 an estimated thirty-five salt works
were operating along the Conemaugh and Kiskiminetas rivers. In a few short years salt
production climbed from 20,000 barrels annually to 75,000 barrels in 1825 (Figure 4.3). All
25 Robert McCullough and Walter Leuba, The Pennsylvania Main Line Canal (York, Pa.: American Canal and
Transportation Center, 1973), 52.
26 George Johnson, "Saltsburg and the Pennsylvania Canal," Canal Currents (Spring 1979), 13; McCullough, 164.
27 Johnson, "Saltsburg and the Pennsylvania Canal," 12.
28 Peter A. Wallner, "Politics and Public Works: A Study of the Pennsylvania Canal System, 1825-1857," Ph.D.
diss. (Pennsylvania State University, 1973), 78.
29 George Johnson, "Saltsburg Canal People," Canal Currents (Spring 1981), 12-13.
148
SALTSBURG: POPULATION FIGURES
Year
Population
1840
335
1850
623
1860
592
1870
659
1880
855
1890
900*/1,114
1897
1,000
1909
1,200
1927
2,000
*
1886 and 1891 Sanborn Maps show a population of 900.
Figures are taken from Wiley, 221, and Sanborn Maps 1886, 1891, 1897, 1909, 1927.
COAL AND SALT PRODUCED IN INDIANA COUNTY, PA.
Year
Tons of Coal
Bushels of Salt
1820
7,000
1825
20,000
1830
24,000
1835
29,000
1838*
31,000
(1840) 70,890
1845
19,000
(1842) 70,000
1849
15,000
1857-67
5,000-6,000 annually
*
This was the peak year for production of coal and salt, after which quantities declined.
Figures taken from Stephenson, Early Salt Industry of the Conemaugh-Kiskiminetas Valley.
Figure 4.3. Population and coal/salt production statistics
149
the wells were directly on the line of the canal.³⁰
With the Pennsylvania Canal having become the most important influence on Saltsburg
after the mid-1820s, one of the earliest associated industries became canal-boat building and
service, to the extent that "for several years after completion of the canal, and the opening up
of navigation through the main line from Harrisburg to Pittsburgh, no business of any
importance marked the history of Saltsburg, save the boat building industry."3 Founded in
1835-36 by Robert Young, Butler Meyers, and Jacob Newhouse, the first such enterprise
attracted a number of craftsmen to town.³² In 1848, Newhouse lived in a duplex at 803 Water
St. (HABS No. PA-5429), which was near his boatyard at the foot of Market Street. This two-
story, six-bay frame dwelling, ca. 1833-40, is notable as a "double house," constructed to host
two families, although it was only used as such for a short time. "Some of the finest and
most symmetrical heavy-freight boats on the canal" were constructed at Newhouse's yard,
claimed one early historian; the firm's prosperity lasted until 1863-64 when the canal's demise
was imminent.³³
Another vital canal-related business in Saltsburg was owned by John M. Marshall, who
operated a passenger-packet service between Blairsville and Pittsburgh on the main line. He
also conducted an overland passenger service, scheduled to connect with canal-boat service,
between the towns of Indiana and Saltsburg.³⁴ To complement his transportation line,
Marshall opened one of the first hotels in Saltsburg on Washington Street, the Marshall House
Hotel, which outlasted his other ventures.³⁵
Catering to passenger travel became a major industrial force along the canal. As
settlers moved westward at a steady pace, inns and eating houses came into great demand.
One early innkeeper was John Earhart, who previously wagoned on the Old Frankstown Road.
His first hotel was later occupied by the Saltsburg Bank; the Earhart House, his second hotel,
was a prominent landmark on the corner of Salt Street and Ash Alley for many years.³⁶ After
Earhart's death, his three daughters (Mary Ann, Kate, and Lavinia) operated a hotel on the
corner of Salt Street and Ash Alley for many years.³⁷ Similarly, canal boatman Joseph
Anderson operated the Anderson House at Point and Salt streets around 1850; later it became
30 Coleman, n.p.
31 Arms and White, 382.
32 George Johnson, "Saltsburg and the Pennsylvania Canal," 31.
33 Arms and White, 382.
34 Clarence D. Stephenson, Pennsylvania Canal: Indiana and Westmoreland Counties (Marion Center: Author,
1961), p. 14.
35 George Johnson, Saltsburg and the Pennsylvania Canal (1984), 115.
36 Arms and White, 390.
37 Arms and White, 390.
150
the Central Hotel.
Passenger receipts were secondary to the canal revenue derived from shipping raw
materials necessary for industry. Salt, coal, iron, and agricultural products were among the
many resources explored and exploited when economical freight shipping became possible.
The salt industry continued to flourish despite flooding in 1832 that destroyed several
saltworks along the Conemaugh and Kiskiminetas rivers.³⁹ Saltsburg soon became an
important point on the canal as well as being the center of the salt trade of the county, which
in 1842 amounted to 75,000 bushels of that article."⁴⁰ Large grain and flour businesses were
established that began to tap the agricultural resources. "During a period dating from about
1840, up to the sale of the Main Line Canal," according to one historian, "a large grain
commission business was conducted at the place, and commodious warehouse facilities
attracted business from a large area of terretory (sic)."⁴¹ One old grain warehouse, near Ash
Alley on the old canal bed, survived as a grain warehouse until after the turn of the century.
One of the early gristmills and warehouse facilities for grain processing was owned by
Major Francis Laird, a Scotch-Irish Presbyterian who settled in Saltsburg in 1845. At that time
he went into a partnership with canal boatman Major J.C. McQuaide and formed Laird and
McQuaide. Laird apparently became the sole proprietor of the mill between 1849 and 1885.42
In 1849 Laird also purchased property at 222 Point St. (HABS No. PA-5421), while McQuaide
lived nearer the canal and business community, at 803 Water St.43
The Conemaugh River Valley's wealth of iron resources prompted Andrew Steele to
construct a foundry in 1850. Two years later he sold the works to Saltsburg residents Rodgers
and Lawson.⁴⁴ Little is known about the foundry, but in 1851 it remained a small operation
employing only two laborers. It was not until 1853, when Valentine Blank joined the
business, that it was expanded with an eight-horsepower engine and three laborers to produce
stoves, plows, grates, threshing machines, castings, and more for markets throughout Indiana,
Westmoreland, and Armstrong counties.⁴⁵ Rodgers apparently lived at 103 Point St., close to
the foundry that remained active for many years, although it appears to have changed hands
prior to 1903 when it was called the Cooper Bros. Foundry and Machine Shop; the buildings
38 Johnson, Saltsburg and the Pennsylvania Canal, 112.
39 Stephenson, 175th, 329.
40 Wiley, 218.
41 Arms and White, 382.
42 Johnson, Saltsburg and the Pennsylvania Canal, 115; Arms and White, 388; Wiley, 228.
43 Deed March 14, 1871; deed February 6, 1850, Volume 16, Page 387.
44 Stephenson, 175th, 522.
45 Arms and White, 384; Stephenson, 175th, 523; Stewart, 510.
151
were removed by 1927.4 Saltsburg attracted craftsmen as well as merchants, because of its
role as a regional canal port and commercial center. In 1832, for instance, chairmaker and
painter Johnston S. Robinson came to Saltsburg; in 1871 had maintained a shop in his home
at 425 Salt St. (HABS No. PA-5427).⁴
Robinson opened a druggist establishment in 1853, and upon his death in 1888, his
son David carried on; the latter was also affiliated with some of the local coal companies, and
helped establish the Saltsburg Bank.48
Samuel S. Moore opened the first tin and stove business in the borough in 1846 and
he was still in business in 1880. About 1871 he erected a building at 222 Point St. (HABS
No. PA-5421) that contained both his shop, in a formal glass storefront with its own entrance,
and residence, confined to the second floor and accessed by a separate doorway. Notably, the
overall character of the two-story, gable-front, frame building is residential rather than
commercial. His son, William Moore (born 1810), settled in Saltsburg "when a young man,"
and he, too, established himself in the tinning trade as "the principal partner in one of the
largest and most successful business houses in Saltsburg."49 The men lived next to each other;
the father at 230 Point St., the son at 232 Point St., a typical gable-front frame building
erected ca. 1828-49 (HABS No. PA-5416).
James Daugherty came to the borough as a carpenter's apprentice, although he went
on to accomplish himself as a cooper, carpenter, and canal workman. He eventually
established an eating house and hotel to serve the canal traffic that flowed through town.50
About 1871 Daugherty rented half the house at 803 Water St. near the canal.⁵¹
Another well-known Saltsburg industry was carriage manufacturing. The first such
establishment was a business founded by Daniel Walter in 1848. The following year the
group Row, Clark and Keister purchased stock in the shop, followed in 1850 with acquisition
of the lots and buildings.⁵² In 1854 Keister retired, and three years later Rowe sold his
investment in the company, leaving Hail Clark sole proprietor of the growing business.⁵³ At
13, Clark worked as a muletender on the canal. He later settled in Greensburg, Pennsylvania,
and turned to the trade of carriage and harness-making. Clark moved to Saltsburg in 1849,
46 Deed March 26, 1859, Volume 24, Page 481, Indiana County Court House; Sanborn Maps, 1903, 1927.
47 Arms and White, 389; F.W. Beers, Atlas of Indiana County, Pennsylvania (NY, 1871-80).
48 Arms and White, 389; Stewart, 1046.
49 Arms and White, 382, 393; Stewart, 642.
50 Stephenson, 175th, vol. 4, 445; Johnson, Saltsburg and the Pennsylvania Canal, 113.
51 Beers.
52 Arms and White, 396.
53 Stephenson, 175th, 573.
152
where he soon earned the reputation as a skilled mechanic.⁵⁴ The carriage trade attracted
many proficient craftsmen and their families to the borough. Between 1867 and 1883 Clark
employed twenty men to build and repair carriages, wagons, and buggies, as well as related
tasks such as trimming, painting, woodworking, and blacksmithing. In 1873 Clark attempted
to expand the enterprise--which produced 200 buggies annually, some shipped to Pittsburgh--
by constructing repositories in Indiana, Pennsylvania, and Butler County. But by 1878
business had fallen off sufficiently to reduce the staff to six men, and abandon both the latter
outlets.⁵ In its prime, Clark's reputation was that of producing "only the highest class of
work." He owned the "largest and most complete establishment of this kind in the county"
and, expounded another source, it is "one of the largest and best-equipped carriage factories in
the state."56 By 1913 Clark's two sons, Murray and Ferdinand, were partners in the carriage
business, whose buildings were thereafter abandoned and used for automobile storage by
1927.5
In 1847 J.R. Reed constructed the borough's fourth tannery between the Conemaugh
River and the canal, a move that highlights the growing importance of the canal as a shipping
route. (The first two tanneries had been constructed behind the Earhart Hotel on Salt Street;
the third tannery, owned by Thomas and John Robinson, was the first to be constructed on
the bank of the canal.) Reed managed the business, which produced about 600 tanned hides
per year in its thirty-two vats; it operated until sometime between 1880 and 1886.⁵
Other early industries along the Conemaugh River include a sawmill and mill dam
located at the foot of Market Street, owned by Hail Clark and sawyer Joseph Andre. The mill
contained a shop to manufacture posts for high poster beds.⁵⁹ It was followed by canal-era
enterprises that included a woolen mill, gristmill, carding machine, and linseed-oil mill.60
Little information is available about these ventures.
Merchant William Mcllwain moved to Saltsburg in 1831 to join his brother Robert,
"who had located there in the previous year, in the General Merchantile (sic) business." He
operated a store at his residence, 214 Washington St. (HABS No. PA-5424), one of two
remaining stone structures in the borough. One of the most traditional early Pennsylvania-
style buildings extant, the simple, five-bay, two-story house is constructed of rubble-filled stone
54 Arms and White, 396; Wiley, 223.
55 Arms and White, 384.
56 Wiley, 219, 220.
57 Stewart, 510; Sanborn Map 1927.
58 Stewart, 510; Arms and White, 384.
59 Stewart, 505; Beers.
60 Arms and White, 395; Beers.
61 Arms and White, 387.
153
walls that narrow from banked foundation to the gables. This building is nearly identical to
the residence at 105 Point St. (HABS No. PA-5419), built ca. 1830; thus, these may be the
two oldest structures still standing in Saltsburg. In 1831 Mcllwain moved his business to
another structure on Salt Street and ultimately worked forty-four years as a merchant before
retiring.⁶²
William Sterret came to Saltsburg as an infant in July 1825. Later, he took up the
vocation of merchant in firms such as Sterret, Robinson (J.M.) & Company, Sterret and
Sandles (William), Sterret and Mcllwain (William R.), W.J. Sterret, and in 1876 Sterret and
Company; he later served as president of the Saltsburg Bank.63
Saltsburg also became home to Dr. John McFarland, a graduate of Jefferson Medical
College, who settled there in 1836--perhaps to be near his salt well.6⁴ In 1842 he built the
modest two-story, four-bay house at 216 Washington St. (HABS No. PA-5425). McFarland
served in state House of Representatives in the 1845-46 term, and later became one of the
first directors of the Northern Pennsylvania Railroad. In a local capacity he was president of
the county medical society for one term, and was a director of the Saltsburg Academy. In
1871 McFarland established a drug store "on the old stone house corner" at Washington
Street, but five years later he moved the business to Salt Street where it remained until his
death in 1889. Upon Dr. McFarland's death, his son John R. took over the firm, until 1905
when the store was purchased by an employee, E.E. Goodlin.65
Transportation
As the temptation of interior natural resources and their traffic grew more appealing,
local transportation routes were improved. A second ferry known to have served Saltsburg
was established in 1836 by James Dougherty, who also operated a hotel on the riverbank just
above the toll bridge.
The first substantial (toll) bridge across the Kiskiminetas River was undertaken by the
Saltsburg Bridge Company, which completed it in 1842-43 at a cost of $10,000. Absalom
Woodward was the contractor, Daniel McKean the master carpenter, and John Stoops the
master mason for the slender, 400-foot covered wooden span. Timber for the bridge was
rafted in by river from Clarion and Jefferson counties, while the stone was quarried from
nearby the canal.⁶⁶ The structure remained poised atop three stone piers until 1922 when it
burned, only to be replaced a year later by an iron bridge.⁶⁷
62 Bill Wolford, ed., 1987 Canal Days Special Covered Bridge Edition (Historic Saltsburg, 1987), 21-22.
63 Arms and White, 390.
64 William H. Egle, An Illustrated History of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania (Harrisburg: Dewitt C. Goodrich
and Co., 1876), 792.
65 Arms and White, 389; Stephenson, 175th, vol. 4, 365; Stewart, 509.
66 Saltsburg Press (16 April, 1963).
67 Stewart, 507; Craig Swauger, "Growing Up in Saltsburg," Indiana County Heritage (Spring 1979), p. 15.
154
In an attempt to further open up western Pennsylvania, the state government
constructed a road between the county seat of Indiana and Saltsburg in 1826. Unfortunately
these early routes were often little better than widened trails, with surface conditions that
varied with the seasons and maintenance. Many of the company-owned turnpikes were never
financially successful, and thus their road surfaces were allowed to deteriorate. Nevertheless,
the postal service improved markedly with the coming of the canal, for the stage that ran
between Harrisburg and Pittsburgh delivered mail to Saltsburg thrice weekly in 1828, and
every day by the following year.
Community
With canal construction underway and the noteworthy existing growth, the "Saltsburgh"
post office was established in 1828; and the town retained that spelling until 1892 when the
"h" was dropped.⁶⁸ In 1832 Saltsburg was composed of twenty dwellings, two stores, two
taverns, and a Presbyterian Church; thus, by 1838 the town's size warranted incorporation as
a borough, which occurred on April 16 of that year.69 In 1840 the population of Saltsburg
had risen to 335, and by mid-century the number of houses had reputedly doubled to forty.⁷⁰
As westward migration continued, a greater diversity of ethnic and religious groups
arrived. In the meantime, worshippers did the best they could, as in 1828 when Father
Gallitzen celebrated Roman Catholic mass for canal laborers inside the nearby canal tunnel."¹
It was not until a few years after the arrival of master stone mason John Martin in the early
1840s that a Catholic church was constructed.⁷² Martin's father had been politically active in
Ireland and was forced to flee his country; but upon arriving in Quebec, Canada, he
contracted cholera and was nursed back to health by the Catholic Sisters of Charity. As
repayment for this debt on behalf of his father, the young Martin donated his construction
services to erect St. Matthew's Church in 1847 (HABS No. PA-5436). The church, a modest
Gothic Revival brick building three bays wide and four bays deep, remains at its original
Cathedral Alley site, which had been purchased by Reverend Michael O'Connor for $1 from
nearby resident Mathias Rombach.73 The bricks were made at a nearby site, and the
foundation stones are said to have been left over from the canal construction.74 When a new
Catholic church was built in 1961, this structure was relegated to use as a storage facility.
68 Mary Johnson, "Post Office Dates to 1828," in "1838-1888" (Supp.) Indiana Gazette (1988).
69 Thomas Gordon, A Gazetteer of the State of Pennsylvania (Philadelphia: T. Belknap, 1832), 403; Stewart, 796.
70 Wiley, 221; Daniel I. Rupp, The Geographical Catechism of Pennsylvania and the Western States
(Harrisburg: John Winebrenner, 1836), 604.
71 Stephenson, 175th, 291.
72 Martin's arrival to Saltsburg varies according to the source: It was 1841 according to
Arms and White, and 1843, Wiley, 218.
73 Delia Delfavro, "John Martin was a Builder," in "1838-1988" (Supplement), Indiana Gazette (3 June, 1988).
74 "1833-1988" (Supplement), Indiana Gazette (3 June, 1988).
155
Martin erected for himself a house at 502 High St. (HABS No. PA-5422) in 1853-54.
Made of wood, ironically, the rectangular, two-story block features unique and lively
ornamentation that includes crenellated cresting and exaggerated porch brackets.
Other churches constructed in this period include the frame Methodist Episcopal
Church, dedicated in 1841, whose first pastor was Reverend Jeremiah Phillips.75 Two years
later it was joined by the brick Baptist Church, settled by the Reverend Thomas Wedell, and
the brick Associate Presbyterian--now United Presbyterian--Church, organized by Reverend
Hanse Lee (although its first instituted pastor, Olivor P. Katz, did not appear until 1861).
The Scotch-Irish Presbyterian settlers of Saltsburg were considered hardy and sober
citizens who recognized the value of education. One early historian described them
collectively as "a brave, determined, self-denying race, by no means deficient in education and
love of learning. It is a notable fact that in spelling, penmanship, and accuracy of style and
manner, the early records of the townships and county will compare favorably with those of
more recent date."77 While informal classes were held in private homes throughout much of
the early nineteenth century, in 1834 the Free School Act paved the way for established (and
autonomous) borough and county schools; and, by 1840, Conemaugh Township contained five
schools boasting 337 pupils, more than any other township in Indiana County.⁷⁸ In 1851-52
the first formal high-school institution opened as the Saltsburg Academy, a two-story brick
building atop a raised foundation story with white Greek Revival woodwork that occupies an
elevated site at the corner of High and Point streets (HABS No. PA-5433). S.S. Jamison
constructed the two-story, gable-front brick building; its $3,300 cost financed by the sale of
$25 shares of stock. Incorporating members of the academy included Adam Robinson;
merchant William Stewart; J.W. Robinson; Jamison the builder; W.W. Woodend, the
Presbyterian minister who later served as principal; craftsman J.S. Robinson; and packet-
service owner and local hotelier John Marshall. Seventy-five young pupils whose families paid
tuition of $6 to $10 per five-month session attended opening classes in May 1852; girls were
instructed on the second floor, boys on the first.79
RAILROAD ERA: 1850s 1954
For ten years the canal and railroad coexisted in Saltsburg (Figure 4.4). The Saltsburg
Borough Council approved the right of way for construction of the Pennsylvania Railroad
tracks through the borough on June 3, 1854; the same year the state offered the canal for
75 Stephenson, 175th, 292.
76 Wiley, 218-19.
77 Stewart, 794.
78 Stephenson, 175th, 284; Stewart, 500.
79 Stephenson, 14.
156
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Atlas of Indiana County, Pennsylvania (Beers, 1880), showing Saltsburg, ca. 1871, with
the "old Pennsylvania Canal" path and the operating Western Pennsylvania Railroad.
157
sale at a reduced price of $10 million.⁸⁰ Shortly thereafter, Samuel Jamison and mason John
Martin began to construct the railroad depot facing Point Street parallel to the site of the
tracks (HABS No. PA-5437). The rectangular building, highlighted by a low-pitched roof and
wide eaves, has been substantially altered over the years and is currently used as the borough
office.⁸¹ Jamison rose from a canal contractor to a well-to-do and influential citizen. From
1854 to 1856 he served in the Pennsylvania State Legislature, where he advocated the sale of
minor state-owned canals, while retaining control of the debt-ridden main line. 82 About the
same time, he received a contracting position near Saltsburg with the railroad, but four years
later the company had financial difficulties and all construction was halted; in May 1857 the
Pennsylvania Railroad tracks. acquired the canal.⁸³ Although Jamison had completed a portion
of his contract, the company was unable to pay for the work, and he was forced to shoulder
the financial responsibility. Selling his home in Saltsburg, he returned to Indiana,
Pennsylvania, to construct wagons for the government, but discouraged by poor business, he
moved to his daughter's home in Iowa. Jamison's son, Benton, purchased the old Saltsburg
dwelling and gave it to his parents; the elder Jamison then returned to Saltsburg and spent
the remainder of his life farming and completing a few contracting jobs.⁸⁴
The Western Division of the main line was the first closed by the new owner, but for
ten years, until about 1864, the canal and railroad co-existed in Saltsburg, dually continuing
to encourage settlement and general development of the region. The Portage Railroad section
of the main line, which carried canal traffic over the Allegheny Mountains, was almost
immediately closed, too, thus severing the link between eastern and western divisions of the
canal.⁸⁵
On June 2, 1866, the town fathers approved the railroad's request to fill in the canal
bed, which took several years to complete. In early 1872 Saltsburg's lock No. 8 was
dismantled and $200 to $300 worth of stone from it was incorporated into the soldiers'
monument being erected in Edgewood Cemetery.⁸⁶
Commerce/Industry
In 1861 the struggling salt industry received a serious blow, one compounded by the
loss of the canal to provide for economical freighting, when a Conemaugh River flood
80 George Johnson, "Saltsburg Borough Council Minutes and the Pennsylvania Canal,
1850-66," Canal Currents (Autumn 1979), 6.
81 Canal Days (Historic Saltsburg Inc., 1984), n.p.
82 Johnson, "Saltsburg and the Pennsylvania Canal," 12.
83 Johnson, "Saltsburg and the Pennsylvania Canal," 6.
84 Stephenson, 175th, vol. 4, 201.
85 George Swetman, Pennsylvania Transportation, Pennsylvania Historical Studies No. 7 (Gettysburg: Pennsylvania
Historical Association, 1968), 57.
86
Johnson, "Saltsburg and the Pennsylvania Canal," 7.
158
destroyed a number of saltworks near the borough. Due to competition from western states
that could transport salt more cheaply via the Great Lakes, a number of these works were
never rebuilt.⁸ In 1882 the Pennsylvania Railroad moved its tracks from their route between
Salt and High streets to the site of the old canal bed near the river; a new station was
constructed on Washington Street two years later. The old station on Point Street served as a
town hall for many years, then in the twentieth century as an auditorium, a bowling alley and
again as the borough offices.
Saltsburg was not permanently affected by the loss of the canal. According to one
historian, "The abandonment of the canal and the decline of salt manufacturing retarded the
growth of Saltsburg until 1887, when the opening of coal mines and the establishment of
other industries gave a new lease of life to the town."88 William Sterret, for
instance, organized the Fairbanks Coal Company in 1866 to extract the valuable bituminous
coal deposits that existed in the area.89 By 1891 an important new industrial base for
Saltsburg was underway, with the Fairbanks and the Foster Coal companies two vital
businesses in the town. Both were based within one and one-half miles of the borough near
the rail line, along which a company-owned fleet of cars facilitated the shipment of coal to a
wide range of markets that included Canada. The majority of the 325 miners employed in
Saltsburg were American, many of whom owned their own homes. Although wages were not
necessarily high, no strikes were recorded during the first twenty-five years of operation. But
due to the absence of company stores, "they [the miners] come to Saltsburg for their supplies,
and their trade keeps business lively."⁹⁰
As the complexity of coal-mining technology increased, so did the need for professional
civil engineers. Robert H. Wilson, who settled in the borough in 1888, proved to be a highly
qualified engineer sought after throughout western Pennsylvania. A specialist in the design of
water and sewerage systems, and coal mines throughout the bituminous-coal region, Wilson
formed a partnership with Albert Smith.⁹¹ The two men served as consulting geologists and
engineers, with offices in Saltsburg and Washington, Pennsylvania." The waterworks
constructed in Saltsburg between 1891 and 1897 may have been designed by this team.
Even as the industrial base shifted from salt to coal, and the railroad superseded canal
transportation, an array of traditional merchants continued to flourish in Saltsburg. In 1859
Thomas B. Patton established the second wagon-making business, in a shop that had been
constructed as a stable by S.S. Jamison. Originally located near the canal basin, it was
87 Stephenson, 175th, 523-24.
88 Wiley, 218.
89
Gloria Berringer, ed., 1838-1988: Canal Days Sesquicentennial (Historic Saltsburg, 1988), 37.
90 Wiley, 219.
91 Stewart, 618.
92 Wiley, 232.
159
relocated to the old canal bed near the new passenger depot on Washington Street between
1871 and 1880. 93
In 1870 butcher William Grabenstein settled in Saltsburg and founded an elaborate
pork-packing plant about one-quarter mile from town along the Conemaugh River. He
constructed two buildings, in 1873 and 1876, respectively. In 1878 Grabenstein packed 1,200
hogs, using steam power to render lard and cut sausages; the meat, including his "Saltsburg
Bologna" was stored in an ice house.94
James Hudson purchased property in the borough in 1877, on which he constructed a
steam-powered planing mill. He apparently ran "a regular building establishment," which may
have been the lumber company near the canal on Market Street; this business closed in 1886
after it was acquired by George B. Davis.
Davis opened a planing mill and lumberyard in 1885 on the site of the Butler Meyers
canal boatyard adjacent to the railroad tracks. At 16 Davis became a carpenter's apprentice.
He later founded a lumber business in Hills Station, Pennsylvania, but moved to Saltsburg the
following year. In 1887 Wilson C. Davis, his brother George, and O.R. Lake organized Davis
Brothers and Company, a manufactory of lumber, doors, sash, moldings, and especially
stairwork. Its undoubtedly brisk business, thanks to the building boom, is confirmed by one
historian: "This firm has a high reputation for high-class work, and the business has shown a
continuous increase from the very beginning, occupying a leading place among the important
industries of the locality." By 1913 George moved to Idaho, while Wilson remained in town to
tend the business; however, by 1903 the structures were used for storage, and shortly
thereafter were sold to the Daugherty family.96
In 1881 Martin V. Patterson, an experienced contractor, lumberman, and oil-well
driller, settled in Saltsburg and opened a flour mill.97 Four years later he joined John Hershey
in a partnership and purchased the Saltsburg flour mill, which may have been the old Laird
and McQuaid establishment. This mill was nearly destroyed in the great flood of 1889 that
devastated Johnstown, but it was remodeled the following year to include a steam and roller
process.⁹⁸ Production apparently resumed in 1891, prompting one observer to claim "they have
a large trade and manufacture high and fancy grades of roller flour, which they export to
some extent beyond supplying the home demand for the same."99 By 1891 the mill was
93 Wiley, 20; Beers.
94
Clarence D. Stephenson, "A Tribute," in 1838-1988 Sesquicentennial, 12; Arms and White, 389.
95
Stewart, 506; Wiley, 224.
96 Stewart, 682; Sanborn Maps 1903, 1909, 1927.
97
Wiley, 228.
98
Stewart, 802.
99
Wiley, 228.
160
producing an estimated 1,050 barrels of flour daily, for which it was considered a "credit to
the town."¹⁰⁰ Martin Patterson admitted his son, Harry, into the business in 1903, yet the
elder Patterson retained much of the control in the company until his death sixteen years
later. 101 The Patterson Milling Company was formed in 1911 after a fire destroyed the 20-
year-old mill. A large, much-touted mill with a 125-barrel a day capacity was erected on Point
Street near the train tracks around 1913. 102 The building was equipped with the most
approved up-to-date machinery, and operated throughout by electricity. It will be the model
establishment of its kind in the region."¹⁰³ The building still stands, with the machinery intact.
Businessman James P. Watson, principal stockholder and treasurer of the Saltsburg
Glass Company, settled in Saltsburg in 1889. 104 "This company purchased the old Saltsburg
Glass Company, and with characteristic energy for which they are now noted, immediately
remodeled, enlarged, and improved the works. They now manufacture fine prescription ware
and bottles of all kinds." A year later output reached about 100 bottles a day. The firm
employed eighty men and boys in the vicinity of Saltsburg, of whom twenty-one were skilled
glass blowers. 105 The company apparently changed its name several times; for instance, in
1897 it was the Saltsburg Bottle Works Company, and in 1903 the Saltsburg Flint Bottle
Company. It closed around 1907 and soon after disappeared from fire insurance maps. By
1924 another "bottling plant" appears on Water Street, however. 106
Historic photographs of Saltsburg indicate that commercial structures changed
physically from their mid-century appearance. In the early settlement and canal-era, industries
were housed in the borough's most formidable buildings. Hail Clark's carriage works, the
Davis Brothers' lumber concern, and mills and grain warehouses, for instance--each occupied
large buildings of two stories or more. In contrast, stores and similar commercial buildings
were based in residential-scale buildings. It is not until the railroad era that commercial
buildings were designed to advertise their function. These late Victorian structures featured
first-floor display windows in which merchandise was arranged, while upper stories were lit
and ventilated through regular bays of tall sash; intricate woodwork demarked facades; and
large signs and colorful awnings were designed to catch the eyes of passersby. Merchants
added needed storage space within the structure to house the surplus goods of a thriving
business. These businesses were primarily clustered along Salt and Point streets, interspersed
with older businesses and dwellings. The railroad era marked a period of architectural and
spatial changes in the commercial sector of the town.
100 Wiley, 220.
101 Stewart, 802.
102 Stewart, 510.
103 Stewart, 803.
104 Stewart, 656.
105 Wiley, 231, 220.
106 Saltsburg Press (18 April, 1963), sec. 2, p. 7; Sanborn Maps.
161
Commercial activity flourished as the number of miners and their families increased,
and a number of prominent merchants enlarged established businesses in response to the
favorable economic climate. The career of one of Saltsburg's most important businessmen
began in 1875 when J.C. Moore became a partner in his father's stove and tin business.
William Moore and Son, located on Salt Street, retained a selection of tin, copper, and sheet-
iron ware, stoves, grates, and house furnishings, and enlarged the stock to include a selection
of hardware, paints, oils, and glass. The firm made "a specialty of tin, iron, slate, and felt
roofing and have a renumerative trade that extends beyond Saltsburg and the limits of the
county," attested one historian 107 After his father's death in 1891, the younger Moore
renamed the business the J.C. Moore Cash Hardware Store, and again sixteen years later, to
J.C. Moore Supply Company.¹⁰⁸ The structure was among a number of Saltsburg buildings
that burned in 1981.
In 1875 the Saltsburg Press reported that a new dry-goods shop was opening in town.
H.J. and S.S. Porster were local contractors, carpenters, house and sign painters, and dealers in
such products as lumber, sash, doors, hardware, and paints. Their business was based in two
large, three-story buildings and employed several workmen:
The most notable building in progress now is that on Point Street between
Canal and Salt Streets, where Messrs. H. & S. Porster have the contract
for putting up a frame building two stories high, 36' front by 76' in depth,
for the firm of Messrs. H. & S. Porster. The first story will be occupied
by the above firm as a dry goods, hardware, provision and grocery store, and
as this firm is connected with the Fairbanks Coal Works, employing over 100
laborers, and they furnish these laborers and their families with the various
articles kept in their store, it would seem that they require larger accommoda-
tions than those they have at present. The second story front will be used for
storage.¹⁰⁹
Local merchant William Mcllwain (probably the son of an earlier merchant of that
name) owned a large store along the canal by 1871. He had purchased the lot and
warehouse across the alley in 1868, and apparently rented the property to G. Wilson in
1871. 110 Across the street at No. 222 is a large Victorian-style store (HABS No. PA-5432) run
by P.D. Shupe. It features decorative woodwork and an elaborate storefront with full-height
windows through which the interior mezzanine could be viewed. The second floor was called
Armory Hall, and served as the meeting place of Company "B," Tenth Regiment National
Guard. This structure is in very good condition today.
As the borough became more affluent it soon was apparent that a financial institution
107 Wiley, 227.
108 Stewart, 509.
109 Saltsburg Press (18 April, 1963), 5.
110 Deed June 11, 1868, Volume B34, Page 489, Indiana County Courthouse; Beers.
162
was needed. William Sterret had organized a bank in his own home as early as 1866, to
handle money for the miners in the Fairbanks Coal Company.¹¹ But banking needs were
sufficient by 1871 to warrant establishing the Saltsburg Bank. At first housed in a wing of
saddler and canal-boat captain Robert J. Taylor's home at 211 Point St. (HABS No. PA-5420),
four years later the First National Bank of Saltsburg moved into a small but eclectic new
building across the road at 214 Point St. (HABS No. PA-5431). Both edifices are extant. The
Saltsburg Press described the latter building:
First in importance and architectural taste, is the neat and attractive
structure being erected by the contractor, Mr. James Hudson, for the Saltsburg
Bank. It adjoins the building of Messrs. S & R, is built of brick, two stories,
having an ornamental iron front. It is rapidly progressing toward completion,
and will be ready for occupancy, by the banking institution, by the first of
October.¹¹²
A banquet celebrating its opening was held at the Earhart Hotel, though records indicate that
the bank didn't own the lot until three years after the building was constructed. An addition
was made to the rear of the building between 1886 and the year it failed, 1890. 113 Today the
building remains largely intact.
The borough's second bank, Farmer's and Merchant's Bank of Saltsburg, was
established in 1875. This institution was housed in the Central Hotel on the corner of Point
and Salt streets, where the facade woodwork was completed by H. and S. Porster, and the
painting on the door executed by I.S. Porster.¹¹⁴ In 1882 it was reorganized as the First
National Bank, and the organization moved in 1893 from the Central Hotel location to the
Point Street building that housed the recently failed Saltsburg Bank. This institution
flourished and, in 1927, moved again to a new building erected on the site of the Central
Hotel; in 1967 the name was changed to the Savings and Trust Company of Pennsylvania.¹⁵
Community
Economic pursuits did not overshadow spiritual, mental, and physical maintenance of
borough residents. In 1869 Reverend Andrew Getty, a canal boatman, teacher, and
Universalist minister settled in Saltsburg. He and the fifteen-member Universalist congregation
constructed a church on Market Street near his home in the following year. By 1903,
however, the building was no longer being used as a church, and may have been occupied as
a school. (Getty supplemented his income with a steam-flouring mill he constructed in 1879
111 Ann Palmer and Patricia Miller, "A History of Saltsburg's Banks," 1838-1988 Sesquicentennial, 36.
112 Saltsburg Press (18 April, 1963), 5.
113 Palmer and Miller, 37, 39; Sanborn Maps 1886, 1891.
114 Saltsburg Press (18 April, 1963), reprint from "A Monster Safe," Saltsburg Press (24 November, 1875).
115 Stewart, 510; Palmer and Miller, 37.
116 Arms and White, 392.
163
"on the hill.")
The United Presbyterian congregation constructed a new $3,000 church on High Street
near the Saltsburg Academy in 1870 (HABS No. PA-5434). The "neatly furnished" new
structure was a small, one-story, gable-front frame building with few modest decorative
features. The building continued to be owned by the church until 1984, when it was
purchased by the Williamson Club, which uses it as a masonic lodge. 117
The long-established Presbyterian Church was forced to construct a new house of
worship in 1874, one year after its small church on the north edge of town was evaluated as
unsafe. During the yearlong construction, religious services were held in the nearby Saltsburg
Academy building. The building, at the corner of Salt and Washington streets, cost $27,765.
The formal, Gothic-styled edifice was described at the time as
one of the most substantial
brick and stone structures in this part of the state.
The windows are modern in style and
filled with a good quality of stained glass, while the main window is large, of beautiful design
and yet unpretentious. The spire is justly regarded as very beautiful."¹
Early in the nineteenth century Lutheran families from eastern Pennsylvania, Maryland,
and Germany arrived and settled in Indiana County. A group from the Sons of Zebedee
Evangelical Lutheran Church settled in Saltsburg and built a meeting house on Salt Street just
north of Washington Street in 1878 (HABS No. PA-5435). This simple yet textural Carpenter
Gothic-style church is brick, designed on a three-bay by five-bay rectangular plan with a center
steeple, pointed-arch windows, and patterned slate roof.
After the turn of the century, it became obvious that the small Presbyterian cemetery
was inadequate. The Edgewood Cemetery Company was formed in 1868 to oversee the
development of a ten-acre burial ground on the east edge of Saltsburg. J.E. Robinson and S.S.
Portser laid it out along strict right angles with a system of streets, with the centerpoint
marked by Soldier's Monument, a great 25-foot sandstone obelisk.¹¹⁵
Education in Saltsburg continued to grow as a priority throughout the nineteenth
century. In 1869 the Presbyterian Church acquired the Saltsburg Academy, renovated and
refurbished the building, and rededicated it as the Memorial Institute on April 3, 1871. As
the turn of the twentieth century approached, the former academy building served as one of
three public-school facilities in the county. From 1890 until 1912, when a large new school
was constructed on Market Street between Poplar and Pine alleys, the old academy served as
part of the public school system; thereafter it was used privately, at first as A.E. Ray's
carpentry shop. 120 Its cupola and some porch elements are missing today, but the building
largely retains its form and integrity.
117 Pennsylvania Historic Resources Inventory form.
118 Stewart, 253-55.
119 Stewart, 508.
120 Stewart, 225, 253; Arms and White, 384.
164
Another school got its start in 1879 when John Martin began to construct a hotel for
what was intended to be a summer resort. Nine years later he sold the hotel to A.W. Wilson,
a businessman from Indiana, Pennsylvania. In 1890 Wilson and his son, Harry, were partners
in the Indiana Gas Company, which piped natural gas near Saltsburg. Wilson, of whom it was
said, "from his boyhood was deeply impressed with an appreciation of the priceless value of
education," utilized personal funds to procure the hotel and surrounding land, thus enabling
another son, A.W. Wilson Jr., and R.W. Fair to open in 1889 what became the Kiskiminetas
Spring School.¹²¹ Wilson Jr., a graduate of Princeton University, and his sister Ella, who
graduated from Vassar College, joined the faculty.¹²² A year later the private boys school was
expanded with the construction of a brick building to house a gym, chapel, classrooms, and
dormitory space sufficient to house twenty-eight pupils; a total of eighty boys were enrolled
and resided in both buildings.¹²³ W.H. McColl joined the partnership in 1902; in 1913 Fair
retired, and a year later the school grew again, to include the estate of Captain Reese. The
school, which now encompassed about 200 acres and another brick house, boasted twelve
teachers and 130 students.¹ 124 It remains a private boys' school today.
Early twentieth-century maps of Saltsburg indicate three separate public school
buildings. The old Saltsburg Academy building on High Street, a small structure on the corner
of Market Street and Pine Alley that may have been the former Universalist Church, and a
third facility on a lot between Poplar and Pine alleys. This last structure, erected prior to
1871, was a two-room schoolhouse with classrooms on the first and second floors. It was
used as such until 1912 when a new brick structure--"modern in every particular"--w
constructed on that lot. 125 It housed 458 pupils the year following its construction.¹²⁶ In
general, the collective development of public and private schools in the area meant that "for
many years Conemaugh Township stood in the first rank along educational lines."¹²⁷
Prior to the turn of the twentieth century, the medical profession in Saltsburg consisted
largely of individual practices in small, residential offices. In 1909, however, Indiana County
native Dr. E. Bruce Earhart established the Saltsburg General Hospital in the sprawling former
residence of merchant Mathias Rombach on the west edge of town (HABS No. PA-5430).
Built ca. 1838-50 as a traditional five-bay, L-plan, additions after 1871 include four primary
bays and a second ell (that transformed the building into a U-shaped plan) and two Italianate
porches. As a medical facility, it:
121 Stewart, 510.
122 Stephenson, 175th, 475.
123 Wiley, 220.
124 Stewart, 511.
125 Stewart, 226.
126 Stewart, 509.
127 Stewart, 500.
165
was promptly recognized as an important acquisition of the town, being
equipped with all the modern appliances for the treatment and care of the
sick. It has accommodations for thirty-five patients, and has been a success
from the beginning. This institution has given Dr. Earhart an opportunity to
do justice to his surgical cases, in which he has been eminently successful,
his reputation in that branch being particularly creditable. 128
The hospital may have closed in 1915 when Earhart died. Due to disinterest in the estate and
its failure to sell at auction, the property was privately sold to Elvira E. Earhart, a relative. 129
There is scant evidence of community organizations in Saltsburg. The National Guard
was organized in 1878 by Major R.J. Irwin, and became active the following year. Its
headquarters was located on the second floor of William Mcllwain's general store at 202 Point
St. from at least the 1880s through 1909: "The 'Armory' of the company is arranged in
modern style, with all the conveniences that are strictly necessary. There are sixty-two cases
or wardrobes, in which each soldier places his clothes, arms and equipments."¹³⁰
CONCLUSION
When the railroad tracks through Saltsburg were abandoned about 1954, an important
tradition that had lasted more than 100 years came to an end. The once-important route was
reduced to a grassy strip atop the old canal bed and rail path. Since then, a large percentage
of the town's historic building stock has been lost. Despite a modest but stable economy, the
town is fortunate to retain a significant number of historic structures that are largely intact
and that reflect the architectural and cultural heritage of Saltsburg.
RECOMMENDATIONS
Saltsburg represents a well-preserved southwestern Pennsylvania town, founded in the
mid nineteenth century and rapidly developed upon discovery of vast mineral salt resources, a
commodity that contributed to the implementation of the Pennsylvania Main Line Canal, from
which the town then prospered. It is significant for its association with the heyday of the
canal during mid-century, and its usurper, the railroad, as well as the early industry of salt
extraction--and all related architectural resources. Saltsburg is fortunate to retain an array of
buildings from the late 1820s through the 1880s--residential, commercial, civic, church--that
reflect the town's historic vitality as a commercial center along the nation's first major inland
east-west transportation route. For this reason the buildings and structures extant in Saltsburg
should be nominated to the National Register of Historic Places as an historic district.
128 Stewart, 635.
129 Deed May 6, 1915, Volume 146, Page 202, Indiana County Courthouse.
130 Arms and White, 386.
166
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Chapman, Thomas J. The Valley of the Conemaugh. Altoona: McCrum and Dern, 1865.
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.
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"Saltsburg Today." The Saltsburg Press. 18 April, 1963.
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Pennsylvania Canal: Indiana and Westmoreland Counties. Marion
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Swauger, Craig. "Growing Up in Saltsburg." Indiana County Heritage. Spring 1979.
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Wiley, Samuel T. Biographical and Historical Cyclopedia of Indiana County. Philadelphia:
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Peelor, David, and Barker, William. "Map of Indiana County, Pennsylvania." North Hector, NY:
1856.
"Saltsburg, Pa." New York: Sanborn Map and Publishing Co. Ltd., February 1886; New York:
Sanborn-Perris Map Co. Ltd., October 1891, January 1897, July 1903; New York:
Sanborn Map Company, April 1909, February 1927.
169
HISTORIC AMERICAN BUILDINGS SURVEY
WILLIAM STEWART HOUSE
HABS No. PA-5416
Location:
232 Point St., Saltsburg, Conemaugh Township, Indiana County, Pennsylvania.
Present Owner: Savings and Trust Company of Indiana.
Present Use: Vacant; the structure had been scheduled for demolition until Historic Saltsburg
Inc. persuaded the bank to halt the action. As of June 27, 1988, demolition
action was suspended; the building is being relocated and a parking lot will be
built on the site.
Significance: The structure is a typical, mid-nineteenth-century vernacular dwelling
representative of those occupied by Saltsburgers associated with the commerce
introduced to the town by the Pennsylvania Main Line Canal in 1828.
PART I. HISTORICAL INFORMATION
A.
Physical History:
1.
Date of erection: ca. 1828-49, according to tax records.
2.
Original and subsequent owners: The following is an incomplete chain of title
to the land on which the structure stands. Deeds referenced are located in the
Recorder of Deeds Office, Indiana County Courthouse, Indiana, Pennsylvania.
1827 Deed December 11, 1827, in Volume 9, Page 58.
Amos Lawrence
TO
William Stewart ($50, no buildings mentioned)
1849 Deed August 25, 1849, in Volume 16, Page 196.
William and Rachel (Robinson) Stewart
TO
Samuel Moore (for $700, "with all and singular the buildings
improvements")
1854 Deed April 27, 1854, Volume 20, Page 173.
Samuel Moore
TO
Jane (Robinson) Moore
1884 Will Book (citation not given)
Jane Moore (died 1/13/1884)
TO
Rachel Moore (daughter)
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WILLIAM STEWART HOUSE
HABS No. PA-5416/Page 2
1918 Deed May 18, 1918, Volume 164, Page 161.
Rachel Moore
TO
M.L. Thounhurst
1919 Deed August 14, 1919, Volume 180, Page 89.
M.L. Thounhurst
TO
Pearl Katherine Thounhurst
1926 Deed September 3, 1926, Volume 239, Page 18.
Pearl Katherine Thounhurst
TO
Anna B. Robinson
1937 Deed July 14, 1937, Volume 288, Page 62.
Grantors Ernest S. Kelly and John E. Johnston, executor for Anna B.
Robinson (died 9/19/1936)
TO
Carrie Fink
1958 Deed March 22, 1958, Volume 470, Page 62.
Grantor Dora Fink, administrix for Carrie Fink (died 12/11/1957)
TO
Rose A. Fink
1967 Deed July 29, 1967, Volume 567, Page 478.
Rose A. Fink
TO
Harry E. Hess
1974 Deed July 29, 1974, Volume 667, Page 374.
Harry E. Hess
TO
Harry E. and W. Patty Hess
1985 Deed November 15, 1985, Volume 884, Page 851.
Harry E. and W. Patty Hess
TO
Harry E. Hess
198- Deed citation not given
Harry E. Hess
TO
Savings and Trust Company of Indiana
171
WILLIAM STEWART HOUSE
HABS No. PA-5416/Page 3
3.
Original plans and construction: No original drawings or plans have been
located. The floor plan on the interior has been greatly altered, however, while
the exterior gable-front, rectangular form retained its original form prior to the
aborted demolition.
4.
Alterations and additions: The rear addition telescopes out, slightly narrower
than the main block; constructed between 1871 and 1886, it was originally a
single story. The bracketed front porch, which was removed during the initial
stages of demolition, appears to have been constructed during this period.
Between 1903 and 1909, a second story was appended to the rear
addition. The three-part bay (by definition, this feature is an oriel, because it is
suspended from the structure of the main block without benefit of a
foundation; its form, however, is consistent with that of a bay) on the first
floor of the west side wall was probably also installed at this time. A
rectangular three-part bay was added to the second floor approximately above
it, indicating the likely installation of a bathroom at this time (Sanborns). This
may be the period in which the house was divided into a two-family dwelling.
The pantry appears to have been built ca. 1909-27 (Sanborns, Beers).
Interior alterations identified in the floor plan and other sections of this
report are based only on physical evidence and were not documented with any
written resources, existing drawings, plans, or other visual material.
Interior and exterior alterations due to the immediate demolition are
apparent in the accompanying photographs.
B.
Historical Context: A construction date between 1828 and 1849 places the building
during the period of dominance in Saltsburg of the Pennsylvania Main Line Canal, and
perhaps concurrent with its opening. The canal was completed through the town in
1828, and with it came a boom in industry and commerce throughout the Conemaugh
Valley region.
The building at 232 Point St. has historically always served as a dwelling.
William Stewart was the first owner of the property, and the builder of the house. He
was one of the investing founders of the Saltsburg Academy (Arms and White, 384),
and was a partner in Stewart, Robinson & Co., a general store on Point Street
(Stewart, 505). Stewart married Rachel Robinson, a member of the prolific Robinson
family of Saltsburg. In 1849, Stewart sold the property for $700 to local businessman
Samuel Moore.
Moore was the first tinsmith and stove merchant in Saltsburg in 1846, a
business that he maintained until at least 1880 (Arms and White, 382). Moore also
owned a shop on Salt Street where he sold confectioneries, fruits, nuts, and cooking
and parlor stoves (Beers, business notices). In 1854 his daughter-in-law, Jane
(Robinson) Moore who married his son William, purchased the house. William
apparently apprenticed under his father and likewise operated a stove and tin business.
When William's son, James Moore, became a partner in 1875, the shop was expanded
to include a supply of hardware (Wiley, 227) and was renamed. The new William
Moore and Son shop was described as "one of the largest and most successful business
houses in Saltsburg." James Moore took over management of the business upon his
172
WILLIAM STEWART HOUSE
HABS No. PA-5416/Page 4
father's death in 1892 (Stewart, 642). When Jane Moore died on January 1, 1884, she
left the house to her daughter, Rachel Moore, who sold it out of the family in 1918.
The property then fell to a half-dozen later owners. The Fink family occupied
it for forty years, followed by the Hess family from 1967 until it was taken into the
possession of the Savings and Trust Company of Indiana.
PART II. ARCHITECTURAL INFORMATION
A.
General Statement:
1.
Architectural character: The structure is a three-bay, two and one-half story,
gable-front, frame dwelling whose vernacular styling is limited to such modest
Greek Revival features such as a side-hall plan, raked cornice, a pedimental attic
vent, and simple framing of doors (with transom) and windows.
2.
Condition of fabric: The overall condition of the building is poor, based on
observation and the results of recent demolition efforts. The exterior
clapboards are in good condition but the roof requires repairs. Foundation
bricks need to be replaced.
The interior has been altered considerably, and wallboard has been used
throughout the house. Only one fireplace remains exposed and it was largely
removed during the demolition; the mantel and fireplace surround are intact.
B.
Description of Exterior:
1.
Overall dimensions: The main rectangular block is 18' X 32'; a narrower
rectangular addition on the rear measures 14' X 16'.
2.
Foundation: The foundation of the north facade is brick laid in five-course
American bond, with a cut-stone footing. The foundation throughout the rest
of the structure is random-sized stone. It is slightly banked.
3.
Walls: The wood-framed walls are covered with various widths of clapboards;
some original, while others relate to various stages of remodeling. The
weatherboards on the front/north facade are exposed 5-3/4"; the east facade
are exposed 7-1/2".
4.
Structural systems, framing: The studs of the wood-frame building--exposed
when the front porch was removed--possess reciprocating saw marks. A ridge
pole is found in the roof of the main block. The gable roof of the rear lacks a
ridgepole.
5.
Porches: The porch on the main facade was removed prior to its
documentation, but a photograph taken of the building shows a full, raised,
one-story porch with bracketed cornice and a Victorian balustrade in which the
ballusters were cut with a jig saw.
173
WILLIAM STEWART HOUSE
HABS No. PA-5416/Page 5
6.
Chimneys: There are two chimneys; the first is nearly mid-point on the ridge
of the main block, constructed of brick, and built on a stone base. This
chimney mass may contain four flues, but only one fireplace is currently
exposed. The second chimney is located inside the south wall of the addition,
and appears to have at one time been connected to a stovepipe.
The hearths on the first floor are supported by planks planed using
power machinery, that flank the chimney mass, and are held in place with
large, wooden pegs. Currently, only the fireplace in the front room remains
unobstructed; the mantel and chimney surround were removed during the initial
stages of demolition.
7.
Openings: At the first-floor level there were originally no exterior openings on
either the east or west walls due to the proximity of the surrounding buildings.
The only sources of natural light and circulation were likely at the front and
rear of the house.
a.
Doorways and doors: Both front and rear doorways in the main block
contain transoms and are located in the westernmost bay on axis with
each other. The transom in the former was removed during the initial
demolition; the one above the latter was boarded up long ago. The
front entrance contains a door with fixed, single-light glazing on the top
half, with two panels on the lower half.
The rear door contains two upper glazed panels and two lower
wood panels. A sheltered entranceway exists in the southeast corner of
the structure; here the second floor projects over the rear door, a second
door in north wall of the rear addition features four panels, and a set of
stairs leading to the ground.
b.
Windows: The predominant window type is two-over-two-light double-
hung wood sash. The exceptions on the first floor are the front facade,
where a picture window was installed in the two easternmost bays, and
a floor-to-ceiling bay on the east facade (installed between 1903 and
1909) of the rear room of the main block.
The only windows that appear to be intact are in the east wall of
the kitchen on the second floor, and in the south wall of the basement
in the addition, near the southeast corner. These are six-over-six-light
sash with wood-pegged frames. Their construction may indicate that the
second-story portion of the kitchen predates the window changes in the
first half of the twentieth century.
An opening for a small pantry located on the rear addition
corresponds with the basement storage area, located on the west wall
near the southwest corner. The pantry is equipped with a window.
8. Roof:
a.
Shape, covering: Gable with asphalt shingles.
174
WILLIAM STEWART HOUSE
HABS No. PA-5416/Page 6
b.
Cornice: The wood cornice and raked eaves are unembellished.
C.
Description of Interior:
1.
Floor plans:
a.
Cellar: The floor plan is composed of a large rectangular main space
with a smaller rectangular addition on the rear. The basement area is
open, for the most part, except for the base of the chimney mass located
centrally in the main block.
b.
First floor: The main block is divided into two rooms of approximately
the same size; the front space located in the two western bays separated
from the stair by a wall, and the rear room comprising the full width of
the building. Doorways exist between the rooms in the main block and
the single space in the rear addition. The rear addition is slightly
narrower than the main block and telescopes out from it.
The original chimney mass is nearly centered in the main mass.
Beyond the main entrance lies a stairwell and what was probably a side
hall leading to the rear of the building; the hall currently terminates at
the rear of the staircase.
A small, three-sided enclosure is attached to the exterior of the
west foundation wall of the addition. This enclosure is not accessible
from the interior and was apparently constructed as a storage space of
some sort.
c.
Second Floor: The second floor has been most affected by
reorganization alterations to accommodate two living units. In perimeter,
the plan reflects the first-floor arrangement of front room, back room
and rear addition. The original side-hall plan along the east wall of the
main block, although somewhat modified, is largely retained as the
front-to-back passage through the building. It appears that the inner
wall of the hall was pushed west toward the center of the building to
convert the building into a two-family unit. A later partition was
erected at the head of the stairs, which forced a visitor to turn 90-
degrees at the top step to enter the hall. When the interior hall wall
was moved, the room entrances may have changed, which accounts for
the irregular angle of the door to the front room at the head of the
stairs; a closet has been constructed adjacent to it, perhaps in an
attempt to disguise this awkward intersection. Directly behind the stair
partition, a small rectangular room was created using space from on top
of the first-floor bay; a bathroom was installed utilizing a portion of the
hall, as does a small kitchen. The door to the hall was moved so close
to that of the rear room that the molding was sawn, width-wise, nearly
in half to butt against the undisturbed door.
There are various storage spaces in each room. One is directly
175
WILLIAM STEWART HOUSE
HABS No. PA-5416/Page 7
above the main entrance and another is in the rear room adjacent to the
chimney mass. The last closet was built on the rear (south) wall of the
addition in the southwest corner.
d.
Third floor/attic: The space is open except for the chimney mass.
2.
Stairways: An exterior staircase leading from the basement up to the first story
is located in the southeast corner, partially against a small section of the
foundation wall of the main block; it contains 10 risers. The front stairs from
the first to the second floor (SW corner) contain fourteen, 7" treads with a
landing at the top and a one-step turn into the hallway. The rear stairway
between these two floors has twelve risers. The rear staircase that leads from
the second floor to the attic has ten risers. A narrow, enclosed staircase leading
to the second floor is located on the west wall of the addition where it
intersects with the main block.
3.
Flooring: The rooms in the main block of the house are floored with 6-1/2" to
7" wood flooring, except the bathroom and the former kitchen on the second
floor, which are covered with tile and linoleum, respectively. Square-headed
nails can be seen in the floor on the first story. The flooring in the addition is
less regular, ranging in widths of 3-1/2" to 5-1/2", and kitchen carpeting covers
the floor of the pantry. The attic is partially floored with wood boards.
Floorboards throughout the structure run in a north-south direction and are
largely painted brown. The saw marks in the basement of the main block were
made using power machinery; bridging is located between the floor joists to
reduce movement and noise.
4.
Wall and ceiling finishes: The walls are generally covered with contemporary
wood wallboard. The exceptions include: the kitchen walls in the rear
addition, which are plastered; the stairwell in the rear addition, which is
covered with vertical matchboard; the fireplace walls in both first-floor rooms of
the main block, which are covered with what appears to be the original plaster;
and the walls of the second-floor bathroom, which are covered with a stained
plywood. The walls in the pantry are covered with beadboard, and the exterior
wall in the main stairwell is covered with cardboard; the wall surfaces behind
these substances are unknown.
The ceilings are, for the most part, covered with wallboard. The
exceptions include: the kitchen ceiling, which is covered with plaster; the first-
floor bathroom, which is drywall; and the second-floor bathroom ceiling, which
is covered with square panels. The machine-cut lath was exposed in a section
of the ceiling in rear room of the main block.
The basement in the main block is unfinished. The walls and ceiling in
the basement of the rear addition are covered with tongue- and-grove
matchboard. The attic ceiling is unfinished.
5.
Openings:
176
WILLIAM STEWART HOUSE
HABS No. PA-5416/Page 8
a.
Doorways and doors: Most of the doors on the first floor have been
removed, except the trio of four-paneled doors in the addition that lead
to the basement stairwell, the stairwell leading to the second floor, and
the door leading to the pantry.
The doors on the second floor are mostly four paneled. The
doorways in the hall that define the kitchen are empty, as is the
doorway leading to the back bedroom from the hall. The most notable
example is a pegged, six-panel, cross-and-bible-style door. It leans
against the fireplace wall in the rear room of the main block, and had
been at one time pieced to fit an unknown, larger opening.
Trim on the windows and doors can be divided into three
categories: Greek Revival (profile B), Victorian (profile A), and later
additions with no dominant profile. The Greek Revival trim, which is
probably the original, is found on the first floor on the front door, on
the doorway between the front room and the rear room of the main
block (molding is intact and surrounds both sides of the opening); on
the second floor in the closet in the rear room of the main block; and
on the door leading from the remodeled hall into the rear addition.
The Victorian trim that was probably added during one of the
remodelings is found on the doorways of the following first-floor rooms:
outside of the bathroom doorway, and the three doors in the rear
addition, except the stairwell door. On the second floor, it is used on
the door between the rear room in the main block and the hallway, and
on the doorway between the rear room and the addition. The remaining
doorways either posses no trim or trim that can be categorized as
miscellaneous.
The south foundation wall of the main block contains a door
slightly west of center that leads into the basement of the addition; in
the basement of the addition there is an exterior door nearly centered
on the east wall.
b.
Windows: The window trim--like the door trim--may be categorized as
Greek Revival (profile B), Victorian (profile A), and miscellaneous.
There is Greek Revival trim on the second floor surrounding the original
window in the kitchen and two windows on the exterior wall in the rear
room of the main block.
On the first floor the Victorian window trim is on the three-part
bay and on the windows in the addition. The second-floor windows
featuring this trim are in the front room and on the west window of the
rear addition near the southwest corner. The remaining windows
possess no trim or miscellaneous trim from later renovations.
The south wall of the foundation in the main block contains a
window near the southwest corner of the structure; in the addition
basement there's a window on the south wall near the southeast corner.
6.
Decorative features: There is a curve at the top of both sides of the interior
177
WILLIAM STEWART HOUSE
HABS No. PA-5416/Page 9
stairhall wall. The fireplace in the first-floor front room was converted to a
coal hearth sometime in the late nineteenth century. At this time the incised,
stone fireplace surround may have been added, along with the decorative
colorful, tiled hearth. The surround and mantel, although disassembled, were
not removed from the house during the initial stages of demolition. A built-in,
floor-to-ceiling cupboard remains in the fireplace wall of the rear room of the
main block near the doorway leading to the front room. The doors in the
cupboard are paneled and possess simple latches. A section of baseboard that
appears to be contemporary with the Victorian door and window trim (profile
A), was located in the rear room of the main block. A section of early
baseboard is located in the former kitchen.
7.
Hardware: The three doors on the staircases in the rear addition are equipped
with early latches that feature a decorative plate, a small moveable bar, and a
small inverted, U-shaped latch. On the other side of the door, a simple handle
with a thumb latch lifts the bar and opens the door.
8.
Mechanical equipment:
a.
Heating, air-conditioning, ventilation: Originally the structure was
heated with wood fireplaces, which were at some point modified to burn
coal. Apparently a stove was added in the rear addition. The structure
is currently heated with an oil furnace.
b.
Lighting fixtures: The two most notable light fixtures are in the rooms
on the first floor of the main block. They are chandeliers with a center
"hub" and five sockets on arms radiating from the center. Decorative
trim with classical motifs are strung between each socket.
c.
Plumbing: The structure is fitted with running water and up-to-date
bathroom facilities.
9.
Original furnishings: Wallpaper samples can be examined behind the fireplace
surround in the front room on the first floor, and on the pantry wall. On the
first floor the ceilings of the original block are covered with an embossed
wallpaper that has been painted. A thin band of molding, similar to sections
found in the attic, remains in place at the base of the curve on the interior wall
of the entrance hall. A number of decorative floor grates located throughout
the house may have originated in the stores of owners Samuel or William
Moore.
D.
Site:
1.
General setting: The William Stewart House faces roughly north on to Point
Street. Originally the Central Hotel stood directly east of it; when the First
National Bank (now the Savings and Trust Company of Indiana) was construct-
178
WILLIAM STEWART HOUSE
HABS No. PA-5416/Page 10
ed on the hotel site in 1927, the emphasis was changed to face on to Salt
Street. The streetscape, which had previously consisted of a number of two-
story residences constructed in proximity both to each other and the street, was
somewhat changed by the loss of the hotel. The house at 232 Point St. is
somewhat unusual because, unlike its neighbors, its street facade is raised above
the ground by a 4 1/2'-high brick foundation. Traveling east on Point Street,
the thoroughfare gradually slopes downward until it reaches the level of the
Conemaugh River, which winds past the town.
2.
Historic landscape: The structure was built on a narrow urban lot. Landscaping
was restricted due to the proximity of other houses, for a lone conifer grows on
the southwest corner of the lot.
DOO R
B
DOOR
A
WALL
Figure 4.5a. Jamb profiles.
179
WILLIAM STEWART HOUSE
HABS No. PA-5416/Page 11
TO
SOPFIT
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Figure 4.5b. Front elevation.
180
WILLIAM STEWART HOUSE
HABS No. PA-5416/Page 12
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Figure 4.5c. Basement plan.
181
WILLIAM STEWART HOUSE
HABS No. PA-5416/Page 13
1924
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Figure 4.5d. First-floor plan.
182
WILLIAM STEWART HOUSE
HABS No. PA-5416/Page 14
21
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Figure 4.5e. Second-floor plan.
183
HISTORIC AMERICAN BUILDINGS SURVEY
DR. THOMAS MURRAY HOUSE
HABS No. PA-5417
Location:
101 Point St., Saltsburg, Conemaugh Township, Indiana County, Pennsylvania.
Present Owner: Rose M. Gaworecki.
Present Use: Single-family residence.
Significance: This house is in the prominent canal-era location between the river and what
was the canal. Today it is one of a small group of extant Saltsburg canal-period
buildings in proximity to each other.
PART I. HISTORICAL INFORMATION
A.
Physical History:
1.
Date of erection: ca. 1847, according to deed and tax records.
2.
Original and subsequent owners: The following is an incomplete chain of title
to the land on which the structure stands, historically the west half of lot No.
11. Reference is to the Recorder of Deeds Office of the County of Indiana,
Pennsylvania.
1846 Deed April 1, 1846, Volume 15, Page 299.
James R. and Mary Ann Dougherty
TO
Dr. Thomas Murray (No buildings noted; parcel includes all lot No. 11)
1848 Dr. Murray sold east half of lot No. 11 to William Robinson
(see WM. ROBINSON HOUSE, 103 Point Street).
1852 Deed August 26, 1852, Volume 18, Page 431.
Dr. Thomas Murray
TO
Daniel R. Stitsel (Brick dwelling noted; this and future transactions refer
to west half of lot No. 11.)
1854 Deed April 10, 1854, Volume A-52, Page 15.
Daniel R. and Matilda M. Stitsel
TO
Reverend Thomas J. Penny
1861 Deed September 29, 1861, Volume A-52, Page 16.
Reverend Thomas J. and Martha Penny
TO
Martha Weaver (who bequeathed it to Susanna Weddel)
184
DR. THOMAS MURRAY HOUSE
HABS No. PA-5417/Page 2
1869 Deed June 16, 1869, Volume B-35, Page 452.
Peter M. Waddle, et al. (including Susanna Weddel)
TO
Dr. William F. Barclay
1921 Deed December 17, 1921, Volume 200, Page 177.
Union Trust Co. of Pittsburgh (administrator of Wm. Barclay estate)
TO
J.M. Patterson
3.
Original plans and construction: No original plans exist, but Sanborn maps
indicate the building has always consisted of the two-story front block and one-
story rear shed, in one material or another.
4.
Alterations and additions: The one-story brick front-entry porch was added
between 1909 and 1927 (Sanborn); it replaced a similiary wood structure, prior
to which there was no known front porch.
The Water Street facade appears to have been partially rebuilt, probably
in part to accommodate the new picture window. A one-story brick addition
with a shed roof was added to the north end of the two-story ell. A frame
porch existed on the rear portion of the east wall from at least 1886 to 1929.
B.
Historical Context: A cluster of buildings including 101 Point St. was erected during
the late 1840s in this important location between Water Street and the Conemaugh
River on the west and the canal to the east.
Dr. Thomas Murray, who commissioned the house about 1847, hailed from the
Susquehanna Valley in southern Pennsylvania. There he earned a medical degree
before attending medical lectures at the University of Pennsylvania. Murray arrived in
Saltsburg in 1837 and quickly established a lucrative practice. He served as a town
burgess 1838 and ultimately retired to a farm on nearby Elder's ridge (formerly
Watson's ridge).
A later resident of 101 Point St. was also a physician. Dr. William F. Barclay
occupied the house from 1869 until his death in 1918. Barclay was born in nearby
Centre Township, was educated at the academies in Saltsburg and Greenburg, and
studied medicine with a Saltsburg doctor before attending Bellevue Medical College in
New York. He may have practiced in Saltsburg from 1866 until 1878.
PART II. ARCHITECTURAL INFORMATION
A.
General Statement:
1.
Architectural character: The building at 101 Point St. is a modest, three-bay,
Federal-style brick dwelling organized on a side-hall plan, two and one-half
stories tall and largely unadorned.
2.
Condition of fabric: Good.
185
DR. THOMAS MURRAY HOUSE
HABS No. PA-5417/Page 3
B.
Description of exterior:
1.
Overall dimensions: 20' X 50'.
2.
Foundation: Stone; partially banked.
3.
Wall construction: Brick, laid in five-course American bond, except for some
portions of the altered west facade, which are running bond.
4.
Structural system: Load-bearing brick.
5.
Porches: The easternmost bay of the front facade contains the entry to the
house. This all-brick, gable-roofed porch features an elliptical arch supported
by columns with "capitals."
6.
Chimneys: One interior brick chimney exists at the gable end of the ell's north
facade, west of the ridge line.
7.
Openings:
a.
Doorways and doors: The front door is located in the easternmost of
the three bays; single, wood, possibly with a transom.
b.
Windows: The front facade features three windows on the second floor,
two on the first. All are one-over-one-light double-hung aluminum sash,
with wood lintels and sills. Modern picture windows are installed on
the west wall of the main block, and the west and east walls of the shed
addition. Also on the west facade, attic story, are two four-light single
sash, and small single-light basement windows.
8.
Roof:
a.
Shape, covering: Side-gable with asphalt shingles.
b.
Cornice, eaves: Wide, plain, boxed frame eaves.
C.
Site: The corner site is faced on the west by Water Street and the river; on the east
and south by additional residences; and on the north by an alley and vegetation. A
frame stable that existed from at least 1869 until 1921 is no longer extant.
186
DR. THOMAS MURRAY HOUSE
HABS No. PA-5417/Page 4
Figure 4.6. South/front (top) and west/side facades.
187
HISTORIC AMERICAN BUILDINGS SURVEY
WILLIAM C. ROBINSON HOUSE
HABS No. PA-5418
Location:
103 Point St., Saltsburg, Conemaugh Township, Indiana County, Pennsylvania.
Present Owner: Richard P. Weaver.
Present Use: Single-family residence.
Significance: The William C. Robinson House is significant as one of a handful of dwellings
located in the block of Point Street between the river and the canal; it was
constructed along this main street prior to mid-century when this was the town
center.
PART I. HISTORICAL INFORMATION
A.
Physical History:
1.
Date of erection: 1843-49, according to deed records.
2.
Original and subsequent owners: The following is an incomplete chain of title
to the land on which the structure stands, historically the east half of lot No.
11. Reference is to the Recorder of Deeds Office of the County of Indiana,
Pennsylvania.
1839 Deed September 10, 1839, Volume 11, Page 83.
James Speer
TO
Thomas and John Robinson (entire lot No. 11)
1843 Deed March 18, 1843, Volume 12, Page 685.
Thomas and John Robinson
TO
William C. Robinson
1843 Deed October 25, 1843, Volume 13, Page 150.
William C. Robinson
TO
James R. Dougherty
1846 Deed April 1, 1846, Volume 15, Page 299.
James R. and Mary Anne Daugherty (sic)
TO
Dr. Thomas Murrey (sic)
1848 Deed June 19, 1848, Volume 16, Page 28.
Dr. Thomas Murray
188
WILLIAM C. ROBINSON HOUSE
HABS No. PA-5418/Page 2
TO
William C. Robinson (sale of east half lot No. 11 only)
1859 Deed March 26, 1859, Volume 24, Page 481.
William C. and Jane Robinson
TO
James and Jennie Rodgers (half lot No. 11 hereafter)
1877 Deed September 8, 1877, Volume A-45, Page 422.
James and Jennie Rodgers
TO
Robert A. Martin
1883 Deed January 20, 1883, Volume A-45, Page 425.
Robert A. Martin
TO
George Martin
1947 Deed February 14, 1947, Volume 381, Page 544.
Ord Kenley Martin, et al. (George Martin's heirs)
TO
Sarah Hazel Martin
1970 Deed October 2, 1970, Volume 614, Page 24.
Sarah Hazel Martin
TO
Richard P. Weaver
3.
Original plans and construction: No original plans or drawings have been
located. The building was erected as a rectangular, side-gable brick block.
4.
Alterations and additions: The side and rear portions of the building have been
altered by the addition of a two-story frame structure (now sided with
aluminium). Between 1886-91, existing one- and two-story frame additions were
removed and replaced with a two-story frame block measuring about 30' X 25'.
The front facade also featured a full, one-story frame porch (Sanborns).
The present porch on the westernmost bay protects the front door. The
diamond-shaped, stained-glass window on the west facade is not original.
B.
Historical Context: A cluster of buildings including 101 and 103 Point St. were
constructed during the late 1840s in this important location between Water Street and
the Kiskiminetas River on the west and the canal to the east.
Dr. Thomas Murray acquired this property without any structures on it from
William Robinson in 1846; it included the land on the west, what is now 101 Point St.
A year later he commissioned the house. Murray hailed from the Susquehanna Valley
in southern Pennsylvania. There he earned a medical degree before attending lectures
189
WILLIAM C. ROBINSON HOUSE
HABS No. PA-5418/Page 3
at the University of Pennsylvania. Murray arrived in Saltsburg in 1837 and quickly
established a lucrative practice. He served as a town burgess in 1838 and elder in the
Presbyterian Church in 1858; he eventually retired to a farm on nearby Elder's ridge
(formerly Watson's ridge).
PART II. ARCHITECTURAL INFORMATION
A.
General Statement:
1.
Architectural character: This modest brick, two-story, three-bay mass represents
a typical vernacular Federal-style dwelling.
2.
Condition of fabric: Good.
B.
Description of Exterior:
1.
Overall Dimensions: 20' X 25', with a frame addition measuring 25' X 30'.
2.
Foundation: Stone.
3.
Walls: Main block is brick laid in five-course American bond; aluminium siding
atop frame on the rear addition.
4.
Structural systems: Load-bearing brick and frame.
5.
Porches: A post-1920s raised, one-story entry porch is constructed of wood, set
on a concrete foundation with a hipped roof covered with asphalt shingles.
6.
Chimneys: There are two interior brick chimneys, one at the east gable end;
one at the gable-end of the rear ell.
7.
Openings:
a.
Doorways and doors: The single, partially glazed front door is located
in the westernmost bay of the Point Street facade; it features a wide,
plain wood architrave trim. A door on the west facade is accessed
through the frame addition.
b.
Windows: On the main facade, the three second-floor windows are
unframed, with predominant sills and lintels, with one-over-one-light
double-hung sash. The two windows on the first-floor feature
distinguishing but simple wood architrave trim, and contain asymmetrical
one-over-one-light, double-hung sash. The diamond-shaped, stained-
glass window on the west facade was installed later.
8.
Roof: Side-gable with slightly higher ridge line where the cross gable intersects
190
WILLIAM C. ROBINSON HOUSE
HABS No. PA-5418/Page 4
with the frame addition.
C.
Site: The dwelling faces Point Street in the block between the Conemaugh River and
the canal right of way; to the east, west, and south are additional residences; to the
north is an alley.
Figure 4.7. South/front facade.
191
HISTORIC AMERICAN BUILDINGS SURVEY
105 POINT STREET HOUSE
(Stone House Museum)
HABS No. PA-5419
Location:
105 Point St., Saltsburg, Conemaugh Township, Indiana County, Pennsylvania.
Present Owner: Saltsburg Area Branch, Historical and Geneological Society of Indiana County.
Present Use: Historical museum.
Significance: This five-bay stone dwelling is located on what was a prominent and important
block--between the canal and the river--during the years when the canal was
built. As one of the few stone buildings extant in Saltsburg that also maintains
its architectural integrity, the material reflects a tradition of Pennsylvania-
German construction as well as that associated with the development of a canal
structure.
PART I. HISTORICAL INFORMATION
A.
Physical History:
1.
Date of erection: ca. 1830.
2.
Original and subsequent owners: The following is an incomplete chain of title
to the land on which the structure stands, historically lot No. 12. Reference is
to the Recorder of Deeds Office of the County of Indiana, Pennsylvania.
The deed chain is unclear and undocumented during the earliest and
most significant years.
1839 Sold at auction; seller and buyer unknown.
1841 Robert McIlwain or Valentine Blank, owner.
1855 R. McWilliams, owner.
1868-71 Dr. J.L. Crawford, owner.
1891 Deed May 12, 1891, no volume or page given.
J.M. Robinson
TO
H.P. Lewis
1891 Deed September 4, 1891, Volume B55, Page 450-53.
H.P. Lewis
TO
John Robinson, John Stewart, et al.
192
105 POINT STREET HOUSE
HABS No. PA-5419/Page 2
1891 Will Book, Volume 11, Page 129.
J. Robinson (d. 1900), J. Stewart (d. 1897), et al.
TO
Nannie H. Robinson
1917 Deed February 9, 1917, Volume 154, Page 591.
Nannie Robinson, et al.
TO
George W. Martin
3.
Original plans and construction: No original plans or drawings have been
located, although the building was originally composed only of the five-bay,
rectangular stone block.
4.
Alterations and additions: A gable-roofed, one-story rear ell has historically
existed off the rear/west facade; a cinder-block construction addition was made
to the one-story frame ell in 1988.
B.
Historical context: Tax records from 1841 indicate that Robert McIlwain, reputed to
have been the first merchant to arrive in Saltsburg, in 1831, may have been the first
owner of the house. He went into a partnership with William Mcllwain that may have
included various other properties he is known to have been involved with--a
warehouse, store, and another dwelling. William continued in the business until 1875
(Stewart, 503).
Cabinetmaker Robert McWilliams was the owner of 105 Point St. at mid-
century. By at least 1871, he was succeeded by Dr. J.L. Crawford, whose small,
detached office was just to the east at 107 Point St. Crawford, who moved to
Saltsburg in 1868, served in the Civil War until he was wounded and discharged.
PART II. ARCHITECTURAL INFORMATION
A.
General Statement:
1.
Architectural character: This simple five-bay, two-story, interpretation of
Federal styling is typical of a Pennsylvania-German stone dwelling type.
2.
Condition of fabric: Fair.
B.
Description of Exterior:
1.
Overall dimensions: About 45' X 20', with a 20' X 25' rear addition (Sanborns).
2.
Foundation: Stone; partially banked.
3.
Walls: Stone laid in random courses with the heaviest stones at the base,
becoming smaller up the height of the building; the corners feature large,
193
105 POINT STREET HOUSE
HABS No. PA-5419/Page 3
dressed quoins of stone.
4.
Structural system: Load-bearing stone.
5.
Porches, stoops: Two steps lead to the central, recessed entrance.
6.
Chimneys: Interior brick chimneys at each gable end; the west chimney is
topped by a chimney pot installed later. There is a third interior brick chimney
in the north gable-end wall of the rear ell.
7.
Openings:
a.
Doorways and doors: The front entrance is located in the central bay of
the south Point Street facade. The single wood door is recessed deep in
the thick stone structure; it features a pair of elongated, round-arched
glazed openings, below which are two recessed panels defined by heavy
moldings. The rectangular transom above is plain; the surrounding
architrave trim is wide but unadorned.
b.
Windows: Two-over-two-light double-hung sash windows are installed
across the five-bays, which feature plain wood lintels, sills, and
surrounds.
8.
Roof: Shape, covering, eaves: Side-gable roof with average, boxed wood
cornice, covered with decorative slate shingles.
C.
Site:
1.
General setting: The site is flat and the building oriented toward the south side
of Point Street. On its west and east flanks are additional dwellings, and to the
north and rear is an alley.
2.
Outbuildings: A frame stable existed behind the house by 1891; it is gone.
194
105 POINT STREET HOUSE
HABS No. PA-5419/Page 4
Figure 4.8. Detail of stone construction (top) and south/front facade.
195
HISTORIC AMERICAN BUILDINGS SURVEY
ROBERT J. TAYLOR HOUSE
HABS No. PA-5420
Location:
211 Point St., Saltsburg, Conemaugh Township, Indiana County, Pennsylvania.
Present Owner: Gloria J. Berringer.
Present Use: Multi-family residence.
Significance: This building historically served as a multi-unit commercial and residential
space, the initial home of the Saltsburg Bank and the long-time home-shop of
saddler and canal-boat captain Robert Taylor. The building itself is notable for
its size and separate units, though stylistically undistinguished.
PART I. HISTORICAL INFORMATION
A.
Physical History:
1.
Date of erection: ca. 1838, possibly to replace a pre-existing frame dwelling
(tax records).
2.
Original and subsequent owners: The following is an incomplete chain of title
to the land on which the structure stands, historically lot No. 17. Reference is
to the Recorder of Deeds Office of the County of Indiana, Pennsylvania.
1830 Deed October 27, 1830, Volume 7, Page 583.
William and Nancy Sterret
TO
William and Rachel Stewart
1853 Deed September 19, 1853, Volume 19, Page 330.
William and Rachel Stewart
TO
Margaret R. Taylor
1881 Deed February 24, 1881, Volume A-43, Page 594.
Robert J. and Margaret Taylor
TO
William R. Mcllwain
1937 Deed January 9, 1937, Volume 286, Page 137.
William Mcllwain
TO
Charles Mcllwain
196
ROBERT J. TAYLOR HOUSE
HABS No. PA-5420/Page 2
3.
Original plans and construction: No original plans or drawings have been
located, however the building appears to be somewhat altered from its historic
two-story, brick, L-plan mass.
4.
Alterations and additions: A three-bay, two-story brick addition was made to
the east end of the main block at approximately the same time the latter was
constructed. The center gable on the south facade was a Victorian accretion of
the late-nineteenth century. Integrated porches on the rear interior facades
have been enclosed as part of structure, and a modern wood deck with exterior
stairs installed along the north facade. Prior to 1886 through at least 1927 a
one-story frame addition was located off the north ell wall (Sanborns).
B.
Historical Context: Robert J. Taylor married Margaret Stewart, daughter of William
Stewart, the property owner up to the middle of the century. Taylor is believed to have
built the house about 1838, while the site was in his father-in-law's name; he lived
there from the 1850s through 1881. A canal-boat captain and therefore a prominent
citizen, Taylor operated a saddlery shop in the building, which accounts for the second
entrance on the main facade (Peelor). When the Saltsburg Bank was founded in 1871,
it was first housed in the three-bay eastern addition to Taylor's house (Beers).
PART II. ARCHITECTURAL INFORMATION
A.
General Statement:
1.
Architectural character: This traditional Pennsylvania L-plan dwelling and
store includes several entrances but is not noted for any distinguishing
architectural features.
2.
Condition of fabric: Good.
B.
Description of Exterior:
1.
Overall dimensions: About 55' X 30', with a 22' X 18' ell (Sanborns).
2.
Foundations: Stone.
3.
Walls: Brick, generally laid in four-course American bond; and frame, along
the interior of the rear facades where the porches are enclosed. The Victorian
gable is clad with shingles. There are pseudo-brick sheets of asphalt on the
enclosed interior east wall.
4.
Structural system: Load-bearing brick and frame.
5.
Porches: The two integrated porches on the interior rear facades have been
enclosed with a frame structure. To the north facade, a second-story, modern
wood deck has been added.
197
ROBERT J. TAYLOR HOUSE
HABS No. PA-5420/Page 3
6.
Chimneys: One interior brick gable-end chimney on the west gable end; one
brick ridge (the east gable end of the original block prior to the three-bay
addition).
7.
Openings:
a.
Doorways and doors: The south facade features the original central
entrance (third bay from west): single, paneled wood door with
abbreviated side-lights and a semicircular transom. The first and fifth
bays contain secondary doors that are much-altered: transoms are
boarded up and aluminum doors have been installed. The three-bay
addition contains a first-floor storefront with central, single door flanked
by display windows; this opening has been reduced by the installation of
a modern door that is smaller than the original, with the space
awkwardly filled in with clapboard.
The rear facade features at least three doors on the first floor,
and one on the second; all have been modernized to some
degree.
b.
Windows: On the south facade, the eight bays of the second floor and
two bays of the first story contain two-over-two-light double-hung wood
sash supported by narrow sills and lintels with bull's-eye corners; the
attic gable contains a one-over-one-light double-hung sash.
The windows flanking the three-bay addition are two-over-one-
light double-hung wood sash set within a storefront composition that
includes blind sidelights and simple cornice supported by four pairs of
heavy brackets. The rear and ell facades feature miscellaneous
fenestration including two-over-two-light and six-over-six-light sash.
8.
Roof: Gable, cross-gable with asphalt shingles.
C.
Site: Facing south, across and among the historically developed block of Point Street,
the building is east of the canal right of way and railway tracks.
198
HABS No. PA-5420/Page 4
Figure 4.9. South/front (top) and north/rear facades.
199
HISTORIC AMERICAN BUILDINGS SURVEY
SAMUEL S. MOORE HOUSE AND STORE
HABS No. PA-5421
Location:
222 Point St., Saltsburg, Conemaugh Township, Indiana County, Pennsylvania.
Present Owner: Ronald H. and Margery Mancabelli.
Present Use: Single-family residence.
Significance: The Samuel S. Moore House is notable as a structure erected to serve upstairs
as a residence, accessed by a separate doorway, and downstairs as a store with
traditional display windows and recessed entry--here naively combined in a
vernacular, gable-front frame block that represents the forthcoming separation
of living and work places.
PART I. HISTORICAL INFORMATION
A.
Physical History:
1.
Date of erection: ca. 1871.
2.
Original and subsequent owners: The following is an incomplete chain of title
to the land on which the structure stands, historically the east half of lot No. 3.
Reference is to the Recorder of Deeds Office of the County of Indiana,
Pennsylvania.
1849 Deed September 27, 1849, Volume 16, Page 256.
Charles Findlay, et al.
TO
Francis Laird Jr. (no buildings, all of lot No. 3)
1871 Deed March 14, 1871, Volume A-37, Page 52.
Francis and Ellen Laird
TO
Samuel S. Moore (buildings, half lot No. 3)
1877 Deed April 16, 1877, Volume A-40, Page 460.
Samuel S. and Margaret Moore
TO
Emma Thomas
1883 Deed April 10, 1883, Volume A-46, Page 72.
Emma Thomas
TO
Margaret Moore
1884 Deed August 21, 1884, Volume A-47, Page 575.
200
SAMUEL MOORE HOUSE & STORE
HABS No. PA-5421/Page 2
Margaret Moore
TO
Fannie and Julia Gamble
1893 Deed March 20, 1893, Volume A-57, Page 588.
Fannie Gamble
TO
Julia Gamble
3.
Original plans and construction: No original plans or drawings have been
located, but the two-story, frame, gable-front building with first-floor storefront
remains largely unchanged.
4.
Alterations and additions: Two successive, telescoping frame additions have
been appended to the rear/south elevation; each is a rectangular mass. The
first is a two-story, gable-roofed space, slightly less wide than the original
block, sided with narrower clapboard than the original. The second addition is
one-story, gable-roofed, and the same width.
B.
Historical Context: The building at 222 Point St. was constructed by Samuel S. Moore,
a "dealer in confectioneries, fruits and nuts, cooking and parlor stoves," and a
"manufacturer of tin and sheet iron ware" (Beers). Tax records of the 1870s through
the early '80s identify him variously as a tinner, grocer and postmaster. His income
during these years ranged from $100 to $150. Moore and his family lived on the
second floor, and he operated the business on the first, which included serving as the
Saltsburg post office for some years. By 1909 the building was completely vacant, but
by 1927 both spaces were were utilized as offices (Sanborns).
PART II. ARCHITECTURAL INFORMATION
A.
General Statement:
1.
Architectural character: This first-floor storefront is found in an
uncharacteristically non-commercial building form, a frame gable-front that is
largely residential in appearance; sparse ornamental highlights are found in
dentil coursing and raked eaves, as well as Victorian brackets and pilastered
gingerbread.
2.
Condition of fabric: Very good.
B.
Description of Exterior:
1.
Overall dimensions: About 35' X 80' (Sanborns).
2.
Foundation: Stone and brick; partially banked.
201
SAMUEL MOORE HOUSE & STORE
HABS No. PA-5421/Page 3
3.
Walls: The front/north face of the building is clad with wide, horizontal
weatherboards. The side facades are the same, though the boards are narrower
and may be tongue-in-groove. The same siding is used on the southernmost
addition. The middle addition features the same narrow siding.
4.
Structural system: Frame.
5.
Porches: A full hipped-roof porch extends over the commercial and residential
entrances on the north facade; at the former end supported by the storefront
itself, at the other by a single, squared corner column. The rear/south facade
also features a frame porch.
6.
Chimneys: There are two interior brick chimneys; one west of the ridge of the
gable end of the first addition; the other at the south wall of the second
addition.
7.
Openings:
a.
Doorways and doors: The main facade features two independent
entrances, with the storefront comprising about two-thirds of the facade
width. This includes a single, glazed door topped by a two-light
transom, and flanked by display windows. The frame supports rest on a
wood base and floor deck.
The single doorway to the residential area on the second floor is
recessed in the westernmost bay and contains a paneled, modern door.
A third doorway is located at the north end of the west facade. Another
is in the second frame addition; both are plain and single.
b.
Windows: The off-center storefront features full-height, one-over-one-
light canted display windows in a frame structure with paneled wood
base.
The second story of the north elevation features three bays of
one-over-one-light, double-hung-sash windows; there is evidence the
architrave trim has been removed. The gable features a single,
segmental-arch opening surrounded by heavy, hooded trim.
The east and west facades feature irregular fenestration: two-
over-two-light double-hung sash with modestly decorative wood
surrounds. There are two openings on the east wall; on the west wall,
four regularly spaced windows on the second floor and four irregular
openings on the first floor. The two windows in the south facade,
original building and additions, contain six lights each.
8.
Roof:
a.
Shape: Gable front with asphalt shingles.
202
SAMUEL MOORE HOUSE & STORE
HABS No. PA-5421/Page 4
b.
Cornice, eaves: Pronounced eaves with a raked cornice are located on
the main facade, with exaggerated-dentil coursing, brackets and
pilastered gingerbread brackets that extend up and out of the corner
framing.
C.
Site: Narrow lot in a densely built-up block, facing north to Point Street; surrounded
on the north, east, and west by other residences.
Figure 4.10. North/front facade.
203
HISTORIC AMERICAN BUILDINGS SURVEY
JOHN MARTIN HOUSE
HABS No. PA-5422
Location:
502 High St., Saltsburg, Conemaugh Township, Indiana County, Pennsylvania.
Present Owner: Virgil H. and Dorothy Johnston.
Present Use: Single-family residence.
Significance: This vernacular frame dwelling is advantageously sited and is distinguished by
unusual gingerbread ornamentation--such as a crenellated cornice--as well as
serving as the longtime home of prominent local stone mason John Martin.
PART I. HISTORICAL INFORMATION
A.
Physical History:
1.
Date of erection: 1853-54, according to tax records that indicate an increase in
the lot's value from $50 to $700 from one year to the next.
2.
Original and subsequent owners: The following is an incomplete chain of title
to the land on which the structure stands, historically lot Nos. 62, 63, and 64.
Reference is to the Recorder of Deeds Office of the County of Indiana,
Pennsylvania.
1849 Deed March 9, 1849, Volume 16, Page 45.
Moses Hart
TO
Robert McCrea (no mention of building)
1853 Deed April 13, 1853, Volume 19, Page 181.
Robert R. McCrea
TO
John Martin (frame dwelling mentioned)
after
Will Book (no date given), Volume 6, Page 121.
1893
John Martin
TO
Thomas B. Martin
1937 Deed March 31, 1937, Volume 285, Page 445.
Thomas S. Barbor (for heirs of T.B. Martin, died October 1893)
TO
John M. Redpath
1949 Deed January 10, 1949, Volume 382, Page 126.
John M. Redpath
204
JOHN MARTIN HOUSE
HABS No. PA-5422/Page 2
TO
Virgil H. and Dorothy Johnston
3.
Original plans and construction: No original plans or drawings have been
located. The structure was erected and remains essentially a rectangular, side-
hall mass.
4.
Alterations and additions: A one-story, frame garage has been appended to the
south facade, although historically an addition of this form has existed there.
The entrance and flanking windows on the west facade are not original, but the
original form and date of alteration are unknown.
B.
Historical Context: According to local legend, Saltsburg's master stone mason, John
Martin (born 1820), lived in this house that he erected using a batch of wood given
him by a carpenter as repayment for a large debt. Its distinctive form and design are
supposed to replicate the family home in Enniskillen, Ireland, the only difference being
the latter was constructed of stone. Martin emigrated in 1834 with his father from
Ireland, and settled in Allegheny City, Pennsylvania. His career included work on the
Sandy and Beaver Canals, an apprenticeship in the stone-cutting trade with Pagan and
Company of Pittsburgh, and bridge construction. He arrived in Saltsburg in the early
1840s and served for six years as a foreman mason on the Northwestern Pennsylvania
Railroad
Martin was responsible for several notable buildings in Saltsburg, including the
Soldier's Monument in Edgewood Cemetery, the Western Pennsylvania Railroad Station,
St. Matthew's Catholic Church and the Saltsburg Academy (see HABS entries for each),
as well as this dwelling. He was treasurer of the Saltsburg Bridge Company, vice
president of the cemetery organization, and a borough council member. Martin's
stone-cutting yard was on Point Street just east of the canal (Arms, 383, 391).
PART II. ARCHITECTURAL INFORMATION
A.
General Statement:
1.
Architectural character: The dwelling at 502 High St. is a modest, rectangular
frame block embellished with eclectic Gothicky and Victorian elements.
2.
Condition of fabric: Excellent.
B.
Description of Exterior:
1.
Overall dimensions: About 28' X 52', including addition (Sanborns).
2.
Foundations: Stone, steeply banked.
3.
Walls: Horizontal clapboard, two widths; corner boards.
205
JOHN MARTIN HOUSE
HABS No. PA-5422/Page 3
4.
Structural systems: Frame.
5.
Porches: The single entrance on the north facade features an ornate,
cantilevered porch that includes a concave, polygonal roof, crenellated cresting,
stepped entablature, and two exaggerated brackets--all wood. The east facade
porch is partial, one-story, and cantilevered over the central three bays (door
and two windows) with a hipped roof and the same brackets. The west facade
includes a raised, double-deck porch over the central three bays, supported by
wood posts and pilasters with gingerbread bracing and ballustrade, crenellated
cornice, boxed entablature; the basement level has plain, squared columnar
supports on a brick foundation.
6.
Chimneys: Two brick chimneys, at the ends of the hipped ridge line.
7.
Openings:
a.
Doorways and doors: There are two primary doorways. The north
entrance is in the easternmost of the three bays; a single, wood door
with flanking sidelights, transom and masonry steps with side walls.
The east face contains a single wood door flanked by fixed four-light
fenestration, all topped by a six-light transom. The west facade contains
a central single door on the first floor, and two basement-level doors in
the exterior bays.
b.
Windows and shutters: Most windows contain six-over-six-light double-
hung sash, flanked by louvered shutters; these are largely arranged in a
regular pattern on each elevation.
8.
Roof:
a.
Shape: Low-pitched hip with asphalt shingles.
b.
Cornice: Boxed, convex cornice with crenellated wood cresting that is
repeated on the porch rooflines.
C.
Description of Interior:
1.
Floor plans: Side-hall plan with the front space serving as a living room,
behind which is a dining room, and behind that, the kitchen et al.
2.
Stairways: Stairway in side hall features a central landing, riser-end carving,
and a wood banister with turned newel post and posts.
3.
Doors and doorways: Interior doorways are framed with wood architrave trim
and bulls'-eye corners.
206
JOHN MARTIN HOUSE
HABS No. PA-5422/Page 4
4.
Decorative features: The living room features a large fireplace with a stark
wood mantel designed to appear as if it is supported by canted pilasters with
an S-curve mantle entablature. An elaborately patterned iron hearth inset with
coal grate is located in the living room.
D.
Site: The complex John Martin House site is composed of three lots, oriented north
to Washington Street. The house is banked into the steep slope, which establishes a
two-level east face that opens onto an open field, and three-level west face, which
looks down a hill toward the railway.
Figure 4.11. East and north/front facades.
207
HISTORIC AMERICAN BUILDINGS SURVEY
ANDREW ANDRE HOUSE
HABS No. PA-5423
Location:
821 High St., Saltsburg, Conemaugh Township, Indiana County, Pennsylvania.
Present Owner: Joseph and Helen Scott, Robert B. Scott
Present Use: Single-family residence.
Significance: This mid-century dwelling reflects the most common vernacular form of housing
of that period, situated southeast of the commercial center that was earlier
founded on canal development; this building also served as the home of cabinet
maker Andrew Andre for more than fifty years.
PART I. HISTORICAL INFORMATION
A.
Physical History:
1.
Date of erection: ca. 1858; tax records indicated a rise in valuation of the lot
from $75 to one with an "additional improvement" assessed at $250.
2.
Original and subsequent owners: The following is an incomplete chain of title
to the land on which the structure stands, historically lot Nos. 177, 178, and
179. Reference is to the Recorder of Deeds Office of the County of Indiana,
Pennsylvania.
1856 Deed July 30, 1856. (No deedbook given)
William and Anna Redpath
TO
Andrew S. Andre
1905 Deed July 24, 1905, Volume 93, Page 303.
Mary Andre, Della Andre, et al. (A. Andre's heirs)
TO
Frances H. Johnston
1909 Deed February 8, 1909, Volume 115, Page 109.
Frances H. Johnston
TO
John B. Johnston, et al.
1916 Deed August 9, 1916, Volume 153, Page 403.
J.B. Johnston, et al.
TO
Herbert A. Scott
1937 Deed February 10, 1937, Volume 286, Page 230.
208
ANDREW ANDRE HOUSE
HABS No. PA-5423/Page 2
Herbert A. Scott and Hadassah G. Scott
TO
Vera Neal
3.
Original plans and construction: No original plans or drawings have been
located; however, the building appears to retain its original two-story,
rectangular, frame form.
4.
Alterations and additions: A one-story, shed-roofed kitchen ell with adjacent
porch was appended to the east/rear facade; but it appears to have been done
not long after construction of the main house, based on materials and form.
B.
Historical Context: Deeds indicate that Andrew Andre, who with his brother Joseph
manufactured cabinet ware in a shop on Point Street, constructed the dwelling at 821
High St. about 1858. Joseph was a sawyer who operated a sawmill with a shop for
turning posts used in high-post beds (Stewart, 505).
PART II. ARCHITECTURAL INFORMATION
A.
General Statement:
1.
Architectural character: Five-bay, two-story vernacular frame dwelling
undistinguished by any kind of ornamentation.
2.
Condition of fabric: Fair.
B.
Description of Exterior:
1.
Overall dimensions: About 38' X 22', with a 14'-deep one-story addition.
2.
Foundation: Stone, slightly banked.
3.
Walls: Horizontal wood siding; German siding (flat panels with a narrow space
between) on the west wall; broad clapboard on the north and south walls;
narrow clapboard on the rear addition.
4.
Structural system: Wood frame.
5.
Porches: A one-story, hip-roofed porch protects the central three bays of the
west/front facade; plain, squared columnar supports with gingerbread bracing
and balustrade.
6.
Chimneys: There are two brick interior chimneys; one centered along the east
wall of the enclosed kitchen ell, the other on the south gable end of the main
block.
209
ANDREW ANDRE HOUSE
HABS No. PA-5423/Page 3
7.
Openings:
a.
Doorways and doors: The front/west entry is a single, wood-paneled
door in the center of the five bays; it appears to have a modest
architrave trim.
The rear entrance on the east facade leads from the back porch
into the kitchen addition; presumably it contains a plain, single wood
door with little embellishment.
b.
Windows: The windows on both floors of the west facade are
consistently two-over-two-light double-hung wood sash enframed with
plain architrave trim and Classical lintel, as is the single opening on the
first floor of the north gable end.
The three windows in the kitchen addition are one-over-one-light
double-hung wood sash, with the same surrounds as described above.
The second-floor, rear facade features windows that have been
replaced with modern six-over-six-light double-hung sash.
8.
Roof:
a.
Shape: Side-gable with asphalt shingles.
b.
Eaves: Slim and plain, boxed frame eaves.
C.
Site: The Andrew Andre House faces west, sited on the southeast corner of High
Street and Pine Alley, a neighhood of largely detached, single-family residences.
Historically it has been part of a large, three-lot parcel, only one block from the
original railroad right of way.
210
Figure 4.12. HABS No. PA-5423: Andrew Andre House, west/front and north facades.
Figure 4.13. HABS No. PA-5424: William Mcllwaine House, north/front facade.
211
HISTORIC AMERICAN BUILDINGS SURVEY
WILLIAM McILWAINE HOUSE
HABS No. PA-5424
Location:
214 Washington St., Saltsburg, Conemaugh Township, Indiana County,
Pennsylvania.
Present Owner: Jacob E. and Winifred Zeigler.
Present Use: Single-family residence.
Significance: As one of two remaining--and nearly identical--stone buildings in Saltsburg, 214
Washington St. reflects typical early-nineteenth-century Pennsylvania
construction and the town's development as a commercial center dependent
upon canal-then-rail transportation entities.
PART I. HISTORICAL INFORMATION
A.
Physical History:
1.
Date of erection: 1827-mid-1840s; the building was probably constructed by
1835, when tax records list the owner as having one house and two lots,
without specifying which lot contained the dwelling; the second, adjacent lot
includes a building that dates from 1840s, so the house noted in the deed may
be this one.
2.
Original and subsequent owners: The following is an incomplete chain of title
to the land on which the structure stands, historically part of lot No. 24.
Reference is to the Recorder of Deeds Office of the County of Indiana,
Pennsylvania.
1827 Deed January 29, 1827, Volume 6, Page 244.
Joseph Harper
TO
John and Mary Elwood (no mention of building)
1844 Deed February 21, 1844, Volume 13, Page 131.
John and Mary Elwood
TO
William Mcllwaine
1844 Deed March 27, 1844, Volume 13, Page 592.
David Ralston, Esq., High Sheriff
TO
Unknown
1883 Deed January 15, 1883, Volume A45, Page 424.
William Mcllwain and wife
212
WILLIAM McILWAINE HOUSE
HABS No. PA-5424/Page 2
TO
David Kenley
1932 Deed February 4, 1932, Volume 261, Page 290.
Millie Dunlap, et al. (heirs of David Kenley)
TO
Ivaneita L. Martin
3.
Original plans and construction: No original plans or drawings have been
located, however it appears that little alteration has been made to the five-bay,
two-story, stone dwelling.
4.
Alterations and additions: The one-story, gable-roofed wing at the west end of
the rear facade was erected prior to 1886, when it also featured a wood porch.
B.
Historical Context: The land on which the house at 214 Washington St. sits was part
of a 1788 land patent to Hugh and Thomas Wilson. It was probably built as the home
and canal-side general store of William McIlwain (born 1799). One of several of his
warehouses was located in the rear year. He is listed in tax records as a merchant and
occasionally a banker, with an annual income varying from $150 to $250.
Mcllwain's family emigrated from Ireland to Philadelphia in 1821, then moved
to Salem Township in Westmoreland County and began farming. William Mcllwain
moved to Baltimore two years later and served as a store clerk before moving on to
Pittsburgh in 1826 to become a senior member of McIlwain and Company,
grocery/produce dealers. In 1831 he joined his brother Robert, who had moved to
Saltsburg the previous year, and undertaken the "general mercantile business."
This career lasted about 44 years, and he is credited as having been "a quiet
businessman" who "aided materially" in developing the town.
McIlwain was twice married and had three children. He was an elder in the
Presbyterian church for more than 39 years, and he served as an officer on the board
of Edgewood Cemetery, the Presbyterian burial ground east of Saltsburg. Mcllwain
was also the first treasurer of the Saltsburg Bridge Company, and later its president.
He and other members of the family owned several other properties in Saltsburg,
including 202 Point St., which was owned by a later William McIlwain, most likely his
son.
PART II. ARCHITECTURAL INFORMATION
A.
General Statement:
1.
Architectural character: This substantial-yet-simple five-bay, side-gable stone
dwelling represents traditional, early-nineteenth-century vernacular
Pennsylvania construction.
2.
Condition of fabric: Good.
213
WILLIAM McILWAINE HOUSE
HABS No. PA-5424/Page 3
B.
Description of Exterior:
1.
Overall dimensions: About 40' X 20'; the frame ell about 20' X 20' (Sanborns).
2.
Foundation: Stone.
3.
Walls: Dressed stone blocks and corner quoins; rear addition is frame.
4.
Structural system: Load-bearing stone and frame.
5.
Chimneys: Two interior brick chimneys, at each gable end.
6.
Openings:
a.
Doorways and doors: Low-relief, plain door surround with modern
aluminum awning; this obscures a transom, shallow pediment, and wood
lintel. The single, nine-light glazed door and aluminum storm door are
both modern.
b.
Windows: Consistent two-over-two-light double-hung wood sash on the
first floor and the five-bays of the second floor; the latter are the same
width, but shorter than those in the four window bays of the first level.
7.
Roof: Side gable with asphalt shingles.
C.
Site: The building faces north to Washington Street and the site of the second railroad
depot, and is one lot east of the canal right of way. To the east is a fully developed
block of mostly canal-related structures.
214
HISTORIC AMERICAN BUILDINGS SURVEY
DR. JOHN McFARLAND HOUSE
HABS No. PA-5425
Location:
216 Washington St., Saltsburg, Conemaugh Township, Indiana County,
Pennsylvania.
Present Owner: Charles D. and Veda Lauffer.
Present Use: Single-family residence.
Significance: This modest and somewhat-altered dwelling served as the longtime residence of
prominent Saltsburg physician and druggist, Dr. John McFarland.
PART I. HISTORICAL INFORMATION
A.
Physical History:
1.
Date of erection: 1842-43, according to tax records that assess the lot at $150
in 1842, and the "house unfinished" at $500 a year later.
2.
Original and subsequent owners: (Deed references is to the Recorder of Deeds
Office, County of Indiana, Pennsylvania.) In 1842 John and Elisabeth White
sold the property--historically lot No. 23--to Dr. John McFarland, who owned it
until at least 1871 (May 11, 1842, Volume 12, Page 216). The next transaction
located is Minnie Carnahan's purchase of the property from the First National
Bank of Saltsburg (Deed April 9, 1940, Volume 308, Page 186).
3.
Original plans and construction: No original plans or drawings have been
located, although the four-bay, two-story brick dwelling appears somewhat
altered.
4.
Alterations and additions: The two-story frame unit on the rear was original or
was added prior to 1886. The front porch was added at a later time, although
it surely replaced an original porch of some type. A second front door, in the
second bay from the west, has been removed and the space bricked in.
B.
Historical Context: Dr. John McFarland (1813-89) built the house at 216 Washington
St. in 1842-43. Born in western Pennsylvania, the son of Irish immigrants, he attended
Jefferson Medical College and founded a practice in Salem Township, Westmoreland
County. He moved to nearby Saltsburg in 1833, and exchanged practices with Dr.
Benjamin Sterret, the town's first resident physician.
McFarland's illustrious medical career included service as an Army surgeon for
several years, and he was elected president of the Indiana County Medical Society for
two years. In 1846 he married Sarah Reed, daughter of Reverend John Reed.
215
JOHN McFARLAND HOUSE
HABS No. PA-5425/Page 2
McFarland was a member of the Saltsburg Borough Council in the 1840s, and a
burgess in 1841; in 1845-46 he was the Indiana County delegate to the Pennsylvania
House of Representatives. Later, McFarland served as one of the first directors of the
Northwestern Pennsylvania Railroad Company, and for several years was a director of
the Saltsburg Academy. His son, John Reed McFarland, inherited and expanded the
family pharmaceutical business, which operated as McFarland and Sons Druggists
(Stephenson, Indiana County 175th Anniversary History, 365).
PART II. ARCHITECTURAL INFORMATION
A.
General Statement:
1.
Architectural character: This four-bay, two-story brick dwelling lacks any
outstanding form or ornament, yet it represents typical nineteenth-century
vernacular construction.
2.
Condition of fabric: Good.
B.
Description of Exterior:
1.
Overall Dimensions: About 28' X 42' (Sanborns).
2.
Foundation: Stone and brick (rear addition).
3.
Walls: Brick laid in running bond; the addition is vertical-board frame.
4.
Structural system: Load-bearing brick and frame.
5.
Porches: A front-entry porch protects the three western bays; one-story, hipped
roof, modern iron supports and balustrade, raised concrete-block foundation.
6.
Chimneys: Interior brick chimney in rear addition.
7.
Openings:
a.
Doorways and doors: The remaining front door, in the westernmost
bay, features a four-light transom and modern aluminum door.
b.
Windows: The four bays of second-floor fenestration feature two-over-
two-light double-hung wood sash. The two bays on the first floor are
the same, with one-over-one-light arrangements. All include pronounced
sills and lintels, the later adorned with low-relief pedimental woodwork.
8.
Roof:
a.
Shape: Side-gable with asphalt shingles.
216
JOHN McFARLAND HOUSE
HABS No. PA-5425/Page 3
b.
Cornice: Flush with wall, deep frame.
C.
Site: Sited within a compact block of dwellings, the Dr. John McFarland House is
oriented north to Washington Street. Across the street was the second railroad depot,
and to the east, other well-developed blocks.
Figure 4.14. North/front facade.
217
HISTORIC AMERICAN BUILDINGS SURVEY
WRAY HOUSE
HABS No. PA-5426
Location:
500 Market St., Saltsburg, Conemaugh Township, Indiana County, Pennsylvania.
Present Owner: John C. Shirley.
Present Use: Single-family residence.
Significance: Situated in a purely residential neighborhood of Saltsburg east of the
commercial center and canal/rail route, this later nineteenth-century house
reflects the movement toward greater proportions, but no less modest ornament
in detached dwellings that typify mid- to late-nineteenth century construction.
PART I. HISTORICAL INFORMATION
A.
Physical History:
1.
Date of erection: ca. 1860-70.
2.
Original and subsequent owners: The following is an incomplete chain of title
to the land on which the structure stands. Reference is to the Recorder of
Deeds Office of the County of Indiana, Pennsylvania.
1817 Deed March 11, 1817, Volume 2, Page 840.
Daniel Wray
TO
Robert Wray
1868 Deed April 16, 1868, Volume A35, Page 87.
Robert Wray Sr., and wife Abigail
TO
John M. and Robert Wray Jr.
1869 Deed March 26, 1869, Volume A35 Page 529.
John M. and Anna Wray, Robert and Martha Wray Jr.
TO
Andrew Getty
1907 Will Sept. 11, 1907.
Andrew Getty
TO
Anna Belle Gregg (daughter)
3.
Original plans and construction: No original plans or drawings have been
located, however the two-story, rectangular block appears largely original.
218
WRAY HOUSE
HABS No. PA-5426/Page 2
4.
Alterations and additions: None of significance.
B.
Historical Context: Daniel and Robert Wray owned the property until 1868-69; they
were early settlers to Saltsburg, appearing in the tax records for Conemaugh Township
as early as 1807. The Wrays conveyed the land to Andrew Getty (born 1826), a
Universalist minister, in 1868-69. Born in Conemaugh Township, the son of an Irish
immigrant carpenter, Getty was a canal boatman, teacher, farmer, and flour miller. His
primary occupation became religion, however, after spending two years studying
theology under Reverend D. Bacon of Pittsburgh; Getty was ordained in 1862. In
1870 Getty organized the Universalist Church in Saltsburg, with a congregation of
fifteen members; he also personally financed a meeting place. Getty's preaching
established him as a local "missionary," of sorts. In a series of debates with Reverend
A.A. Bunner in 1895, Getty maintained that mankind was not deemed to suffer eternal
punishment if "dying in willful disobedience to the gospel of Christ" and that "all
mankind shall finally be made holy and happy after this life."
PART II. ARCHITECTURAL INFORMATION
A.
General Statement:
1.
Architectural character: 500 Market St. is an extremely simple, frame, gable-
front dwelling whose boxy, late-nineteenth-century form is highlighted by
decorative window and porch elements.
2.
Condition of fabric: Very good.
B.
Description of Exterior:
1.
Overall dimensions: About 30' X 34' (Sanborns).
2.
Foundation: Stone, slightly banked.
3.
Walls: Horizontal tongue-in-groove clapboard or weatherboard.
4.
Structural system: Wood frame.
5.
Porches: The front porch on the north facade is raised, the full width of the
facade, one-story, with a flat or slightly hipped roof; the cornice has a zigzag
woodwork pattern, features an ogee profile with squared columnar posts,
Victorian bracing replete with pendants, and clapboard balustrade.
A full, one-story rear porch is raised with a shed roof, supported by
three square posts and a partially enclosed west end.
6.
Chimneys: There are two brick chimneys, somewhat centered along the ridge
line.
219
WRAY HOUSE
HABS No. PA-5426/Page 3
7.
Openings:
a.
Doorways and doors: The front door is located in the westernmost of
the three bays; Flanking two-light sidelights with decorative glazing and
a transom are framed by a pedimental wood surround. A modern door
has been installed.
The rear door is located in the easternmost bay of the south
facade and features decorative architrave molding.
b.
Windows: The three second-story and two first-floor bays of windows
on the north facade are one-over-one-light double-hung wood sash, as
are four openings on the west facade and four corner openings on the
east facade. These replaced the original two-over-two-light sash that
remain intact in the four south-wall windows. All openings are framed
with a plain, pedimental architrave trim that echoes the front door
surround. A triangular attic window in the front facade contains
decorative glazing.
8.
Roof:
a.
Shape, covering: Gable-front with asphalt shingles.
b.
Eaves: Boxed, frame and plain.
C.
Site: Located on a corner site east of downtown Saltsburg and the canal/railroad
right of way, the Wray House faces north, set amid a mixture of detached historic and
modern residences.
220
WRAY HOUSE
HABS No. PA-5426/Page 4
Figure 4.15. North/front (top) and south/rear facades.
221
HISTORIC AMERICAN BUILDINGS SURVEY
JAMES ROBINSON HOUSE
HABS No. PA-5427
Location:
425 Salt St., Saltsburg, Conemaugh Township, Indiana County, Pennsylvania.
Present Owner: Jack and Evelyn Mash.
Present Use: Single-family residence.
Significance: This vernacular, frame, L-plan dwelling reflects a typical Pennsylvania form with
early Federal details--such as the doorway--with later Victorian modifications; it
was also the property of the Robinson family during the canal-heyday of the
nineteenth century as the home and shop of cabinet-maker James Robinson.
PART I. HISTORICAL INFORMATION
A.
Physical History:
1.
Date of erection: Probably ca. 1828-35; pre-1855.
2.
Original and subsequent owners: The following is an incomplete chain of title
to the land on which the structure stands, historically lot No. 49. Reference is
to the Recorder of Deeds Office of the County of Indiana, Pennsylvania.
1832 Deed April 27, 1832, Volume 7, Page 787.
John Robinson
TO
James Robinson
1876 Will June 13, 1876.
James Robinson
TO
Jane and Margaret Robinson
1882 Deed September 4, 1882, Volume 44, Page 484.
James M. George and Jane C. Johnston
TO
Benjamain S. Kelly
1905 Deed October 19, 1905, Volume 90, Page 260.
B.S. and Jennie Kelly
TO
James Clark Moore
222
JAMES ROBINSON HOUSE
HABS No. PA-5427/Page 2
3.
Original plans and construction: No original plans or drawings have been
located, but the two-story, seven-bay frame building has been somewhat
changed from its historic form.
4.
Alterations and additions: The large-paned picture windows on the right half
of the Salt Street facade are probably not original, though perhaps they were
shop windows. The spindlework on the front porch most likely dates from the
late nineteenth-century. A secondary door immediately to left of the main door
appears too oddly placed to have been part of the original (otherwise rather
graceful) design of the building; perhaps this door was added later, as an
entrance to the cabinetry-shop portion of the house.
B.
Historical Context: The dwelling at 425 Salt St. was the home and cabinetry shop of
James B. Robinson throughout the middle decades of the nineteenth century, although
prior to that the land was in his family. Robert Robinson (1739-1836), a mason,
emigrated to Philadelphia from Ireland in 1770. The family included his three sons--
John, James, and Robert--who with their families generally settled in Saltsburg. The
1855 Peelor map lists seven Robinson-owned properties; the 1871 Beers map lists
eleven.
PART II. ARCHITECTURAL INFORMATION
A.
General Statement:
1.
Architectural character: The building at 425 Salt St. was built as a traditional
Pennsylvania dwelling: two-story, seven-bay, gable-end-and-wing plan with
modest Federal highlights. Its integrity has been somewhat blemished by later
alteration of the historic fabric.
2.
Condition of fabric: Good.
B.
Description of Exterior:
1.
Overall dimensions: About 40' X 40' with a 20' ell (Sanborns).
2.
Foundations: Stone covered with stucco; slightly banked.
3.
Walls: Clapboard.
4.
Structural system: Wood frame.
5.
Porches: A one-story, raised, frame porch with hipped roof extends across the
three northernmost bays of the east Salt Street facade; this later addition
features Victorian post bracing and balustrade, a wood deck, lattice infill at the
base and a modern iron handrail. The south facade features a shed-roofed
entry in the second bay from the west; raised stone step and cantilevered roof
223
JAMES ROBINSON HOUSE
HABS No. PA-5427/Page 3
bracing. An open, one-story porch on the interior north facade, features a shed
roof and squared supports with modest bracing.
6.
Chimneys: There are two brick interior chimneys; one on the east gable end of
the ell, and a slope chimney along the back side of the ridge of the main block,
opposite the ell.
7.
Openings:
a.
Doorways and doors: The vernacular Palladian doorway on the west
facade is the finest design characteristic of this building. The center bay
is arranged with a single, glazed and paneled door surrounded by side-
lights with recessed-panel bases and glazed upper halfs; the elliptical
fanlight above contains two lights. The surround framing is broad and
molded, with notable bulls'-eye corners. A secondary door on the Salt
Street facade is probably original, but is squeezed between the former
doorway and a set of windows; it is a smaller width that the primary
door, with a glazed upper half and wood panels, with plain, wood
architrave trim.
The south facade features two door openings, one that is
certainly original is contained in the second bay from the east; it is
wood, paneled and topped by a three-light transom. A second door
exists on this wall in the second bay from the west, although it appears
to be largely a modern alteration. It is unknown how many doorways
exist on the rear facade, though there are undoubtedly at least two.
b.
Windows: Fenestration across the second-floor of the west (five bays)
and south (five bays) primary facades is regular, containing two-over-
two-light double-hung wood sash with plain architrave trim.
The first floor, west facade, has a banked arrangement of three
windows that are one-over-one-light, double-hung wood sash. The
south end of this facade contains display-type windows that appear to
have some historic elements, but their date is uncertain. The last bay is
unusually wide and contains storefront glazing topped by a three-light
transom; next to it is a narrower, single-light opening.
The south facade contains a similarly modified opening in the
westernmost bay and the third bay from the west: display-window-like
glazing is supported by a recessed wood base panel that appears to be
historic to some degree. The easternmost bay contains a window like
that found on the second floor.
A three-part bay was appended to north end of the east/rear
facade between 1909 and 1927; it is in place today.
8.
Roof:
a.
Shape, covering: Side-gable with gable wing, covered with rolled
224
JAMES ROBINSON HOUSE
HABS No. PA-5427/Page 4
asphalt and standing-seam metal.
b.
Eaves: Slim and somewhat extended, supported by understated
Victorian brackets spaced at about two per bay.
C.
Site: Located on a corner site northeast of downtown Saltsburg but one block from
the canal/railroad right-of-way, the James Robinson House faces west. Historically on
the fringe of town growth, it is situated across from the Presbyterian Church on the
south, and additional developed blocks of commercial and residential buildings on the
west and north.
Figure 4.16. West/front and south facades.
225
HISTORIC AMERICAN BUILDINGS SURVEY
THOMAS AND JOHN ROBINSON HOUSE
HABS No. PA-5428
Location:
711 Water St., Saltsburg, Conemaugh Township, Indiana County, Pennsylvania.
Present Owner: Ronald J. and Sandra Plahs.
Present Use: Single-family residence.
Significance: One of few extant buildings located along the canal route, the House served the
same family for more than a half century, including John Robinson, a member
of one of Saltsburg's most prolific mercantile families.
PART I. HISTORICAL INFORMATION
A.
Physical History:
1.
Date of erection: ca. 1841, according to tax records.
2.
Original and subsequent owners: The following is an incomplete chain of title
to the land on which the structure stands, historically part of lot No. 183.
Reference is to the Recorder of Deeds Office of the County of Indiana,
Pennsylvania.
1839 Deed April 16, 1839, Volume 10, Page 421.
James Taylor, Esq.
TO
Thomas W. and John Robison (sic, prior to any construction)
1845 Deed April 3, 1845, Volume 13, Page 624.
Thomas and Elizabeth Robinson
TO
John H. Robinson
1885 Deed August 15, 1885, Volume B-48, Page 124.
John H. Robinson
TO
William and J. Edward Wallace (mentions quit-claim deed from Andrew
Boggs, April 9, 1850)
1901 Deed October 5, 1901, Volume A-71, Page 610.
Juliet and J. Edward Wallace (executors for Wm. Wallace, et al.)
TO
Ella M. Beatty
1932 Deed March 31, 1932, Volume 258, Page 81.
226
THOMAS AND JOHN ROBINSON
HABS No. PA-5428/Page 2
Ella M. Beatty
TO
Joseph M. Serene
3.
Original plans and construction: No original plans or drawings have been
located. The building was erected as an L-plan with gable-end chimneys;
dormers with windows were probably added later.
4.
Alterations and additions: The addition of asbestos-shingle siding and some
porch elements are recently. Historically, a full frame porch existed on the front
facade.
B.
Historical context: The residence at 711 Water St. was erected concurrent to
construction of the canal, and throughout most of the nineteenth century it served as
the home of John H. Robinson. The Robinsons were one of the earliest pioneer
families to arrive in the Saltsburg area. Robert Robinson (1739-1836), John H.'s
grandfather, emigrated from Ireland to Philadelphia in 1770, and supported the family
as a mason. His sons were John, James, and Robert; Robert's nine children included
John H. and Thomas W. Robinson, both owners of the property at one point.
Thomas W. Robinson erected the building around 1840, and five years later
conveyed the property to his brother John; the latter Robinson occupied the house
until 1885. Both brothers were members of the Saltsburg Borough Council in the
1840s.
PART II. ARCHITECTURAL INFORMATION
A.
General Statement:
1.
Architectural character: This modest, five-bay, one and one-half story dwelling
typifies vernacular design of the period, with gable-end chimneys and dormers;
it has been significantly reworked over the years.
2.
Condition of fabric: Fair, although the exterior cladding is synthetic shingles.
B.
Description of Exterior:
1.
Overall dimensions: About 45' X 15'; ell is 20' wide (Sanborns).
2.
Foundation: Stone with dressed quoin corners; partially banked.
3.
Walls: Asbestos-shingle siding.
4.
Structural system: Frame.
5.
Porches: A modern one-story shed-roofed porch extends across the central
three bays of the front facade; the roof is covered with asphalt shingles,
227
THOMAS AND JOHN ROBINSON
HABS No. PA-5428/Page 3
supported on plain wood posts. An integrated porch exists on the interior
facade of the ell, underneath the dual-pitch roof.
6.
Chimneys: Two interior gable-end brick chimneys.
7.
Openings:
a.
Doorways and doors: The front facade features a central, single
doorway; a second entrance is located at the back porch.
b.
Windows and shutters: The first floor features six-over-six-light double-
hung wood sash; the attic story contains one-over-one-light windows in
each of the seven dormers.
8.
Roof:
a.
Shape, covering: Gable with asphalt shingles.
b.
Cornice, eaves: Plain and simple box with shallow returns.
c.
Dormers: There are seven dormer windows in the attic story; five on
the main block and two on the wing; each with one-over-one-light wood
sash.
C.
Description of Interior: The interior of the building at 711 Water St. is arranged on a
center-hall plan and includes a modest stairway.
D.
Site: 711 Water St. faces 60' on the east flank of the canal route; Water Street is to
its west; Market Street and Coal Alley border it on the north and south, respectively.
228
Figure 4.17. HABS No. PA-5428: Thomas and John Robinson House, east/front facade.
Figure 4.18. HABS No. PA-5429: James McGlaughlin House, east/front facade.
229
HISTORIC AMERICAN BUILDINGS SURVEY
JAMES McGLAUGHLIN HOUSE
HABS No. PA-5429
Location:
803 Water St., Saltsburg, Conemaugh Township, Indiana County, Pennsylvania.
Present Owner: Walter K. and Mae Parson Brown.
Present Use: One- or two-family residence.
Significance: The house at 803 Water St., erected to face the canal in the 1830s, is notable
as a "double house" with symmetrical interior layout behind a traditional six-bay
facade; it was thus occupied by two families for more than a decade.
PART I. HISTORICAL INFORMATION
A.
Physical History:
1.
Date of erection: ca. 1833-40.
2.
Original and subsequent owners: The following is an incomplete chain of title
to the land on which the structure stands, historically lot No. 184. Reference is
to the Clerk's Office of the County of Indiana, Pennsylvania.
1833 Deed December 25, 1833, Volume Pro O S & T, Page 113.
Jacob Drum (at suit of Kingston Lightner)
TO
James McGlaughlin (no mention of buildings)
1840 Deed January 5, 1840, Volume 14, Page 2.
James McGlaughlin
TO
Frederick Dunhouse (Deed mentions buildings and describes the north
half of parcel as part of a larger lot No. 184; it cuts through the
center of a house built by Jacob Newhouse in 1833-40 on the southern
boundary of the property; it was legally divided in the 1840s with the
building categorized as a "double house.")
1846 Deed January 5, 1846, Volume 14, Page 4.
Frederick Dunhouse
TO
John Hamer (north half of property)
1850 Deed February 6, 1850, Volume 16, Page 387.
John Hamer
TO
John McQuaide (north half of property)
230
JAMES McGLAUGHLIN HOUSE
HABS No. PA-5429/Page 2
1852 Deed January 8, 1852, Volume 18, Page 185.
John McQuaide
TO
John Earhart (north and south halves of property are hereafter one)
1865 Deed August 1, 1865, Volume 31, Page 497.
Soloman and Martin Earhart (administrator for John Earhart estate)
TO
William McQuiston
1865 Deed October 2, 1865, Volume 31, Page 498.
William McQuiston
TO
William G. McConnell
1872 Deed January 2, 1872, Volume A-38, Page 189.
William G. and Dorcus McConnell
TO
William D. Cooper
1883 Deed September 15, 1883, Volume A-46, Page 226.
William D. Cooper (by trustee Jamieson)
TO
Samuel R. Bingham
1892 Deed July 20, 1892, Volume B-57, Page 351.
Fannie Bingham
TO
John Cunningham
1926 Deed September 23, 1926, Volume 244, Page 422.
Charles M. Cunningham
TO
Harriet M. Cunningham
3.
Original plans and construction: No original plans or drawings have been
located. It served as a six-bay bilaterally symmetrical house, with central front
door and flanking, matched room arrangements and chimneys. It originally
faced east to the canal, but current occupation is reoriented so the west facade
serves as the front.
4.
Alterations and additions: The house has been added onto several times.
Between 1871 and 1897, a one-story addition was added to the middle-rear
portion of the building; this is currently two stories high, so the addition floor
was probably added later still. Between 1897 and 1909, a back entrance porch
was added to the north corner. Between 1909 and 1927, a second back-entry
231
JAMES McGLAUGHLIN HOUSE
HABS No. PA-5429/Page 3
porch was added to the south corner, and a one-story front porch was built
across the center four bays of the canal-side facade. The house is encased in
aluminum (or synthetic) siding, which discourages clarification of the successive
alterations.
B.
Historical Context: Several people significant to Saltsburg's history have occupied the
residence at 803 Water St. From 1840 to 1858--when John Earhart acquired both
halves of the property--it was considered two separate parcels; it is possible, therefore,
that from its inception the building served as a "double house" intended for use by two
families--as it was by Jacob Newhouse and Frederick Dunhouse.
James McGlaughlin, a storekeeper, owned the property when the house was
constructed; McGlaughlin sold the north half of the lot in 1840. Like one subsequent
owner, John "Major" McQuaide, he was a borough council member in the 1840s.
McQuaide was engaged in a general-trade partnership with lawyer Harrison P. Laird,
for which they owned a warehouse on Point Street. With Francis Laird Jr. (Harrison's
brother), McQuaide operated a gristmill at the foot of Market Street. McQuaide was
also a member of the Saltsburg Section Boat Committee in 1848.
In 1852 Earhart acquired the north portion of the building; he operated a
tannery in the back of his home (Arms and White). (This theory is muddied, however,
by the 1856 Peelor map that indicates the property as a tannery--but called Reed and
McFarland. And, the 1871 map suggests the tannery is actually south of 803 Water St.)
Newhouse owned the south portion of the building from 1848 to 1858. One of
several canal-boat builders in town, he maintained a construction yard above Point
Street. John Hamer owned the property from 1846-50; he was a weaver with income
of $100 in 1849.
PART II. ARCHITECTURAL INFORMATION
A.
General Statement:
1.
Architectural character: The building at 803 Water St. is an unusual example
of a double house, as well as an unadorned, vernacular-styled, six-bay,
rectangular plan typical of canal-era dwelling.
2.
Condition of fabric: Fair.
B.
Description of Exterior:
1.
Overall dimensions: 50' X 20; the rear ells total about 30' X 20'.
2.
Foundation: High-quality dressed stone and cinderblock; partially banked.
3.
Walls: Clapboard covered with synthetic or aluminum siding.
4.
Structural systems: Wood frame.
232
JAMES McGLAUGHLIN HOUSE
HABS No. PA-5429/Page 4
5.
Porches: A one-story wooden porch with shed roof extends across the four
central bays of the front, canal-side facade. Added between 1909 and 1927, it
is plain except for beveled wood supports. The side doorways are topped by
raised, shed-roofed porches.
6.
Chimneys: Interior brick chimneys exist at each gable end.
7.
Openings:
a.
Doorways and doors: There are two front entrances, at the
southernmost and northernmost bays of the east/front facade; two side
entrances in the rear addition, on the north and south facade; and one
rear door.
b.
Windows: The former front facade's fenestration is regular, two-over-
two-light double-hung sash that is not original; except for the second
bay, which is different. These same windows are largely found on the
former rear facade, along with miscellaneous irregular fenestration.
8.
Roof:
a.
Shape, covering: Side gable with paired rear ells with shed roofs; the
latter are covered with wide, horizontally laid strips of asphalt.
C.
Site:
1.
General setting: The James McGlaughlin House faced the old canal route to
the east, down a short sharp slope from what is now the filled-in right-of-way.
Now the front of the building is reoriented west to Water Street. To the north
is a lot and Coal Alley, with the immediate surroundings open, with large trees;
to the south lies a residence.
2.
Outbuildings: Behind the house there once existed a one-story frame building
that probably served as a stable or carriage house, then later a garage.
233
HISTORIC AMERICAN BUILDINGS SURVEY
MATHIAS ROMBACH HOUSE
(Saltsburg General Hospital)
HABS No. PA-5430
Location:
321 Basin St., Saltsburg, Conemaugh Township, Indiana County, Pennsylvania.
Present Owner: Guy and Dorothy Miller.
Present Use: Single-family residence.
Significance: This building, which was occupied as a residence by merchant Mathias
Rombach for the last half of the ninteenth century and subsequently served as
Saltsburg's first hospital, represents a large but modest Federal-style vernacular
structure that reflects progressive enlargement and modification over the years.
PART I. HISTORICAL INFORMATION
A.
Physical History:
1.
Date of erection: 1838-50. Mathias Rombach acquired the land in two
sections, the first thirty-five acres in 1837, and twenty-eight additional acres in
1850. It is not known whether the building was constructed before or after the
two parcels were combined.
2.
Original and subsequent owners: The following is an incomplete chain of title
to the land on which the structure stands, historically lot Nos. 1, 2, and 3 in
the Riverview Addition. Reference is to the Clerk's Office of the County of
Indiana, Pennsylvania.
1837 Deed July 12, 1837, Volume 11, Page 634.
Stewart Steel (administrator for Thomas Johnston)
TO
Mathias Rombach (35 acres, part woodland, adjoining Saltsburg)
1850 Deed January 5, 1850, Volume 20, Page 459.
Andrew F. Boggs (for his mother)
TO
Mathias Rombach (28 acres adjoining Saltsburg on the east)
1908 Deed October 26, 1908, Volume 109, Page 321.
Elizabeth R. Martin
TO
Dr. E.B. Earhart
1915 Deed May 6, 1915, Volume 146, Page 202.
Walter G. Alcorn (administrator for Dr.E.B. Earhart estate)
234
MATHIAS ROMBACH HOUSE
HABS No. PA-5430/Page 2
TO
Elvira Earhart (deed names it as Saltsburg General Hospital)
1917 Deed November 26, 1917, Volume 162, Page 246.
Elvira Earhart
TO
James E., Nannie B., and Mary E. Love
3.
Original plans and construction: No original plans or drawings have been
located. The five-bay building was an L-shaped block prior to various
additions.
4.
Alterations and additions: The northernmost four bays, with its attached ell,
were added after 1871, as were the pair of Italianate porches on the south
facade. With the agglomerated additions, the building has become a modified
U-plan, nine bays long on the main facade.
B.
Historical Context: The building at 321 Basin St. was built, and served for many years,
as the home of the Rombach family. Sometime after 1871 the building was
substantially enlarged. Matthias Rombach was a "dealer in groceries, hardware, [a]
watch maker, [and a] jeweler" (Beers). He donated one acre of land to the
congregation of the St. Matthew's Catholic Church for the construction of a new
facility; and he gave one-half acre to Saltsburg for use as its first burial ground.
Rombach's daughter married local stone mason John Martin.
On August 15, 1905, Dr. E. Bruce Earhart converted the building from a
residence into Saltsburg General Hospital. Earhart, a native of Indiana County, studied
and practiced at an Ohio institution--specializing in surgery and preventive medicine--
before settling in Saltsburg in 1892. He was also a member of the I.O.O.F. and the
Presbyterian Church. As a medical facility with accommodations for thirty-five patients,
its location on the edge of town minimized the threat of highly infectious disease, and
it was "equipped with all the modern appliances for the treatment and care of the sick"
(Stewart, 635).
PART II. ARCHITECTURAL INFORMATION
A.
General Statement:
1.
Architectural character: The additive building at 321 Basin St. is a brick
vernacular Federal form with a period frame addition, though its most notable
feature is a pair of Italianate porches added to the front facade during the late
nineteenth century.
2.
Condition of fabric: Poor.
B.
Description of Exterior:
235
MATHIAS ROMBACH HOUSE
HABS No. PA-5430/Page 3
1.
Foundation: Stone, partially banked.
2.
Walls: Brick laid in Flemish-bond pattern in original block; addition is
constructed of brick laid in six-course American bond; corner additions are
clapboard.
3.
Structural system: Load-bearing brick and wood frame.
4.
Porches: On the west elevation there are two raised, one-story frame porches
centered over the entry and flanking windows of each residence. These boast
Victorian details that include columnar supports; a wide, bracketed cornice and
posts; gingerbread balustrade, and stone steps.
The interior facade of the original wing features an integrated, two-story
frame porch under a continuous roofline; it is plain and in poor condition,
having lost its turned posts. An exterior stair exists between the two levels
here. The one-story entry porch on the south facade, Basin Street, has a gable
roof, wood supports and a brick base.
5.
Chimneys: There are six brick chimneys in all: one on the interior of each
gable-end wall of the original block and its ell; one off-center ridge chimney in
the block telescoping from the original; and one single stack in the northeast
corner of that unit that probably vents a stove.
6.
Openings:
a.
Doorways and doors: The main doorway in the south facade is
Federal, with a single paneled door, flanking sidelights, and a solid
transom (originally glazed).
A second door on this facade appears to date from the time of
the addition. At least two doors exist on the rear facade, first floor; and
one on the second floor, in the porch ell.
b.
Windows: Modern aluminum one-over-one-light double-hung-sash are
installed throughout the structure. On the front facade this includes
seven window bays on the first floor, and nine bays on the second; and
four bays on the south facade. The rear (east) and north facades
feature irregular placement and form of fenestration that dates from at
least the late nineteenth century. Lintels and sills are wood.
7.
Roof: Gable roofs throughout; coverings included standing-seam metal and
asphalt shingles.
C.
Site: Located north of the Saltsburg Borough line, in the north corner of the
intersection of Basin and High streets, the original L-plan faced the cemetery to the
west, probably the one founded on land donated by Rombach; the balance of the town
is to the south; and nothing substantial exists to the east or north.
236
MATHIAS ROMBACH HOUSE
HABS No. PA-5430/Page 4
Figure 4.19. West/front (top) and east/rear facades.
237
HISTORIC AMERICAN BUILDINGS SURVEY
FIRST NATIONAL BANK OF SALTSBURG
(Lions' Activity Center)
HABS No. PA-5431
Location:
214 Point St., Saltsburg, Conemaugh Township, Indiana County, Pennsylvania.
Present Owner: Saltsburg Lions.
Present Use: Lions Club Activity Center.
Significance: This was the first bank building erected in Saltsburg, and it represents an
excellent example of Victorian commercial architecture coupled with occasional
Greek Revival and eclectic features; it is largely intact.
PART I. HISTORICAL INFORMATION
A.
Physical History:
1.
Date of erection: 1875 (date plate on facade).
2.
Original and subsequent owners: The following is an incomplete chain of title
to the land on which the structure stands, historically lot No. 4. Reference is to
the Recorder of Deeds Office of the County of Indiana, Pennsylvania.
1847 Deed June 30, 1847, Volume Pro S & T 2, Page 70.
Wm. McFarland (by sheriff, at suit of W.H. McConnell)
TO
H.P. Laird (frame dwelling and stable, razed to accommodate bank)
1878 Deed February 16, 1878, Volume 40 A, Page 464.
Harrison P. Laird
TO
Benton K. Jamieson, et al. (First National Bank of Saltsburg founders)
1890 Deed November 29, 1890, Volume 54 A, Page 352.
Benton Jamieson, et al. as First National Bank of Saltsburg
TO
William R. McIlwain
1893 Deed April 14, 1893, Volume 58A, Page 560.
William R. McIlwain
TO
First National Bank of Saltsburg
1945 Deed February 20, 1945, Volume 343, Page 192.
First National Bank, Saltsburg, PA (formerly First National Bank of
Saltsburg, a corporation)
238
FIRST NATIONAL BANK OF SALTSBURG
HABS No. PA-5431/Page 2
TO
William A. Rumbaugh
1947 Deed May 27, 1947, Volume 363, Page 233.
William A. Rumbaugh
TO
William F. Fennell
1969 Deed April 18, 1969, Volume 595, Page 233.
William F. Fennell
TO
Saltsburg Lions Activity Center, Inc.
3.
Contractor, builder: James Hudson of Saltsburg was the contractor; H.F. Stear
the stone mason. The metal cornice and brackets were supplied by Lacock and
Irwin of Allegheny City. Plaster work was by Hart and Harris.
4.
Original plans and construction: No original plans or drawings have been
located, but the narrow, rectangular, one-story commercial building remains
largely unchanged.
5.
Alterations and additions: The upper portion of the display window appears to
have been altered in some way, and originally may have contained decorative
glass or different signage. Sometime prior to 1891, a 25' long, one-story brick
addition was made to the rear of the facade, and it remains in place today.
B.
Historical Context: The town's first financial institution, the Saltsburg Bank, was
established by William Sterret in 1871. Sterret had organized the Fairbanks Coal
Company in 1886 and subsequently served the banking needs of company workers out
of his house; he served as bank president for ten years (Palmer and Miller, 36-37).
The bank was first housed in an addition attached to the west side of Robert Taylor's
house at 211 Point St. Harrison Laird owned the property until three years after
completion of the building, when he conveyed it to the bank partners (deeds). Laird,
an attorney, was also involved in a general-trade concern with John McQuaide. By
1927 the bank building was used simply as an office (Sanborns).
PART II. ARCHITECTURAL INFORMATION
A.
General Statement:
1.
Architectural character: Victorian and eclectic detailing highlights this
otherwise narrow, one-story and modest commercial brick storefront.
2.
Condition of fabric: Very good.
B.
Description of Exterior:
239
FIRST NATIONAL BANK OF SALTSBURG
HABS No. PA-5431/Page 3
1.
Overall dimensions: 25' X 60'.
2.
Foundation: High-quality, dressed stone; slightly banked.
3.
Walls: Brick laid in six-course American bond on all facades. An unusual and
elaborate entablature demarks the top of the first floor; it is nearly full,
constructed of wood, and includes a wide frieze with modillions that descend
into stout, attached columns; paired end brackets rest on rough-cut stone
"capitals"; and there is dentil coursing on the fascia. The termini are marked by
mini-gable-front temple forms.
4.
Structural system: Load-bearing brick.
5.
Chimneys: Two small, brick interior chimneys.
6.
Openings:
a.
Doorways and doors: A single glazed door is located in the east corner
of the facade; it features a recessed base panel and modified, blank
transom. The door features an ornate etched-brass (or similar alloy)
handle.
b.
Windows: A large display window occupies most of the ground-floor
portion of the Point Street facade. The upper portion of the window,
that now contains "Saltsburg Lions Activity Center," may have originally
contained different signage or decorative glazing.
7.
Roof:
a.
Shape, covering: Flat, covering out of view.
b.
Cornice: A wide, heavily bracketed cornice includes large modillions
and a projected central pediment with raked cornice, supported by two
pairs of exaggerated brackets that overlap a decorative stringcourse. At
the corners of the roof, atop the cornice, are finial-like iron urns raised
on blocks. A large, central date plate reads "A.D. 1875."
C.
Site: The First National Bank of Saltsburg building faces north, nestled among
neighboring buildings on each side and across Point Street.
240
FIRST NATIONAL BANK OF SALTSBURG
HABS No. PA-5431/Page 4
A.D
1875
SALTSBURG LICNS
COLAR center me
A.D.
1875
214
SALTSBURG LIONS
activity center, inc.
Figure 4.20. North/front facade (top) and detail of cornice.
241
HISTORIC AMERICAN BUILDINGS SURVEY
P.D. SHUPE HARDWARE STORE
HABS No. PA-5432
Location:
202 Point St., Saltsburg, Conemaugh Township, Indiana County, Pennsylvania.
Present Owner: Gildo Bertetto.
Present Use: Warehouse.
Significance: This is an exceptionally fine--and largely intact--example of a vernacular
commercial building that features ornate Victorian storefront detailing of wood,
rather than the typical metal.
PART I. HISTORICAL INFORMATION
A.
Physical History:
1.
Date of erection: Probably 1880s. A frame building that served as a ware-
house occupied this site off and on as early as the 1840s, but tax records and
architectural styling indicate a construction date of about 1880.
2.
Original and subsequent owners: P.D. Shupe, the son-in-law of merchant
William Mcllwaine, owned this hardware store during the last half of the
nineteenth century. The sequence of deeds and ownership exists on file at
Historic Saltsburg, but it was not available for inclusion in this document.
3.
Original plans and construction: No original plans or drawings have been
located, however the building has retained its two-story frame rectangular form
with an asymmetrical storefront.
4.
Alterations and additions: The building has been little changed since its
construction in the late-nineteenth century. Historically there have been two
one-story additions to the rear facade; one remains in place.
B.
Historical Context: Several members of the McIlwain family, which emigrated from
Ireland to Saltsburg, worked as merchants. Shupe was the son-in-law of William
Mcllwaine, who opened a competing store across the alley. 202 Point St. remained in
the family until after 1937.
The first and mezzanine levels of the building were restricted to the general
store operation. From at least the 1880s until 1909, the second floor housed the
Armory Hall, for which it may have been originally designed; for a short time a
printing shop also occupied this space (Sanborns).
PART II. ARCHITECTURAL INFORMATION
A.
General Statement:
242
P.D. SHUPE HARDWARE STORE
HABS No. PA-5432/Page 2
1.
Architectural character: This building represents an excellent example of both
vernacular Victorian and commercial architecture, with its four-bay, rectangular
form and highly ornamental cornice and ground-floor storefront.
2.
Condition of fabric: Good.
B.
Description of Exterior:
1.
Overall Dimensions: Approximately 30' X 85'.
2.
Foundation: Stone (limestone, sandstone, granite).
3.
Walls: Horizontal weatherboard; first-floor storefront is predominantly glass.
4.
Structural system: Framing is used for the general structure; the interior
mezzanine floor is supported by suspended steel rods.
5.
Openings:
a.
Doorways and doors: Modilions and highly ornamental paired brackets
atop the pilasters articulate the cornice above the storefront story.
There are two entrances on the front/Point Street side; one on
the west facade. The first floor, front facade features a single doorway
in the easternmost bay that leads to stairs that rise to the second story
and mezzanine levels. It is single, decorated with wood panels and is
topped by a rectangular transom.
The commercial entrance is located on an off-center, display-
window composition: a set of double wood doors with full-height round-
topped glazing; recessed and flanked by the canted, display windows.
Above the door is a two-light rectangular transom, narrow wood cornice
with dentil molding, and a second, single-light transom.
A blocked doorway with architrave trim modeled after that
around the windows exists in the southwest corner of the west facade.
b.
Windows: The ground-level storefront features full-height glazing, and
articulated vertical features: three asymmetrically placed pilasters on the
front facade, and a fourth on the west facade at the window terminus.
These have decorative, recessed panels, acorn-and-leaf motif detailing,
and paneled "capitals." These elements are unusual in that they are
made of wood rather than the more typical metal. A steel beam
probably exists at the cornice (junction between first and second floors)
line; and eight slender, modestly ornamental, iron rods serve as vertical
supports at the window intersections.
The four bays of second-story fenestration on the front and side
facades, and two bays on the rear facade, are identical: tall, two-over-
two-light double-hung wood sash with segmental-arched surrounds that
243
P.D. SHUPE HARDWARE STORE
HABS No. PA-5432/Page 3
feature keystone-like carved elements. The three identical windows on
the first floor of the west facade also retain three-panel wood shutters.
7.
Roof:
a.
Shape, covering: Flat roof; covering undetermined; plain parapet on all
but rear facades.
b.
Cornice, eaves: Elaborate cornice extends around the main and side
facades features generous bracketing; corners feature paneled pilasters
and exaggerated, carved brackets.
C.
Description of Interior:
1.
Floor plans:
a.
The rectangular first floor is divided width-wise into two rooms. A wall
separates this space from the stairway located along the east wall.
b.
The mezzanine level consists of a suspended floor area around the
perimeter of the plan above the first floor space; a central rectangular
space preserves the full first-floor height. Access is gained via the stairs
located along the east wall.
c.
The second floor contains two large rooms divided width-wise, with a
smaller third space in between. Access is gained via the stairs located
along the east wall.
2.
Stairways: One stairway runs along the east wall of the building, accessing the
mezzanine and second levels; it is separated from the main space by a wall.
3.
Flooring: Wood floorboards throughout.
4.
Wall and ceiling finishes: First floor, unknown. Mezzanine, floor-to-ceiling
vertical paneling. Second floor, plaster and lathe with wainscoating that
extends about 5' up the wall, simple molding. The first-floor ceiling is wood or
sheet metal; the second-floor ceiling is wood/plaster.
5.
Openings: Windows: The front (north) facade at the mezzanine level is fully
glazed, allowing for generous visibility and natural lighting.
6.
Decorative features, trim: Wainscoated walls on the second floor.
Miscellaneous suspended light fixtures throughout building.
D.
Site: The building at 202 Point St. is oriented north to Point street. The canal right of
way is to the west, while to the north, east and south are well-developed town blocks.
244
P.D. SHUPE HARDWARE STORE
HABS No. PA-5432/Page 4
Figure 4.21. North/front and west facades (top) and interior view of mezzanine.
245
HISTORIC AMERICAN BUILDINGS SURVEY
SALTSBURG ACADEMY
(Memorial Institute)
HABS No. PA-5433
Location:
Northeast corner High Street at Point Street, Saltsburg, Conemaugh Township,
Indiana County, Pennsylvania.
Present Owner: Paul and Hulda Baker.
Present Use: Vacant.
Significance: This formidable brick building housed was was for many years the first and
only academic institution in town, the Saltsburg Male and Female Academy.
As a private undertaking, and later as part of the public school system, the
building served local boys and girls throughout the second half of the
nineteenth century.
PART I. HISTORICAL INFORMATION
A.
Physical History:
1.
Date of erection: 1851.
2.
Original and subsequent owners: Deed references were unobtainable, but three
known owners include the Presbyterian Church, which purchased the academy
building in 1870, when it became the Memorial Institute. In the 1920s
boatbuilder George Rhea purchased it from the church. And sometime prior to
1980 Paul Baker acquired the building.
3.
Original plans and construction: No original plans or drawings have been
located, but it is apparent that little of the building's historic gable-front, two-
story brick form has been altered.
4.
Alterations and additions: Physical evidence suggests that at one time the
building featured a partial, one-story porch across the five bays of the south
facade. There is also evidence of the frame pediment that once existed on the
structure above the second story on the west gable end. Also, at one time steps
of some sort must have led up to the raised west entrance, where none exist
today. A cupola was located near the west end of the block; it, too, is gone.
5.
Builder, contractor: Stone mason John Martin and contractor S.S. Jamison.
B.
Historical Context: The Saltsburg Academy building was erected in 1851 and opened
the following year; it was one of the earliest established educational
246
SALTSBURG ACADEMY
HABS No. PA-5433/Page 2
academies in the region at the time (Arms and White, 384). The building's $3,300
construction cost was financed through the sale of stock at $25 a share. Share
purchasers included William J. Stewart; J.W. Robinson; S.S. Jamison, contractor for the
building; Reverend W.W. Woodend, a Presbyterian minister who served as principal
until 1859; J.S. Robinson; and John M. Marshall, a canal-boat builder and operator of
passenger packet lines out of Saltsburg (Stewart, 225).
The school, sometimes called the Saltsburg Male and Female Academy, opened
in May 1852 with about seventy-five students, an enrollment level that remained stable
through 1881; boys occupied the first floor, girls the second. Tuition was $6 to $10
per five-month semester (Stephenson, 14). While the Presbyterian Church was being
completed in 1874, the Academy was used for religious services (Stewart, 225-26).
After the Presbyterian reunion in 1869, with the assistance of the General
Assembly and support from the $5 million memorial fund, schools became acceptable
property to donate to the church. Thus, in 1870 the building was acquired by the
congregation of the Presbyterian Church, which renamed it the Memorial Institute a
year later. Woodend served as principal. From 1890 until 1912 it functioned as part
of public school system. Carpenter A.E. Ray used it as his shop in 1913. During the
1920s, woodworker and boatbuilder George Rhea owned the building, and his family
occupied the second floor.
Stone mason John Martin (born 1820) emigrated in 1834 with his family from
Ireland, and settled in Allegheny City, Pennsylvania. His career included work on the
Sandy and Beaver Canals, an apprenticeship in the stone-cutting trade with Pagan and
Company of Pittsburgh, and bridge construction. He arrived in Saltsburg in the early
1840s and served for six years as a foreman mason on the Northwestern Pennsylvania
Railroad. In Saltsburg Martin was responsible for several notable buildings including
the Soldier's Monument in Edgewood Cemetery, St. Matthew's Church, and the Western
Pennsylvania Railroad Station, as well as this school. He was treasurer of the
Saltsburg Bridge Company, vice president of the cemetery organization, and a borough
council member. Martin's stone-cutting yard was on Point Street just east of the canal
(Arms and White, 383, 391).
PART II. ARCHITECTURAL INFORMATION
A.
General Statement:
1.
Architectural character: The conservative styling and materials typify nineteenth-
century vernacular academic and semi-public building forms: gable-front
prominence, raised foundation, and multiple entries with modest Federal
detailing.
2.
Condition of fabric: Fair.
B.
Description of Exterior:
1.
Overall dimensions: About 30' X 52' long.
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SALTSBURG ACADEMY
HABS No. PA-5433/Page 3
2.
Foundation: Largely dressed stone; partially banked, high foundation.
3.
Walls: Brick laid in five-course American bond.
4.
Structural system: Load-bearing brick.
5.
Porches: A one-story, hip-roofed porch protects the north entrance, the two
westernmost bays of this facade: foundation unknown, raised wood deck, plain
wood supports.
6.
Chimneys: One brick ridge chimney located toward the west end of the block.
7.
Openings:
a.
Doorways and doors: There are three standard entrances and one large
service doorway. The primary doorway on the west facade is the most
formal: double doors of paneled wood with a surround that includes
six-light sidelights atop recessed frame base panels; above is a four-light
transom with carved dentil coursing.
The secondary doors on the north and south facades are similarly
paneled, double, and wood, but are only topped by a four-light transom.
Large service doors occupy most of east wall in the form of sliding wood
panels.
b.
Windows: Two-over-two-light double-hung wood sash exist in all five
bays of the side facades and three bays of the gable-end facades on the
second story; all feature plain stone sills and prominent, painted lintels.
8.
Roof:
a.
Shape: Gable-front with asphalt shingles.
b.
Cornice, eaves: The boxed wood eaves are prominent only on the gable
ends, where they are wide and raked.
C.
Site: Situated atop a steep hill one block from the center of Saltsburg, the building's
formal front is the west gable-end facing west to High Street; the property is bounded
here and along Point Street by a rubble-stone retaining wall, and is otherwise fairly
isolated.
248
SALTSBURG ACADEMY
HABS No. PA-5433/Page 4
Figure 4.22. West/front (top) and west/north facades.
249
HISTORIC AMERICAN BUILDINGS SURVEY
UNITED PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
(Masonic Hall, White Church)
HABS No. PA-5434
Location:
Southwest corner of High Street and Ash Alley, Saltsburg, Conemaugh
Township, Indiana County, Pennsylvania.
Present Owner: Williamson Club Inc.
Present Use: Masonic Hall.
Significance: This simple, gable-front frame structure served as one of the first permanent
church buildings for local Presbyterian workship, a popular denomination in
Saltsburg.
PART I. HISTORICAL INFORMATION
A.
Physical History:
1.
Date of erection: 1870.
2.
Original and subsequent owners: The following is an incomplete chain of title
to the land on which the structure stands, historically lot No. 60. Reference is
to the Recorder of Deeds Office of the County of Indiana, Pennsylvania.
1850 Deed of Release, February 1, 1850, Volume 16, Page 388.
Andrew Boggs, Elizabeth Drum, Mary Miles
TO
Moses Hart
1857 Deed May 13, 1857, Volume 23, Page 237.
Moses Hart
TO
Elizabeth White
1860 Deed February 11, 1860, Volume 25, Page 632.
Elizabeth White
TO
Daniel Rhea, et al., trustees for the United Presbyterian Church
1984 Deed July 6, 1984, Volume 854, Page 462.
Trustees for the United Presbyterian Church
TO
Williamson Club Inc.
250
UNITED PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
HABS No. PA-5434/Page 2
3.
Original plans and construction: No original plans or drawings have been
located, but it appears the one-story, rectangular mass is largely unchanged.
4.
Alterations and additions: The rear/west-entrance stairway and door were
added at an unknown date; the transom above the main doorway has been
covered with a wood panel.
B.
Historical Context: The United Presbyterian church, initially called the Associate
Presbyterian Church, was one of the earliest congregations with its own building in
Saltsburg. Its first building, a brick structure that dated from 1843, was replaced when
the present builidng was erected in 1870 for $3,000. This coincides with the
transferral of the Saltsburg Academy to the Presbyterian Church and its renaming as
the Memorial Institute; while this church was being built, services were held in the
school (Stewart, 339).
The Associate Presbyterian sect of the Presbyterian church was originally formed
in Scotland as the Seceder Church, which broke from the Church of Scotland in 1743.
In the United States this branch was called the Associate Presbyterian, and it was
especially strong in South Carolina. The group was shortlived, however, and it
eventually merged with the United Presbyterian branch.
Olivor Katz served solely as pastor of this congregation in 1871. Masons were
established in Saltsburg as early as 1868, though they did not acquire this building
until 1984.
PART II. ARCHITECTURAL INFORMATION
A.
General Statement:
1.
Architectural character: The one-story, three-bay by four-bay frame structure is
a simple gable-front block highlighted by simple wood ornamentation found on
the window and door surrounds, and in the stained-glass windows.
2.
Condition of fabric: Excellent.
B.
Description of Exterior:
1.
Overall dimensions: About 30' X 50' (Sanborns).
2.
Foundation: Stone, sharply banked.
3.
Walls: Clapboard with vinyl siding.
4.
Structural system: Wood frame.
5.
Chimneys: An exterior brick chimney is located near the southeast corner.
6.
Openings:
251
UNITED PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
HABS No. PA-5434/Page 3
a.
Doorways and doors: The primary entrance is in the central bay of the
east facade. A modern double wood door is framed by architrave trim
that flares at the top and rises into a pediment form--to the same height
as the flanking windows; the two-part transom above the door contains
recessed panels, although originally it was glazed.
Side doors located on the north and south facades had similar
pediments, though the one above the former door has been removed.
b.
Windows: Window surrounds match that of the High Street doorway,
with pediments and slightly battered "pilasters." The pattern of lights on
the High Street windows is one large pane with several small panes around
its periphery, in a Queen Anne style; the sash are double hung.
The pediment window is octagonal and is framed by abstracted
Classical molding in the shape of a flat-based octagon.
7.
Roof:
a.
Shape, covering: Low-pitch gable-front with asphalt shingles.
b.
Eaves: Slim boxed eaves, slightly extended.
C.
Site: Located on the southwest corner of High Street and Ash Aley, the east-facing
building is banked into the steep grade of the site, which provides an excellent view
down the hill to the Conemaugh River. Across High Street is the former Academy
building.
Figure 4.23. East/front and north facades.
252
HISTORIC AMERICAN BUILDINGS SURVEY
SONS OF ZEBEDEE EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN CHURCH
HABS No. PA-5435
Location:
422 Salt St., Saltsburg, Conemaugh Township, Indiana County, Pennsylvania.
Present Owner: Evangelical Lutheran Church.
Present Use: Church.
Significance: The Sons of Zebedee church represents a modest example of vernacular
Carpenter Gothic styling, including such features as a center steeple with bell
tower, pointed-arch stained-glass windows, and an exposed-beam interior.
PART I. HISTORICAL INFORMATION
A.
Physical History:
1.
Date of erection: 1878 (cited in church history).
2.
Original and subsequent owners: The church was built for and has remained in
the hands of the congregation.
3.
Original plans and construction: No original plans or drawings have been
located; however it appears that the original one-story, gable-front brick form
has been retained despite the radical modification of the steeple.
4.
Alterations and additions: After 1927, a brick, gable-roofed building was
erected on the rear of the lot, perpendicular to the church block; basement
rooms and a corridor link the two structures. The tower exterior has been
altered by the removal of a slender spire and pinnacles, and clapboard siding
has replaced more decorative cladding (old views).
B.
Historical Context: The Lutheran religion, though not common in Saltsburg, was
historically widespread throughout western Pennsylvania. In the 1790s a large influx
of Lutheran families moved west to Westmoreland County (which at that time included
Indiana County) from the eastern counties of Lancaster, Berks, and Franklin (Arms and
White, 223-24). The Evangelical Lutheran sect was founded in 1846 in the United
States by a Norwegian immigrant, Elling Eielsen. This sect diverged from the
mainstream Lutheran church in its belief that a prospective member of the church must
prove his conversion before he could join. As a consequence, the group was slow to
grow, and remains very small today (Encyclopedia of American Religions, 104).
PART II. ARCHITECTURAL INFORMATION
A.
General Statement:
1.
Architectural character: A late-nineteenth-century example of vernacular
253
SONS OF ZEBEDEE EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN CHURCH
HABS No. PA-5435/Page 2
Victorian church design, specifically the textural-but-simple Carpenter Gothic, as
seen its three-bay by five-bay center-steeple plan, pointed-arch windows and
patterned slate roof.
2.
Condition of fabric: Excellent.
B.
Description of Exterior:
1.
Overall dimensions: One-story, about 35' X 55' (Sanborns).
2.
Foundation: Stone.
3.
Walls: Brick laid in five-course common bond with concrete or masonry coping
atop symbolic brick buttresses; frame on upper bell tower.
4.
Structural system: Load-bearing brick.
5.
Chimneys: Two brick slope chimneys on the south side of gable, at the east
and west ends.
6.
Openings:
a.
Doorways and doors: The main entrance on the east facade is through
the tower base, which serves as a vestibule. Double wood doors with
squared and pointed-arch panels echo lancet-window patterns; these and
a similarly paneled "transom" are set deep within a paneled wood
surround that continues up to form a pointed arch, the upper portion of
which features a stone surround.
An off-center rear/west door features a narrow, single, wood-
paneled door topped by a transom, all fit into a pointed-arch framework.
b.
Windows: On the primary block, the north and south facades feature
four bays of tall, pointed-arch windows with stained glass, the bottom
panel of which serves as an awning opening. These feature brick
surrounds, while those on the front facade have stone surrounds.
Similar openings are found flanking the tower on the east facade. Each
window contains stained glass, and was sponsored by church members,
although evidently commissioned as a set. Smaller versions of these
windows are found at the second and third levels of the north and south
elevations of the tower. A quatrefoil-shaped stained-glass window
within a circular stone surround appears above the front door, and
above the altar on the rear/west elevation.
7.
Roof:
a.
Shape: Steeply pitched gable-front with central tower; covered with
254
SONS OF ZEBEDEE EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN CHURCH
HABS No. PA-5435/Page 3
slate shingles in a diamond pattern.
b.
Eaves: Narrow, but slightly deeper-than-average eaves supported by
wooden brackets.
c.
Tower: Brick structure with frame roof section; two steeply pitched
cross gables pierce a pyramidal roof that has been amputated above to
form a polygonal terminus. The sides are clapboard with louvered
openings. (This replaces an earlier tower with pinnacles and finials at
the corners.)
C.
Description of Interior:
1.
Floor plan: The undivided rectangular plan is entered through an exterior
tower vestibule. The west end of the room contains the altar, which is set
upon a slightly raised and central projecting platform, surrounded by a
balustrade. At the east end of the room is a projecting choir loft and perhaps
an organ; this is partially screened from view by a wood balustrade. Ten rows
of pews divided by a central aisle fill the interim area.
2.
Stairways: A wood stairway in the southeast corner connects the first floor
with the choir loft.
3.
Wall and ceiling finish: The walls are plastered white, in contrast to the dark,
wood of the interior gambrel-like space of the roof. The overall surface of the
ceiling is composed of narrow, east-west-running board; five exposed rafters
feature ornately carved bracings at the wall and ceiling joints.
4.
Lighting fixtures: Two rows of glass-shaded light fixtures are suspended from
the ceiling; these do not appear to be original.
D.
Site:
1.
General setting: The Sons of Zebedee Church faces east from a Main Street
site; to the rear/west is the second Saltsburg train station, and to the north and
south are additional residential and commercial structures.
2.
Outbuildings: The building erected behind the church has a raised stone
foundation with brick structure; three bays wide by five bays long; topped by a
slate roof with single, north-gable-end chimney; and pointed-arch windows and
at least one door that echo the design of the church; date, builder, and purpose
unknown.
255
SONS OF ZEBEDEE EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN CHURCH
HABS No. PA-5435/Page 4
Figure 4.24. East and north/front facades (top) and interior view from balcony.
256
HISTORIC AMERICAN BUILDINGS SURVEY
ST. MATTHEW'S CATHOLIC CHURCH
HABS No. PA-5436
Location:
East side of Cathedral Street at Washington Street, just east of the Saltsburg
Borough line, Conemaugh Township, Indiana County, Pennsylvania.
Present Owner: Roman Catholic church, Greensburg diocese.
Present Use: Storage.
Significance: Erected in 1847, the mission church of St. Matthew's is one of the oldest
meeting houses in Saltsburg, and one of two such facilities built under the
auspices of Fr. Wimmer, the founder of St. Vincent Seminary in Latrobe, Pa.,
who became the first arch-abbot in America.
PART I. HISTORICAL INFORMATION
A.
Physical History:
1.
Date of erection: 1847 (according tó church history).
2.
Original and subsequent owners: Roman Catholic church.
3.
Builder, contractor: Saltsburg stone mason John Martin.
4.
Original plans and construction: No plans or drawings were located; however,
the rectangular, gable-front, one-story mass appears largely unaltered.
5.
Alterations and additions: The bell tower has been removed (date unknown).
The doorway on the south facade appears to have been reconstructed, and a
modern door installed.
B.
Historical Context: St. Matthew's is one of the oldest churches in Saltsburg and the
land on which it sits was donated by one of the town's well-known citizens, Mathias
Rombach. He owned a great deal of land just northeast of the town boundary, which
he sold to the Right Reverend Michael O'Connor, Bishop of Pittsburgh, for the token
price of $1. The building was constructed by stone mason John Martin of Saltsburg,
who donated his services to the project for an earlier kindness the church bestowed on
his family: when Martin's father had fallen ill with cholera, some Catholic Sisters of
Charity nursed him back to health.
The bricks used in the building were made from clay taken from the nearby
Chestnut Knoll (located between the church and the present high school) and baked in
a kiln Martin erected on site; the foundation stones came from materials left over from
the construction of the canal tunnel at Tunnelton (Delfavero, "John Martin").
257
ST. MATTHEWS CATHOLIC CHURCH
HABS No. PA-5436/Page 2
Martin (born 1820) emigrated in 1834 with his father from Ireland, and settled
in Allegheny City, Pennsylvania. His career included work on the Sandy and Beaver
Canals, an apprenticeship in the stone-cutting trade with Pagan and Company of
Pittsburgh, and bridge construction. He arrived in Saltsburg in the early 1840s and
served for six years as a foreman mason on the Northwestern Pennsylvania Railroad.
He is buried in the cemetery adjacent to the church.
In Saltsburg Martin was responsible for several notable buildings, including the
Soldier's Monument in Edgewood Cemetery, the Western Pennsylvania Railroad Station,
and the Academy, as well as this church. He was treasurer of the Saltsburg Bridge
Company, vice president of the cemetery organization, and a borough council member.
Martin's stone-cutting yard was on Point Street east of the canal (Arms and White,
383, 391).
PART II. ARCHITECTURAL INFORMATION
A.
General Statement:
1.
Architectural character: Very plain, one-story, gable-front vernacular brick
structure, three bays wide and four bays long, with modest Gothic detailing in
pointed arch frames within rectangular windows.
2.
Condition of fabric: Fair.
B.
Description of Exterior:
1.
Overall dimensions: 35' X 40'.
2.
Foundation: Dressed stone.
3.
Walls: Brick laid in five-course American bond.
4.
Structural system: Load-bearing brick.
5.
Openings:
a.
Doorways and doors: The original door and doorway, centered on the
south/front facade has been altered, and may have featured some sort of
transom (old undated view), and had paneled wood doors.
b.
Windows: The four bays of the east and west sides feature rectangular
triple-hung wood sash with narrow sills; the south/front facade features
two flanking bays of pointed-arch windows set within a larger
rectangular frame. Diamond-shaped lights of stained-glass is extant in
these latter two openings--in a purple, blue, and ochre color scheme.
6.
Roof:
258
ST. MATTHEWS CATHOLIC CHURCH
HABS No. PA-5436/Page 3
a.
Shape: Gable-front with asphalt shingles.
b.
Cornice, eaves: Shallow eaves, plain cornice.
c.
Tower: The bell tower that was located at the south end of the roof has
been removed.
C.
Description of Interior:
1.
Floor plan: The interior is a single, large, unadorned open space, currently used
for storage.
2.
Wall and ceiling finishes: The ceiling is covered with molded tin with a foliated
square pattern.
D.
Site: Located on a flat lot atop a hill overlooking Saltsburg, a cemetery stretches east
from the building; otherwise the site is undeveloped.
Figure 4.25. South/front and west facades.
259
HISTORIC AMERICAN BUILDINGS SURVEY
PENNSYLVANIA RAILROAD STATION
HABS No. PA-5437
Location:
Point Street and the railroad tracks, Saltsburg, Conemaugh Township, Indiana
County, Pennsylvania.
Present Owner: Borough of Saltsburg.
Present Use: Town offices, police station, warehouse.
Significance: This building, constructed between 1856 and 1864, served as the first railway
depot in Saltsburg. Erected by local stone mason John Martin and S.S. Jamison
for the Northwestern Pennsylvania Railroad Company, it served until the 1880s
when the line was acquired by the Pennsylvania Railroad Company and the
tracks relocated.
PART I. HISTORICAL INFORMATION
A.
Physical History:
1.
Date of erection: 1856-64. The 1856 Peelor map of Saltsburg indicates a "R.R.
Depot" of similar proportion at this site, however the sequence of ownership
and identification of parcels is sometimes unclear.
2.
Original and subsequent owners: The following is an incomplete chain of title
to the land on which the structure stands, historically lot No. 58. Reference is
to the Recorder of Deeds Office of the County of Indiana, Pennsylvania.
1856 Deed June 21, 1856, Volume 27, Page 404.
John and Margaret Guthrie
TO
Northwestern Pennsylvania Railroad Company
1860 Purchase by Western Pennsylvania Railroad Company.
1882 Purchase by Pennsylvania Railroad Company.
3.
Builder: John Martin, stone mason; Samuel S. Jamison, contractor.
4.
Alterations and additions: In 1950, a one-story brick gable-front block with
enclosed frame vestibule were appended to the front facade in a telescoping
arrangement. This obscured a three-bay, gable-front facade with central
doorway.
B.
Historical Context: This first railroad depot was built by Saltsburg stone mason John
Martin (born 1820), who was hired to construct the Northwestern Pennsylvania
260
PENNSYLVANIA RAILROAD STATION
HABS No. PA-5437/Page 2
Railroad Company's stations between Blairsville and Avonmore. Martin emigrated in
1834 with his family from Ireland, and settled in Allegheny City, Pennsylvania. His
career included work on the Sandy and Beaver canals, an apprenticeship in the stone-
cutting trade with Pagan and Company of Pittsburgh, and bridge construction. He
arrived in Saltsburg in the early 1840s and served for six years as a foreman mason on
the Northwestern Pennsylvania line. In Saltsburg, Martin was responsible for several
notable buildings, including the Soldier's Monument in Edgewood Cemetery, St.
Matthew's Catholic Church and the Academy, as well as this depot. He was treasurer
of the Saltsburg Bridge Company, vice president of the cemetery organization, and a
borough council member. Martin's stone-cutting yard was on Point Street just east of
the canal (Arms and White, 383, 391).
Martin was contracted to do the work by Samuel Jamison (1797-1877), who
initially moved to Saltsburg to work on construction of the Pennsylvania Canal; he
remained there for the rest of his life. From 1829 until 1847 Jamison served as
supervisor of the western extension of the canal--approximately half the Western
Division route. Also, he was the contractor for numerous building projects in and
around Saltsburg, including the bridge over the Kiskiminetas River. When the railroad
usurped the canal, Jamison was involved in contracting dut its structures, such as the
train station. Jamison achieved considerable political success, no doubt due to his
powerful position, for he was the only Saltsburger elected to the state senate, a post he
held from 1854-56.
Jamison's private fortune fluctuated with that of the railroad. In 1860 the
Northwestern Pennsylvania Railroad sold the line to the Western Pennsylvania Railroad,
which subsequently went bankrupt. Jamison's finances were tied up in the company,
and in 1859 he was forced to sell his farmhouse to pay off debts resulting from this
venture. In 1882 the Western Pennsylvania Railroad was acquired by the Pennsylvania
Railroad Company, the tracks relocated from below High Street to the old canal right
of way--and a new depot was built in 1884 on Washington Street (Stewart, 504).
The old Northwestern Pennsylvania Railroad station has served as a town hall
(at least 1886-1927) for cultural and athletic events, and as a bowling alley (1950-78)
since retirement as a depot; a 1978 fire caused some damage to the structure, and
additions to the front facade have further altered its appearance. The building currently
houses the police department and the borough council.
PART II. ARCHITECTURAL INFORMATION
A.
General Statement:
1.
Architectural character: This building embodies the basic railroad-station form:
simple rectangular plan, one-story, low-pitch gable roof with exaggerated eaves
supported by large wood brackets, logically situated lengthwise adjacent to the
train tracks.
2.
Condition of fabric: Fair.
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PENNSYLVANIA RAILROAD STATION
HABS No. PA-5437/Page 3
B.
Description of Exterior:
1.
Overall dimensions: 88'-6" X 28'-6" prior to modern additions.
2.
Foundation: Stone and perhaps some brick.
3.
Walls: Brick laid in four- and five-course American bond; the addition is
running bond and frame.
4.
Structural system: Load-bearing masonry, frame.
5.
Chimneys: Two brick chimneys with chimney pots.
6.
Openings:
a.
Doorways and doors: The historic north facade has been eradicated by
a modern addition that features a single, central door; the original
contained a central double door with five-light transom. The east facade
--that facing the tracks--features a boarded-up service door topped by a
stone lintel. The west facade features a single door with three-light
transom, and a Classically molded lintel. The one-bay south facade
contains a single, broad service door with a brick, segmental-arched
surround.
b.
Windows and shutters: The fenestration pattern is irregular, and the
use of the various openings is unclear. The north facade historically
featured a window on each side of a central doorway. This has been
replaced by a fixed, multi-light glass-block window. The east elevation
contains a trio of six-over-six-light, double-hung wood sash at the north
end of the building; at the south end is a single, arched opening covered
by paneled wood shutters. The west elevation is very irregular, with an
arrangement of the same six-over-six-light sash and two arched opening
with brick surrounds.
7.
Roof:
a.
Shape, covering: Low-pitch gable with asphalt shingles.
b.
Eaves: Wide, 5' eaves supported by oversized wood brackets.
C.
Description of Interior: The interior of the historic station is currently a single room,
used for storage. The modern front addition is also a single room occupied by the
police department.
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PENNSYLVANIA RAILROAD STATION
HABS No. PA-5437/Page 4
D.
Site: This former railroad station stands relatively isolated, facing north on a long, flat
site, at the point where the grade ascends steeply up to High Street. The building is
bounded on the east by the route of the former railroad tracks, and on the west and
north across Point Street by fully developed town blocks.
Figure 4.26. Northeast/front facade.
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1 U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE: 1989- 249 - 151 / 00757