1 Preserving Pennsylvania , Volume 16, Number 3

The Newsletter of Preservation Pennsylvania, Inc.

PreservingPennsylvania

Volume 16

Number 3

Summer 2003

Pennsylvania At Risk 2003The Annual Listing of the Commonwealth’s Most Endangered Historic Properties

• Bethlehem Steel, Bethlehem, Northampton County

• Big Run Elementary School, Big Run Borough, JeffersonCounty

• Historic Districts of Philadelphia

• Chalfont Historic District,Chalfont Borough, Bucks County

• Keystone Corridor RailroadStations:

Coatesville Station, Chester County Elizabethtown Station, Lancaster

County Harrisburg Trainsheds, Dauphin

County

• B’Nai Israel Synagogue,Pittsburgh, Allegheny County

• Eagles Building, Altoona, Blair County

• Byrd Liebhart Site (36YO0170),Lower Windsor Township, YorkCounty

Bethlehem Steel Plant, Bethlehem, Northampton County

Significance

Is there a site that represents the indus-trial history of America better than thehome plant of the former Bethlehem SteelCorporation? What might be more diffi-cult to comprehend is that the BethlehemSteel name no longer exists in Americanindustry. What is impossible to imagineis that within a few short months theremight not be a single blast furnace, ma-chine shop, foundry or crucible buildingleft to represent one of the greatest indus-trial legacies in the world.

The Bethlehem plant provided an iden-tity to a city and to generations of peoplewho worked there. Some of the most sig-nificant technological innovations in thefully integrated Bessemer steel process, inheavy steel forging and the production ofcontinuously wide flange structural beamsand columns were developed at the Beth-lehem facility. The Bethlehem plantmanufactured America’s first modern

battle fleet for the U.S. Navy in 1885 andremained the largest shipbuilder and mili-tary supplier in the nation throughout the20th century. The number of landmarkbuildings and structures using BethlehemSteel stretch from coast to coast and in-clude the White House, the Empire StateBuilding, the Golden Gate Bridge and the

Lincoln and Holland Tunnels.

ThreatOn May 7, 2003 Bethlehem Steel Cor-

poration completed the sale of substantiallyall of its assets to International Steel Group(ISG) for $1.5 billion. Prior to ISG acqui-sition, the site was to be transformed intoa cultural, commercial, retail and recre-ational destination with many of the build-ings and machinery preserved by the Na-tional Museum of Industrial History, an af-filiate of the Smithsonian Institution. Butwith the ISG sale, all of the development

The vision ofthe BethlehemSteel plant as amuseum of ournation’sindustrialheritage is injeopardy withthe recent saleof thecorporation.

plans are on hold. ISG intends on sellingthe 150-acre site to Delaware Valley RealEstate Investment Fund, a Philadelphia-based venture capital fund that specializesin local economic development but has nointerest in retaining any of the industrialheritage of the Bethlehem Plant and in-tends to clear the site.

2Preserving Pennsylvania , Volume 16, Number 3

James Adovasio, Ph.D. ErieCarl J. Anderson III ErieThomas W. Armstrong PittsburghEugene M. Barr HarrisburgFreddie Bittenbender SchickshinnyCaroline E. Boyce HarrisburgJean Cutler HarrisburgPaul J. Gitnik, Esq. ErieAnn N. Greene PhiladelphiaGary A. Hack, Ph.D. PhiladelphiaJames N. Kise, AIA, AICP PhiladelphiaJanet S. Klein RydalAnn M. Liacouras, Esq. GladwyneRobert A. MacDonnell, Esq. West ChesterGail C. Momjian Plymouth MeetingLawrence Newman Wilkes-BarreRobert Pfaffmann, AIA PittsburghThomas M. Schmidt PittsburghDavid Schuyler, Ph.D. LancasterWayne Spilove PhiladelphiaLynda S. Waggoner Mill RunArthur P. Ziegler, Jr. PittsburghPhilip D. Zimmerman, Ph.D. Lancaster

PRESERVATIONPENNSYLVANIABoard of DirectorsMargaret B. Wallis AmblerPresident

Robert A. Kinsley II YorkSecretaryA. Roy Smith West ChesterTreasurer

Louis J. Appell, Jr. YorkDavid J. Brightbill LebanonCynthia Phelps Giles SewickleyCarole F. Haas Gravagno AmblerThomas B. Hagen ErieHenry A. Jordan, M.D. Chester SpringsAlvin B. Lewis, Jr., Esq. LancasterDenise Illig Robison Erie

Board of Advisors

Susan Shearer........Executive DirectorCarol Bostian......Executive Assistant

Staff

Preserving Pennsylvania is a quarterly publication ofPreservation Pennsylvania, Inc., 257 North Street, Harrisburg,PA 17101 phone 717-234-2310; fax 717-234-2522;PPA@preservationpa.org; www.preservationpa.org

This publication has been financed in part with funds from thePennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission. However,the contents and opinions do not necessarily reflect the views orpolicies of the Historical and Museum Commission, nor doesthe mention of trade names or commercial products constitutean endorsement or recommendation by them. Additional supportis provided by membership dues and contributions. Portions ofthe newsletter that are not copyrighted or reprinted from othersources may be reprinted provided proper credit is given. ISSN0888-7306

Mary Werner DeNadai, AIA Chadds FordVice-President

PreservationPennsylvania,

through creative partnerships,targeted educational and

advocacy programs, advisoryassistance, and special projects,

assists Pennsylvaniacommunities to protect andutilize the historic resourcesthey want to preserve for the

future.

David L. Taylor BrookvilleImmediate Past President

Big Run Elementary SchoolBig Run Borough, Jefferson County

SignificanceThe National Register eligible Big Run

Public School served the Big Run com-munity as a high school, junior high andelementary school from its construction in1908 until its closure in May 2003. De-signed by the Pittsburgh architectural firmof Robinson and Winkler, the school is ahandsome 2-story red brick building set ona raised granite basement. The building issymmetrically arranged in 3 bays with arecessed central arched entrance and pro-jecting side bays. A hexagonal bell tower,with original and functioning school bell,sits atop the large hipped roof of the mainbuilding. For almost 100 years, the schoolhas provided the Big Run community witha neighborhood school and local landmarkwhere children could attend school withinwalking distance of their home.

ThreatOver the past two years, the

Punxsutawney Area School District hasattempted to close the Big Run PublicSchool in an effort to consolidate the

district’s elementary schools and bus stu-dents to a single location. The district citesthe building’s age, it’s poor physical con-dition and excessive rehabilitation costs asthe determining factors. The majority ofthese problems stem from inadequate fund-ing and deferred maintenance. A locallyformed Save Our Schools Committee, withthe assistance of Preservation Pennsylva-nia and the National Trust, has presentedalternatives, such as renovations to theneglected building that would be reimburs-able by the Pennsylvania Department ofEducation, or forming a charter school tokeep their children in a community-basededucational environment.

The loss of neighborhood schools is arecurring issue in Pennsylvania and nation-ally. Preservation Pennsylvania devotedthe entire 1998 Pennsylvania At Risk to thisissue and the National Trust has publishedHistoric Schools: A Roadmap for SavingYour School and Why Johnny Can’t Walkto School.

Contributors to this Issue

Scott Doyle, Pennsylvania

Historical & Museum Commission

Linda Dean, Chalfont

Stephen Donches, Bethlehem

Dan Holland, Pittsburgh

Amy W. Johnson, Reading

Antonia Mitman, Easton

Michelle Muth, Big RunJane Sheffield, Altoona

MISSION

The 1908 Big RunSchool has educatedgenerations ofstudents in thisrural northwesternPennsylvaniacommunity.Consolidation andclosure, proposedby the schooldistrict for thisneighborhoodschool, is opposedby local residents.

3 Preserving Pennsylvania , Volume 16, Number 3

Historic Districts of PhiladelphiaSignificance

The Preservation Alliance forGreater Philadelphia and the PhiladelphiaChapter of the American Institute of Ar-chitects recently recognized three residen-tial blocks (1500-1524 N. 17th Street, WillisHale, architect; 1601-1641 DiamondStreet, Furness, Evans & Co., architects:and 1907-1951 N. 32nd Street, Angus S.Wade architect) with the 2003 AIA Phila-delphia Landmark Building Award. Theseunified residential blocks are the heart ofthree of Philadelphia’s most distressed his-toric districts: Strawberry Mansion His-toric District, Diamond Street HistoricDistrict and the Lower North PhiladelphiaSpeculative Housing Historic District.These neighborhoods are a product of late19th century industrial Philadelphia whenspeculative residential construction formiddle class neighborhoods producedelaborate rows of Victorian design from

the leading architects of the period.

Threat

The three historic districts listedabove are at the center of the ambitiousPhiladelphia Neighborhood Transforma-

Chalfont Historic District, Chalfont Borough, Bucks County

SignificanceLocated at the intersection of two his-

toric roadways, Chalfont Historic Districtserved as an agricultural community untilthe introduction of the railroad in 1856.The quiet crossroads community quicklybecame a small commercial and industrialcenter and still maintains the charm of alate Victorian era market town. Charac-terized by a variety of building types andstyles, the core of the borough consists ofearly nineteenth century Georgian stonetaverns and inns, a number of churches and

municipal buildings with a mixture of Vic-torian and Craftsmen style residential build-ings. A number of gristmills and sawmillsare located along the banks of two majorstreams, and the railroad station and freightdepot add to the character of the district.The district is designated underPennsylvania’s Historic District Act.

ThreatA national pharmacy chain is proposing

to build a drugstore with a drive-thru win-dow in the heart of the historic district, re-

tion Initiative (NTI), a city programauthorizing the issuance of $300 millionin bonds over the next five years toeliminate vacant and dangerous buildings(blighted neighborhoods), providesupport for neighborhood preservationinitiatives and assemble vacant land fornew market rate housing developmentsfor homeownership. The immediateconcern for the preservation communityis the possible demolition of entirehistoric districts, dredging up memoriesof misguided urban renewal projects from

the 1960’s. There is hope that the NTIprogram can properly identify trulyblighted neighborhoods, set asideimportant historic neighborhoods forpreservation, and integrate new contextsensitive design into the historic fabricof Philadelphia and its neighborhoods.The Preservation Alliance, PreservationPennsylvania, and the National Trusthave engaged in dialogue with city staffon allocating NTI resources to thepreservation and rehabilitation ofhistoric neighborhoods.

The 1500 block of North17th Street in the LowerNorth PhiladelphiaSpeculative HousingHistoric District offersan example of thedistinctive architecturalquality that could be lostto sweeping demolition ofneighborhoods throughthe NeighborhoodTransformation Initiative.

sulting in the demolition of four buildings,three of which are historic. Though thedemolition of prominent buildings in thecore of a historic district by national phar-macy chains is a well-documented prac-tice, this particular pharmacy chain en-tered into a Corporate Good NeighborInitiative with the National Trust for His-toric Preservation to avoid the demolitionof historic buildings and prevent this ex-act scenario.

Unfortunately, this is not the first timethis year that a drugstore chain has threat-ened buildings in a Pennsylvania historicdistrict. Four buildings in the WellsboroHistoric District (Tioga County) weredemolished to make way for a new drug-store and a historic building in theBloomsburg Historic District (ColumbiaCounty) was recently spared when com-munity activists, Preservation Pennsylva-nia, the Bureau for Historic Preservationand the National Trust reminded the drug-store of their ‘commitment’ to preserva-tion. Now the Chalfont community isgearing up for a similar fight to save the

fabric of their historic district.

These lateVictorian erahouses, locatedwithin a locallydesignatedhistoric district,would bedemolished ifplans for a newsuburban-styledrug store winapproval fromChalfontBorough.

4Preserving Pennsylvania , Volume 16, Number 3

Coatesville’sstation, builtin 1865, is theoldestremainingstation alongthe KeystoneCorridor.The buildinghas thepotential tobecome thefocus ofrevitalizationefforts in thecommunity.

Keystone Corridor Railroad Stations

Coatesville Station,Chester County

SignificanceThe Coatesville train station, adjacent

to the Coatesville Historic District, is theoldest extant station along the Pennsylva-nia Railroad’s Main Line from Philadel-phia to Harrisburg. The station’s platformcontinues to serve Amtrak’s Keystone Cor-ridor with an annual ridership of almost5,000. The two-story Italianate station wasconstructed in 1865 and continues to dis-play period 2/2 windows with decorativeflat and segmental hoods and arcaded pas-sageways. The train station served as anessential component to the architecturaland industrial history of this important ironand steel producing center.

ThreatThe primary threat to the station is its

20-year abandonment and continued un-der-utilization in the community ofCoatesville. The building is in good over-all condition but is suffering from neglectand vandalism. The City of Coatesville,which leases the station from Amtrak, re-cently received a Knight Fellowship Pro-gram in Community Building to fund adesign charette. The charette will utilizeSmart Growth and New Urbanism prin-ciples with an aim towards revitalizing theCoatesville community and identifying thecentral role an active and rehabilitatedCoatesville train station will play in thatrevitalization. The goal is to restore thestation as the gateway to the historic, com-mercial and professional center ofCoatesville.

Elizabethtown Station,Lancaster County

SignificanceOriginally constructed in 1915 as the

railroad station on the campus of the Ma-sonic Home of Grand Lodge of Free andAccepted Masons of Pennsylvania, therailroad station served both the MasonicHome and the Elizabethtown communityalong the Main Line of the PennsylvaniaRailroad. The nationally renowned Phila-delphia architectural firm of Zantzinger,Borie & Medary designed the station in acollegiate style of rough-faced ashlar lime-stone with fine limestone trim and gradu-ated slate roofs, creating a visual and ar-chitectural relationship to the MasonicHome campus. Amtrak abandoned thestation, situated below track level and con-nected to the trackside platform by a dis-tinctive stair tower, almost 25 years ago.

ThreatAlthough the Elizabethtown platform

provides service for 38,000 riders eachyear along the Keystone Corridor, the sta-tion has sat vacant and suffered from van-dalism over the past 25 years. The bor-ough has received $1.1 million in TEA-21 grant commitments, $200,000 in Lan-caster County grants, $15,000 from theGreat American Station Foundation and a$400,000 commitment from the boroughitself to fund the rehabilitation of the sta-tion. The final piece of funding for theproject, pledged by Amtrak, was recentlywithdrawn and local officials were in-formed that Amtrak would be unable toundertake the required review and approv-als necessary for the project to proceed.Rehabilitation of the station for commer-cial use, renovations to the platform, a busstop, taxi stand and bicycle access to thesite and high-speed shuttle service to Har-risburg International airport – all part ofthe plan for rehabilitation of the station –are currently on hold.

Harrisburg Trainsheds,Dauphin County

SignificanceThe Harrisburg Central Railroad Sta-

tion and Trainsheds represents the periodwhen Harrisburg served as a major trans-portation hub for the Pennsylvania Rail-road. The rail complex now serves as astop on Amtrak’s Keystone line which runsbetween Philadelphia and Pittsburgh. The1885 passenger station is a good exampleof late nineteenth century railroad passen-

Elizabethtown Borough’s commitment to rehabilitating their 1915 station has been delayed byfunding and staffing cutbacks at Amtrak.

5 Preserving Pennsylvania , Volume 16, Number 3

The Harrisburg Trainsheds arerecognized by the National ParkService as one of Pennsylvania’sNational Historic Landmarksbecause of their distinctive Finktruss system.

B’Nai Israel Synagogue, Pittsburgh, Allegheny County

SignificanceLocated in the East Liberty neighbor-

hood of Pittsburgh, the National Registereligible B’Nai Israel Synagogue is a Byz-antine-inspired circular stone buildingcapped by a low copper dome on an oc-tagonal drum. The design is further high-lighted by a blind arcade that runs the pe-rimeter of the cornice and an arched entryporch reminiscent of Brunelleschi’s PazziChapel in Florence, Italy. The building wasdesigned in 1923 for the growing Jewishpopulation in East Liberty by renownedarchitect Henry Hornbostel, architect ofnumerous landmarks throughout Pitts-burgh and founder of Carnegie Mellon’sSchool of Architecture. B’Nai Israel Syna-gogue is an outstanding element along thepredominantly residential North NegleyAvenue streetscape.

ThreatCurrently owned by the Urban League

of Pittsburgh, the building was most re-cently used as the Urban League CharterSchool but now stands vacant awaiting anappropriate use. The interior of the build-ing, highlighted by a wooden truss andtransverse arch system spanning the 120

ger station construction but the twotrainsheds are what make the resource aNational Historic Landmark. The shedsare nationally significant for their use of

the Fink truss system. Patented in 1854by Albert Fink, the Fink Truss is remark-able for its capacity to span long distancesutilizing a light-weight structural system.

ThreatThe structural system in the Harrisburg

sheds is supported by sway bracing that pro-vides a rigid connection between individualcomponents of the truss system. The swaybracing, which is primarily wood, is rap-idly deteriorating. Two spans have col-lapsed and fallen onto public walkways andwaiting areas, endangering public safety aswell as the stability of the sheds. Follow-ing emergency stabilization, other portionsof the roof structure, truss panels, roof swaybracing and downspouts were found to bein need of critical repair or total restoration.Despite receiving Pennsylvania Historicaland Museum Commission Keystone Grantfunding and the availability of Transporta-tion Enhancement funding, repairs to thetrainsheds have been delayed allowing forfurther deterioration to this National His-toric Landmark.

foot rotunda, original dark painted ceilingornament with gold highlights and stainedglass windows, is being damaged by wa-ter infiltration from the roof. Other areasof deferred maintenance include limitedstone and terra cotta damage on the exte-rior. The synagogue was recently high-lighted in the Young Preservationists As-sociation of Pittsburgh’s “Top Ten BestPreservation Opportunities in the Pitts-

burgh Area” for possible re-use as a com-munity-based center for events and per-formances. The future of the synagogueand other Pittsburgh religious buildingsmay also be jeopardized by a recently ap-proved amendment to the Pittsburgh His-toric Preservation ordinance, which ex-empts historic religious properties fromhistoric designation, unless nominated by

the owner.

The massivestone rotunda ofB’Nai IsraelSynagogue is adominant featurein the Garfield-East LibertyNeighborhood ofPittsburgh.Unused at thistime, the buildingsuffers fromongoing waterdamage that mayresult in loss ofsignificantarchitecturalelements.

6Preserving Pennsylvania , Volume 16, Number 3

Eagles Building, Altoona, Blair County

SignificanceUnlike the Masons or the Elks, who also

built substantial buildings in the commer-cial center of Altoona, the Eagles were apredominantly working-class organizationand the Eagles Building stands as a pow-erful tribute to the thousands of workingpeople who financed its construction.Their lodge, designed by architect D.George Puderbaugh of Altoona in 1912-3,is a stark but elegantly arranged brown-stone building in the Neoclassical Revivalstyle and is embellished, appropriatelyenough, with pairs of giant, carved eagles.The building was designed to house theEagles’ club activities on all four floors ofthe opulently appointed interior, whichdisplays a lavish use of ornamental plas-terwork and bright painted decoration onthe walls and ceiling. The building is asignificant resource to the National Reg-ister-listed Downtown Altoona HistoricDistrict.

The Eagles Building , as it appeared c. 1912,has the potential to contribute, once again,

to downtown Altoona.

Byrd Liebhart Site (36YO0170), Lower Windsor Township, York County

SignificanceSituated on a hilltop overlooking Long

Level and the Susquehanna River, lay theundisturbed remains of Susquehannocktribal members among at least four cem-eteries and the preserved features of theirvillage that was abandoned in approxi-mately 1680 A.D. The Byrd Leibhart site(36YO0170) represents the final knownvillage site of the Susquehannocks, a groupthat occupied the Susquehanna River Val-ley for almost 200 years before they dis-appeared due to warfare with the Iroquois,

ThreatThough still owned and operated by the

Fraternal Order of Eagles Aerie No. 26,the rapidly deteriorating structural condi-tion of the building and continued deferredmaintenance are quickly leading to pro-posed demolition under the currentAltoona City Code Enforcement. The cur-rent extent of damage is unknown due tothe lack of access to the building but a 1989HABS/HAER Altoona Intown Neighbor-hood survey for the America’s IndustrialHeritage Project documented that the in-terior of the building was already suffer-ing substantial water damage on all fourfloors. The Allegheny Ridge Corporationand concerned local citizen Joel Koss aretrying to convince the current landownerand city officials to transfer ownership ofthe property, make urgent emergency re-pairs to fend off immediate demolition andprepare a preservation plan to identifyfunding sources and rehabilitation needs.

conflict with the English, and the suscep-tibility to European diseases. Throughminimal archaeological investigation at thesite, it was determined that the palisadedvillage had an estimated population of 900people and portions of at least twolonghouses were discernable in the initialexcavation. The National Register eligiblesite is of key importance to an understand-ing of the history and demise of theSusquehannocks, one of Pennsylvania’smost prominent Native American groups.

ThreatProposed plans for a residential devel-

opment of 603 units on 334 acres of thehistoric Lauxmont Farms complex, onwhich the Byrd Leibhart site is located, hascaused an uproar among developers, stateofficials and legislators, township planningcommissioners and supervisors, local citi-zens, environmental groups and tribal lead-ers. Led by the Susquehanna River HillsTask Force, the Society for PennsylvaniaArchaeology and the tribal groups, at-tempts are being made to halt the devel-opment project by focusing on the adverseimpacts the development will have on ar-chaeological resources, the ecology andwetlands, infrastructure such as roads,sewer systems and other public services,controlled growth and agricultural conser-vation and the overcrowding of schools.Though the developer promises to avoidany archaeologically sensitive areas, thisis virtually impossible when the exact lo-cations of the cemeteries and other village

features are unknown.

The site of a Susquehannock village andcemeteries lies along the Susquehanna Riverin York County. A large residentialdevelopment is proposed for the area.

7 Preserving Pennsylvania , Volume 16, Number 3

Pennsylvania At Risk is published annually by Preservation Pennsylvania. The list is a representative sampling of the varietyand richness of our commonwealth’s historic properties and the types and severity of threats they face.

The listing is compiled from nominations and suggestions made by our members, local heritage organizations, the board and staffof Preservation Pennsylvania, and the Bureau for Historic Preservation, Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission.

In addition to the annual listing, Preservation Pennsylvania will occasionally add to the endangered list at other times during theyear in response to timely threats to significant historic properties.

In evaluating properties for inclusion on the list, Preservation Pennsylvania looks for the following:• the property is listed or determined eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places, or• the property is considered a contributing structure in a National Register Historic District, or• the property is designated historic by local government, and• the property is faced with imminent, recognized endangerment either from overt action, neglect, incompatible use, or loss of

context.Preservation Pennsylvania welcomes your comments on this year’s list, your updates on the status of past entries, and your

suggestions for future listings.

Pennsylvania At Risk 1992-2002

The following properties have been included in past listings of Pennsylvania At Risk. Those with * have had a positive preservation outcome; thosewith ** have been lost. The other properties remain at risk.

Adams CountyCamp Letterman, Gettysburg (1997)Cyclorama Building, Gettysburg (1999)

Allegheny CountyAfrican American Sites (2002)Allegheny River Boulevard (1995)Armstrong Cork Company Complex,

Pittsburgh (1994)Carrie Furnaces, Swissvale (1992)Church of St. Michael the Archangel, Pitts-

burgh (1993)“Fifth and Forbes” downtown area, Pittsburgh

(1999)Homestead Historic District (2001)Howe-Childs Gateway House, Pittsburgh

(1996)Pittsburgh Civic Arena (2002)Saint Nicholas Croatian Roman Catholic

Church, Pittsburgh (2002)Scanlon Observatory, Pittsburgh* (1997)Sterrett, McCleary, and Letsche Schools, Pitts-

burgh (1998)

Beaver CountyLegionville Campground, Harmony Township

(1992)

Bedford CountyBedford Springs Hotel, Bedford (1992)Koontz Koffee Pot, Bedford (2001)S.S. Grand View Point Hotel, Schellsburg**

(1993)

Berks CountyAstor Theater, Reading** (1992)Franklin Street Railroad Station, Reading

(1999)Oley Township Historic District (1995)Penn Square, Callowhill Historic District,

Reading (1995)

Blair CountyFirst National Bank of Tyrone, Tyrone (2000)Leap the Dips, Lakemont Park, Altoona*

(1995)Roosevelt School, Claysburg (1998)

Bucks CountyDelaware Canal, Bucks & Northampton Coun-

ties (1993)Levittown Public Recreation Association

Building, Tullytown (2002)Moland House, Warwick Township, Bucks

County* (1995)Twin Silo Road Historic District, Plumstead

Township (2001)Wycombe Bridge* (1999)

Butler CountyElliott Mine Archeological Complex, Butler &

Lawrence Counties (1999)

Cambria CountyCambria Ironworks, Johnstown (1997)Glosser Brothers Department Store, Johnstown* (1994)

Centre CountyBellefonte Academy Building, Bellefonte

(2002)

Chester CountyBrandywine Battlefield, Chester & Delaware

Counties (1994)Downingtown Junior High School,

Downingtown (1998)Phoenix Iron & Steel Company Foundry Build-

ing, Phoenixville* (1996)Roger Hunt Mill & Miller’s House,

Downingtown (1997)Saalbach Barn, West Caln Township** (2000)Valley Forge National Historic Park, Chester

& Montgomery Counties (2002)West Chester Downtown Historic District*

(2001)

Clarion CountyClarion County Jail, Clarion (2000)

Clearfield CountySt. Severin Church, Drifting(1993)

Clinton CountyMemorial Park, Lock Haven (1993)

Crawford CountyMeadville High School, Meadville (1998)

Cumberland CountyJohn McCullough House, West Pennsboro

Township (1995)Walnut Street Bridge, Dauphin & Cumberland

Counties (1996)

Dauphin CountyAuto & Aeroplane Mechanical School, Har-

risburg** (1996)Baker House, Harrisburg (2000)Capital Area Greenbelt, Harrisburg (1997)Harrisburg Historic District (1999)Hershey Consolidated School, Derry Township

(1998)Star Barn, Lower Swatara Township* (1992)Walnut Street Bridge, Dauphin & Cumberland

Counties (1996)

Delaware CountyBrandywine Battlefield, Chester & Delaware

Counties (1994)Deshong Estate, Chester (1992)Lazaretto, Tinicum Township (2001)Ridley High School, Ridley Township**

(1998)

Erie CountyDickson Tavern, Erie (2001Erie City and County Library* (1993)George Carroll House, Erie* (1995)Jackson Koehler Eagle Brewery, Erie (1997)Motor Vessel/Steamship Niagara, Erie**

(1994)continued on page 8

8Preserving Pennsylvania , Volume 16, Number 3

Erie County (continued)Native American Ossuary, North East* (1992)

Fayette CountyLock and Dam 7, Monongahela River, Greene

& Fayette Counties (1995)Meason House, Dunbar Township (1992)New Geneva (1993)Searights Tollhouse (1993)

Franklin CountyChambersburg Historic District, Chambersburg

(2000)Path Valley Pennsylvania Turnpike Rest

Stop** (1993)

Greene CountyGlassworks and Greensboro (1993)Lock and Dam 7, Monongahela River, Greene

& Fayette Counties (1995)Thomas Kent, Jr. Farm (1999)

Huntingdon CountyEast Broadtop Railroad, Rockhill Furnace

(1992)

Lackawanna CountyLackawanna Avenue Historic District,

Scranton ** (1992)Morss Mansion, Simpson** (1996)

Lancaster CountyEnola Low Grade Railroad Line (1996)Highway Routes 23 & 30 expansion projects

(1992)Keller’s Covered Bridge, Ephrata Township

(1994)Lancaster County (entire county) (1994)Mountain Springs Hotel, Ephrata (1993)Thaddeus Stevens & Lydia Hamilton Smith

Houses, Lancaster City (2001)

Lawrence CountyElliott Mine Archeological Complex, Butler &

Lawrence Counties (1999)Knox Building (Cascade Theater), New Castle

(1996)North Hill Historic District & New Castle High

School, New Castle** (2000)

Lebanon CountyBomberger’s Distillery, Heidelberg Township

(1994)Colonial Theater, Lebanon** (1993)

Lehigh CountyAllentown National Bank, Allentown (1995)Vera Cruz Jasper Quarry, Upper Milford Town-

ship (1994)

Luzerne CountyHazleton High School, Hazleton (1998)Hotel Sterling, Wilkes-Barre (2001)Huber Breaker, Ashley (1994)Markle Banking & Trust Company, Hazleton

(1997)Plymouth Flats Archeological Site, Plymouth

Township (1995)Stegmaier Brewery, Wilkes-Barre*(1992)

Lycoming CountyBroad Street School, Jersey Shore (1998)Park Home, Williamsport* (1992)

McKean CountyKinzua Viaduct, Mt. Jewett Township (2002)

Monroe CountyBuck Hill Inn, Barrett Township (2001)

Montgomery CountyCold Point Village Historic District, Plymouth

& Whitemarsh Townships (2000)King of Prussia Inn* (1993)Lynnewood Hall, Cheltenham Township

(1992)Selma, Norristown (1992)Valley Forge National Historic Park, Chester

& Montgomery Counties (2002)

Montour CountyDanville West Market Street Historic District

(1992)

Northampton CountyBangor Swimming Pool, Bangor** (1996)Brith Shalom Synagogue, Easton** (1992)Delaware Canal, Bucks & Northampton Coun-

ties (1993)

Northumberland CountyVictoria Theatre, Shamokin** (1999)

Philadelphia CountyBoyd Theater (2002)Church Street Station, Market-Frankford El-

evated (1997)Dream Garden Mosaic* (1999)Eastern State Penitentiary (1992)Knowlton* (1993)Logan House (1997)Naval Hospital** (1996)PSFS Building* (1994)Richmond Power Station (2002)Siegmund Lubin Studio** (1995)United States Naval Home (1992)Victory Building (1993)

Pike CountyPond Eddy Bridge, Shohola Township (2002)

Schuylkill CountyJ. W. Cooper High School, Shenandoah

Somerset CountyPalace Hotel, Windber** (1993)

Venango CountyCoal Oil Johnny House* (1997)

Wayne CountyFarview State Hospital Agricultural Complex,

Waymart (2000)

York CountyBorg Warner Complex, York* (1993)Camp Security, Springettsbury Township

(2000)Shoe House, Hellam, York County* (1994)

2002-2003 Contributors toPreservation Pennsylvania

President’s Circle

(Donors at $2,500 and above)

Carole Haas GravagnoJohn & Chara Haas

Henry A. Jordan, M.D.A. Ross Myers

A. Roy & Pamela Smith

Keystone Society

(Donors at $1,000 and above)Barbara Appell

Mr. & Mrs. Louis J. Appell, Jr.Freddie Bittenbender

Caroline E. BoyceMr. & Mrs. Donald L. Felley

Ann and Davis GreeneJohn Otto and Janet Haas

Janet S. KleinHon. M. Hannah Leavitt

Ann LiacourasEleanor MorrisCaroline Nunan

Margaret B. WallisArthur P. Ziegler, Jr.

Government, Corporate,

Organizational & Foundation

Support($1,000 and above)

Buchanan Ingersoll, P.C.Center for Rural PennsylvaniaForrest C. Lattner FoundationJohn Milner Architects, Inc.

National Park ServicePennsylvania Department of

Conservation & Natural ResourcesPennsylvania Department of

TransportationPennsylvania Historical & Museum

CommissionSusquehanna Pfaltzgraff Company

The Pew Charitable TrustsWestsylvania Heritage Corporation

2003 Awards Program Sponsors

Preservation Initiative AwardsKinsley Family Foundation

Preservation Construction Awards

Susquehanna Pfaltzgraff Company

Patron Event SponsorsMr. & Mrs. Louis J. Appell, Jr.

Contributing SponsorsJanet S. KleinM & T Bank

A. Roy & Pamela P. Smith

9 Preserving Pennsylvania , Volume 16, Number 3

YES, I WANT TO SUPPORT A STATEWIDE VOICE FOR PENNSYLVANIA'S HERITAGE

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Please make check payable to:Preservation Pennsylvania257 North Street, Harrisburg, PA 17101

MEMBERSHIP CATEGORIES Preservation CirclePresident’s Circle $2,500Keystone Society $1,000Preservation Patron $500Heritage Sponsor $250Heritage Partner $150

Basic MembershipBusiness/Professional $100Nonprofit/Municipality $60Household/Family $50Individual $35

Also enclosed is my additional contribution of $ ________ tofurther the work of Preservation Pennsylvania. I would like todesignate this contribution for _________________________.

Please call me to discuss including PreservationPennsylvania as a beneficiary under my will.

Preservation Pennsylvania is officially licensed as a charitable organization in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Acopy of the official registration and financial information may be obtained from the Pennsylvania Department of State bycalling toll free, within Pennsylvania 1-800-732-0999. Registration does not imply endorsement. Questions aboutPreservation Pennsylvania should be addressed to 717-234-2310. All membership contributions are tax deductible to thefullest extent of the law.

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Pennsylvania At Risk 1992-2002: Updates on Previously Listed Properties

Brith Shalom Synagogue, Easton(listed in 1992), was virtually destroyedby an arson fire on June 21. Most recently,the building, which was constructed in1842, had been home to the Second Bap-tist Church. Former Preservation Penn-sylvania board member Antonia Mitmanreports that the facade is still standing andthat the community may try to stabilizeand rebuild.

U.S. Naval Home, Philadelphia (listedin 1992). Biddle Hall, the WilliamStrickland designed Greek Revival mainbuilding at the Naval Home suffered dam-age to the roof and attic as the result of afive-alarm arson fire on February 3. Thelack of security and continued neglect ofthis National Historic Landmark by thecurrent owner, a leading national devel-oper of suburban housing, is cited as amajor reason for the fire. Remarkably, anda testament to Strickland’s original fire-proof design, an inspection by the city ofPhiladelphia’s Licensing and Inspectionsand an independent structural engineerdetermined the building to be structurallysound. Since the fire, the owners haveworked with the Philadelphia HistoricalCommission and the Pennsylvania His-torical and Museum Commission (PHMC)to restore the roof of the building to itspre-fire appearance and to increase secu-rity measures on the property to preventfurther problems. The future of the com-plex, however, continues to be unresolved.

Koontz Coffee Pot, Bedford (listed in2001). This whimsical example of road-side architecture along the Lincoln High-way faced demolition when the currentowners planned changes to the site to ac-commodate their truck-rental business. TheLincoln Highway Heritage Corridor con-vened a task force - which included Pres-ervation Pennsylvania, the PHMC, the PADepartment of Conservation and NaturalResources, and a number of concerned lo-cal citizens - to put together a plan to pre-serve this important artifact of the earlymotoring era. After consultation with theowners and others in the community, theCoffee Pot has found a new home. It willbe moved directly across the road from itsoriginal location onto the Bedford CountyFairgrounds where it will be rehabilitatedas an information center with an exhibit onthe building’s history and significance.

Penn Square, Callowhill Historic Dis-trict, Reading, Berks County (listed in1995). Originally listed in 1995 becauseof earlier development proposals that havesince been completed, Penn Square is onceagain threatened with a proposal that willdrastically alter its historic character. Sov-ereign Bank is proposing to demolish eightbuildings, seven of which are contribut-ing to the historic district, on the south-west corner of Penn Square for construc-tion of a 60,000 square foot office build-ing. The local Historic Architectural Re-view Board recently denied demolition butthe bank intends to appeal the decision to

City Council.

Buildings on the southwest corner of historicPenn Square include the finest examples of Art

Moderne architecture in the city. The buildingson this corner are proposed for demolition for

the construction of a large office building.

10Preserving Pennsylvania , Volume 16, Number 3

BECOME A MEMBER OF PRESERVATION PENNSYLVANIA!!

Dear Friend of Historic Preservation:

These are challenging times for those of us who care about Pennsylvania’s historic places. In many parts of our state, sprawl continues toconsume historic landscapes and demolish our historic buildings. Drugstore chains threaten to suburbanize the character of our historictowns and villages; and historic neighborhood schools are being abandoned. Preservation Pennsylvania, as your statewide historic preser-vation organization, is committed to meeting these challenges and to providing the tools to help local communities keep what we all value.

But without your membership, we will not have the financial resources or the voices to meet these challenges. Your membership inPreservation Pennsylvania supports:

• Publication of Pennsylvania At Risk, this annual listing of the commonwealth’s most endangered historic properties. Since itwas first released in 1992, this listing has helped save countless historic properties and has greatly increased awareness about ourrich - and threatened - heritage.

• Advocacy in the Pennsylvania General Assembly for passage of state historic preservation tax credits for both commercial andresidential properties, now being considered in both the House and the Senate.

• Educational programs - in 2004 these include a series of statewide workshops on sound land use and historic preservation,interpretation of historic properties, and strategies for successful advocacy efforts on behalf of Pennsylvania’s heritage.

In the more than fifteen years that I have been with Preservation Pennsylvania, I have met many of you and we have talked about thechallenges facing your communities. Now, more than ever, Preservation Pennsylvania pledges to be a strong statewide voice for preservationissues and to press for state policies and legislation that support preservation. And now, more than ever, Preservation Pennsylvania needsyour membership support - your dollars and your voice - to continue this important work.

Please join Preservation Pennsylvania today by filling out the membership form on page 9 of this newsletter and returning it with yourcontribution. Please add your voice to those who value the historic places that define Pennsylvania.

Best wishes,

Susan Shearer, Executive Director

P.S. If you are already a Preservation Pennsylvania member, we thank you, and we encourage you to consider a special, additionalcontribution to keep our voices for preservation heard.

Non Profit Org.U.S. Postage

PAIDPermit No. 521Harrisburg, PA257 North Street, Harrisburg, PA 17101

PRESERVATIONP E N N S Y L V A N I A