Bedford Springs Hotel Historic District
Encyclopedia
The Bedford Springs Hotel Historic District is a 300 acres (121.4 ha) historic district
in Bedford, Pennsylvania
, encompassing the grounds of a historic mineral springs
resort
. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places
on December 20, 1984 and was designated a National Historic Landmark
on July 17, 1991.
was founded in 1806 by Bedford native, John Anderson. The central, Greek Revival
hotel building was designed by local architect Solomon Filler between 1824 and 1842. The four hotel guest room buildings to the north of the central building were built being 1806 and 1890. The Bedford Springs Hotel was used by U.S. President James Buchanan
as his summer White House and was the site of the summer sessions of the U.S. Supreme Court
from 1857 to 1861. The accompanying golf course
was designed by Donald Ross in 1924. The hotel was used by the U.S. Navy
as a radio training school during World War II
and was also used to detain Japanese
diplomats captured in Berlin
, Germany
.
The hotel and surrounding property was bought by Omni Hotels in 1998, with restoration taking place from 2004 to 2007.
Historic district
A historic district or heritage district is a section of a city which contains older buildings considered valuable for historical or architectural reasons. In some countries, historic districts receive legal protection from development....
in Bedford, Pennsylvania
Bedford, Pennsylvania
Bedford is a borough in Bedford County, Pennsylvania, west of the State Capital, Harrisburg. It is the county seat of Bedford County. Bedford was established in the mid-18th century. Population counts follow: 1890, 2,242; 1900, 2,167; 1910, 2,385. The population was 3,141 at the 2000...
, encompassing the grounds of a historic mineral springs
Mineral Springs
Mineral Springs is the name of several locations in the United States:* Mineral Springs, Arkansas* Mineral Springs, North Carolina* Mineral Springs Township, North Dakota* Mineral Springs at Green Springs, Ohio...
resort
Resort
A resort is a place used for relaxation or recreation, attracting visitors for holidays or vacations. Resorts are places, towns or sometimes commercial establishment operated by a single company....
. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
on December 20, 1984 and was designated a National Historic Landmark
National Historic Landmark
A National Historic Landmark is a building, site, structure, object, or district, that is officially recognized by the United States government for its historical significance...
on July 17, 1991.
History
The Bedford Springs HotelBedford Springs Hotel
The Bedford Springs Hotel is a resort hotel outside of Bedford, Pennsylvania. It is a contributing property to the Bedford Springs Hotel Historic District, a designated National Historic Landmark...
was founded in 1806 by Bedford native, John Anderson. The central, Greek Revival
Greek Revival architecture
The Greek Revival was an architectural movement of the late 18th and early 19th centuries, predominantly in Northern Europe and the United States. A product of Hellenism, it may be looked upon as the last phase in the development of Neoclassical architecture...
hotel building was designed by local architect Solomon Filler between 1824 and 1842. The four hotel guest room buildings to the north of the central building were built being 1806 and 1890. The Bedford Springs Hotel was used by U.S. President James Buchanan
James Buchanan
James Buchanan, Jr. was the 15th President of the United States . He is the only president from Pennsylvania, the only president who remained a lifelong bachelor and the last to be born in the 18th century....
as his summer White House and was the site of the summer sessions of the U.S. Supreme Court
Supreme Court of the United States
The Supreme Court of the United States is the highest court in the United States. It has ultimate appellate jurisdiction over all state and federal courts, and original jurisdiction over a small range of cases...
from 1857 to 1861. The accompanying golf course
Golf course
A golf course comprises a series of holes, each consisting of a teeing ground, fairway, rough and other hazards, and a green with a flagstick and cup, all designed for the game of golf. A standard round of golf consists of playing 18 holes, thus most golf courses have this number of holes...
was designed by Donald Ross in 1924. The hotel was used by the U.S. Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
as a radio training school during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
and was also used to detain Japanese
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
diplomats captured in Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
.
The hotel and surrounding property was bought by Omni Hotels in 1998, with restoration taking place from 2004 to 2007.
See also
- List of National Historic Landmarks in Pennsylvania
- National Register of Historic Places listings in Bedford County, PennsylvaniaNational Register of Historic Places listings in Bedford County, PennsylvaniaThis is a list of the National Register of Historic Places listings in Bedford County, Pennsylvania.This is intended to be a complete list of the properties and districts on the National Register of Historic Places in Bedford County, Pennsylvania, United States...