Sturgeon House
Encyclopedia
The Sturgeon House is a saltbox
house dating from around 1838 in Fairview
, Erie County
in the U.S. state
of Pennsylvania
. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places
in 1980. The Sturgeon House is operated as museum by the Fairview Area Historical Society.
). The house is a rare example of a saltbox
house in northwestern Pennsylvania, as well as a house with a recessed side porch
. The house is constructed of "stone foundation walls and topped with heavy timber sills
which are notched to receive log form beams." The roof of the house is slanted at an angle of 30 degrees. The front door is framed by a cornice
and Federal
-style entablature
and pilaster
.
, who acquired land from the Pennsylvania Population Company in 1797. The Sturgeons operated "coach
stops and taverns" in the area for travelers after the first road was cut from Erie to Cleveland, Ohio
in 1805. They founded the community of Sturgeonville, which eventually became Fairview
. The house was built around 1838 by Samuel C. Sturgeon and is one of several built by the Sturgeons. The southern addition of the house was possibly constructed in the early 1850s. The Sturgeon House was sold to the Fairview Area Historical Society in 1979 by a descendant of the Jeremiah Sturgeon. The house was listed on the National Register of Historic Places
on December 10, 1980.
Saltbox
A saltbox is a building with a long, pitched roof that slopes down to the back, generally a wooden frame house. A saltbox has just one story in the back and two stories in the front...
house dating from around 1838 in Fairview
Fairview, Erie County, Pennsylvania
Fairview is an unincorporated community in central Fairview Township, Erie County, Pennsylvania, United States. It is served by the 16415 zip code and the Fairview School District. It was incorporated as a separate borough in 1868 with an area of about a square mile and a population of roughly 400...
, Erie County
Erie County, Pennsylvania
Erie County is a county located in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. As of 2010, the population was 280,566. Its county seat is the City of Erie.- Geography :...
in the U.S. state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
. It was listed on 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...
in 1980. The Sturgeon House is operated as museum by the Fairview Area Historical Society.
Design
The Sturgeon House is located at the intersection of Water Street and Avonia Road (Pennsylvania Route 98Pennsylvania Route 98
Pennsylvania Route 98 is a state highway located in western Pennsylvania. The southern terminus of the route is at U.S. Route 6/U.S. Route 19/U.S. Route 322 in Vernon Township. The northern terminus is at Pennsylvania Route 5 in the town of Avonia a mile from Lake Erie.PA 98 also intersects...
). The house is a rare example of a saltbox
Saltbox
A saltbox is a building with a long, pitched roof that slopes down to the back, generally a wooden frame house. A saltbox has just one story in the back and two stories in the front...
house in northwestern Pennsylvania, as well as a house with a recessed side porch
Porch
A porch is external to the walls of the main building proper, but may be enclosed by screen, latticework, broad windows, or other light frame walls extending from the main structure.There are various styles of porches, all of which depend on the architectural tradition of its location...
. The house is constructed of "stone foundation walls and topped with heavy timber sills
Sill plate
A sill plate or sole plate in construction and architecture is the bottom horizontal member of a wall or building to which vertical members are attached. Sill plates are usually composed of lumber. It usually comes in sizes of 2×4, 2×6, 2×8, and 2×10. In the platform framing method the sill plate...
which are notched to receive log form beams." The roof of the house is slanted at an angle of 30 degrees. The front door is framed by a cornice
Cornice
Cornice molding is generally any horizontal decorative molding that crowns any building or furniture element: the cornice over a door or window, for instance, or the cornice around the edge of a pedestal. A simple cornice may be formed just with a crown molding.The function of the projecting...
and Federal
Federal architecture
Federal-style architecture is the name for the classicizing architecture built in the United States between c. 1780 and 1830, and particularly from 1785 to 1815. This style shares its name with its era, the Federal Period. The name Federal style is also used in association with furniture design...
-style entablature
Entablature
An entablature refers to the superstructure of moldings and bands which lie horizontally above columns, resting on their capitals. Entablatures are major elements of classical architecture, and are commonly divided into the architrave , the frieze ,...
and pilaster
Pilaster
A pilaster is a slightly-projecting column built into or applied to the face of a wall. Most commonly flattened or rectangular in form, pilasters can also take a half-round form or the shape of any type of column, including tortile....
.
History
Jeremiah and William Sturgeon were the earliest settlers of what is now Fairview TownshipFairview Township, Erie County, Pennsylvania
Fairview Township is a township in Erie County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 10,140 at the 2000 census.-History:Fairview Township was settled in 1797. Fairview is one of the original 16 townships in Erie County...
, who acquired land from the Pennsylvania Population Company in 1797. The Sturgeons operated "coach
Stagecoach
A stagecoach is a type of covered wagon for passengers and goods, strongly sprung and drawn by four horses, usually four-in-hand. Widely used before the introduction of railway transport, it made regular trips between stages or stations, which were places of rest provided for stagecoach travelers...
stops and taverns" in the area for travelers after the first road was cut from Erie to Cleveland, Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
in 1805. They founded the community of Sturgeonville, which eventually became Fairview
Fairview, Erie County, Pennsylvania
Fairview is an unincorporated community in central Fairview Township, Erie County, Pennsylvania, United States. It is served by the 16415 zip code and the Fairview School District. It was incorporated as a separate borough in 1868 with an area of about a square mile and a population of roughly 400...
. The house was built around 1838 by Samuel C. Sturgeon and is one of several built by the Sturgeons. The southern addition of the house was possibly constructed in the early 1850s. The Sturgeon House was sold to the Fairview Area Historical Society in 1979 by a descendant of the Jeremiah Sturgeon. The house was listed on 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 10, 1980.
See also
- List of museums in Pennsylvania
- National Register of Historic Places listings in Erie County, PennsylvaniaNational Register of Historic Places listings in Erie County, PennsylvaniaThis is a list of the National Register of Historic Places listings in Erie County, Pennsylvania.This is intended to be a complete list of the properties and districts on the National Register of Historic Places in Erie County, Pennsylvania, United States...
External links
- Sturgeon House, Fairview Area Historical Society