Year Established: 1868
Ironmasters Heritage Tour
This limestone residence was the Bellefonte home of Andrew Gregg Curtin, who served as Pennsylvania’s Republican Governor from 1861 to 1867, during the height of the Civil War. A staunch Unionist, Curtin is best known for organizing the Pennsylvania Reserves, the military force that helped prevent the capture of Washington, D.C. after the First Battle of Bull Run. He was a close ally of President Abraham Lincoln and played a critical role in rallying state support for the Union cause.
Constructed in 1868 after Curtin’s return to Bellefonte, the home is a superb example of Tuscan Revival architecture, featuring handsome bracketed eaves and native limestone construction.
Historic Homes Tour
Curtin remained deeply involved in Bellefonte civic life after leaving office, contributing to nearly every major local development of his era. The property later became home to the Bellefonte Elks, who purchased it in 1909. The home’s front porch was added by the Elks and built using stone piers salvaged from a demolished 1895 viaduct that once crossed Spring Creek.
This home stands as a lasting symbol of both Curtin’s leadership during a defining national moment and his enduring legacy in Bellefonte’s civic and architectural history.
