Valentine Pugh House

Some histories of Bellefonte mistakenly consider the house at 223 West Curtin as the home of Evan Pugh, the first President of Penn State. However, this is incorrect, as Pugh passed away from complications from a fall in 1864 shortly after his marriage to Rebecca Valentine Pugh. The property was actually built in 1871 by Robert McKnight for the widow Pugh, her brother Harry, and her sister Clara. It remained in the family for over 80 years. After suffering from a fire, vandalism, and rain damage, the current owners took over a 108-year-old, fire-charred, water-soaked, and ax-gouged house and performed an absolute miracle. They restored the property completely, preserving some of the original detailing that remained intact.