HISTORICAL 18th CENTURY HOUSE

Listed on the national Register of Historical places, this 3 level eighteenth Century bank house in Central Pennsylvania is made of local stone and is connected to a nineteenth century summer kitchen. New systems, roof and equipment added, but original stairways, moldings plaster and hardware retained. The early structure served as an inn/stage coach stop as well as a residence. The stone structure is set into the bank of the hillside and has a gable roof and a stone foundation. The structure measures 28 feet by 30 feet and has a small frame summer kitchen attached to rear of north wall, which does not date from the original period but was added at a later time. There is a trap door in the summer kitchen that leads to a small root cellar with a brick floor and electricity. A stone cutout has served as a small wine cellar. The wall construction is of native county stone. Two types of painting are evident on the structure. The original is flush with the stone and the pie-crust type on the east and west wall were added circa 1900. The interior framing system is wood much with the original wooden pegs. A gable roof dormer is located in the north original to the structure. An interior brick chimney is located in the west gable and a free-standing brick chimney to the rear of the summer kitchen. Windows in the three bay by two bay structure are nine over nine with pegged frames. Originally the windows had exterior shutters. During its period as an inn, this structure had two story porches on the front facade and center doorways on both levels. The first floor doorway is sheltered by a wooden hood decorated with small dentils. The door itself is topped by a rectangular transom. Basement--First floor: A cellar room built into bank north wall. This room holds furnace and utility appliances and a small bathroom. Enclosed stairwell to second floor has paneling on the west side. There are four fireplaces, each with either wood burning for fireplace inserts. Construction began on the stone residence in 1794 and was completed circa 1809. In 1820 the first floor was used as the “Recorder of Deeds” until 1927 until the county seat and the hall of records was moved to New Bloomfield, PA. It later became the Lawrence Inn and Coach stop for coaches coming down on the west side of the street. Being two doors down from the Courthouse, much political matter must have transpired in the Inn.