Eagles Mere Historic District facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Eagles Mere Historic District
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Eagles Mere Lake
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 Location in Pennsylvania
Location in the United States
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| Location | Roughly bounded by PA 42, Borough boundary, Loyalsock State Forest & Eagles Mere Golf Club; Eagles Mere and Shrewsbury Township, Pennsylvania |
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| Area | 570 acres (230 ha) |
| Built | 1885 |
| Architect | Multiple |
| Architectural style | Queen Anne, Bungalow/craftsman, Prairie School |
| NRHP reference No. | 96000718 13000745 |
| Added to NRHP | June 28, 1996 |
Eagles Mere Historic District is a special area in Eagles Mere, a mountain lake resort in Sullivan County, Pennsylvania. It's called a historic district because it has many old buildings and places that show what the area was like in the past. This resort became popular in the late 1800s and stayed popular through the early 1900s. It is built around the beautiful Eagles Mere Lake.
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Exploring Eagles Mere Lake
Eagles Mere Lake is a natural lake shaped a bit like a kidney bean. It covers about 230 acres, which is like 230 football fields! The lake is fed by natural springs, making its water super clear. It sits high up in the Allegheny Mountains, about 2,100 feet above sea level.
When the resort was first created, the people in charge made a rule: no building or cutting trees within 100 feet of the lake. This rule helped keep the shoreline natural and beautiful. Today, the land around the lake is still covered in trees and is owned by the Eagles Mere Association. You can find peaceful forests with hiking trails all around the lake, and even more forest land surrounds those trails.
Village and Old Buildings
The main village of Eagles Mere is located at the south end of the lake. At the north end, there's a small beach where people can relax. Just north of the beach is a neighborhood called Eagles Mere Park.
The Chautauqua Story
This neighborhood grew out of something called a Chautauqua. A Chautauqua was a type of educational and cultural gathering that was popular a long time ago. The Eagles Mere Chautauqua happened from 1897 to 1902. The twelve original houses from that time are still standing today! Plus, 42 more similar houses were built in the area before 1930.
Historic Buildings and Styles
The Eagles Mere Historic District includes 234 important buildings, one special site, and six interesting structures. These buildings were mostly built in the late 1800s and early 1900s. They include cozy cottages, boat houses, shops, churches, and other smaller buildings.
The cottages show off different popular building styles from that time. You can see examples of Queen Anne style, which often has turrets and decorative details. There are also Bungalow and American craftsman style homes, known for their simple, natural look. Some buildings even show the Prairie School style, which has strong horizontal lines.
Some of the notable buildings you can find here include:
- The "beach house" (built in 1890)
- Flora Villa Inn (built in 1892)
- Eagles Mere Inn (built in 1887)
- "The Crestmont" (built in 1926)
- The old Post Office (built in 1902)
- Miller Drug Store (built in 1903)
- The Sweet Shop (built in 1885)
- Eagles Mere Fire Company and Community Hall (built in 1942)
- St. Johns-in-the-Wilderness Episcopal Church
- St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church (built in 1905, with additions in 1916 and 1923)
Because of its special history and well-preserved buildings, the Eagles Mere Historic District was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1996. This means it's recognized as an important part of the country's history.
Images for kids
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St. Francis of Assisi Church
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Eagles Mere Historic District Sign
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Presbyterian Church on an old postcard
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Keystone marker
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Early view of the lake
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