Frank H. Buhl Mansion facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Frank H. Buhl Mansion
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Side and front of the house, March 2012
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 Location in Pennsylvania
Location in the United States
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| Location | 422 East State Street, Sharon, Pennsylvania United States |
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| Area | 2 acres (0.81 ha) |
| Built | 1891 |
| Architect | Charles Owsley |
| Architectural style | Richardsonian Romanesque |
| NRHP reference No. | 77001175 |
| Added to NRHP | December 2, 1977 |
Frank H. Buhl Mansion, also known as Buhl Mansion, is a beautiful old house in Sharon, Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania, United States. It's so special that it's listed on the National Register of Historic Places, which means it's an important historical building.
About the Buhl Mansion
The Buhl Mansion was built in 1891 for the wealthy Buhl family. They owned the Sharon Iron Works, a big company in the area. The house is made of a type of stone called ashlar sandstone and has 2 1/2 floors.
A famous architect named Charles Owsley designed it. He used a style called Richardsonian Romanesque. This style often includes round arches and strong, heavy stone. The mansion has cool features like steep roof dormers (windows sticking out of the roof). It also has a porch with big arches, stone decorations called finials, and several tall, round towers called turrets with copper tops.
Even though the house was once changed into apartments, it has been carefully restored. Today, it's a cozy bed and breakfast where people can stay. It's also a popular place for weddings.
The Story of Frank H. Buhl
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Frank H. Buhl (1848-1918) was a very important person in Sharon, Pennsylvania. He went to Yale University and then came back in 1887 to help his father run the Iron Works. The next year, the Iron Works became the biggest employer in Mercer County, Pennsylvania.
Frank Buhl started his own company, Buhl Steel Company, in 1896. This company later joined with other big steel companies. Eventually, it became part of the huge United States Steel Corporation. Frank Buhl was known as the "Father of the Industrial Shenango Valley" because he helped so many industries grow there. He also started Sharon Steel and Sharon Steel Castings.
Frank Buhl and his wife, Julia Forker, did not have children. Instead, they used their money to help their community a lot. Frank's father had already started the Christian H. Buhl hospital (now Sharon Regional Hospital).
Frank Buhl opened the F.H. Buhl Club in 1903. It was open to everyone in Sharon. This club had music rooms, social areas, bowling alleys, and a library. Julia Buhl also started a women's club, which later joined with the F.H. Buhl Club. It's still a recreation center for the community today.
In 1914, the F.H. Buhl Farm opened. This was a huge 300-acre park with an 11-acre lake and beaches. It had 10 tennis courts, a nine-hole golf course, picnic spots, playgrounds, and a baseball field. It was a wonderful gift to the people of Sharon.
The Buhl Mansion was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1977. This means it's officially recognized as an important historical site. The mansion was even featured in the 1988 movie Tiger Warsaw.
