Matthew S. Quay House facts for kids
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Matthew S. Quay House
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U.S. Historic district
Contributing property |
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Streetside view of the Quay House
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 Location in Pennsylvania
Location in the United States
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| Location | 205 College Ave., Beaver, Pennsylvania |
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| Area | less than one acre |
| Built | c. 1865 |
| Part of | Beaver Historic District (ID96001201) |
| NRHP reference No. | 75001615 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | May 15, 1975 |
| Designated NHL | May 15, 1975 |
The Matthew S. Quay House is a special old house located at 205 College Avenue in Beaver, Pennsylvania. It was built around 1865, after the American Civil War. From 1874 until he passed away, this house was the home of Matthew Stanley Quay (1833–1904). He was a very important United States senator and a powerful political leader in the late 1800s.
Because of its history and connection to Matthew S. Quay, his house was named a National Historic Landmark in 1975. This means it's a place of great historical importance to the United States. For a while, it was used as the J.T. Anderson Funeral Home. Today, it is home to Covenant Financial Advisors. [1]
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The Matthew S. Quay House
What Does the House Look Like?
The Matthew S. Quay House is just south of downtown Beaver. You can find it at the corner of College Avenue and 2nd Street. It is a two-and-a-half-story building made of painted brick. The roof is shaped like a hip, meaning all sides slope downwards to the walls.
A porch stretches across the front of the house. It has brick columns holding it up. Both the porch roof and the main roof have decorative wooden brackets under their edges. There are also dormer windows on the roof, which have their own small hip roofs. The house has a small section sticking out to the north side. There's also a longer section at the back, which Matthew Stanley Quay likely added later.
Who Was Matthew S. Quay?
Matthew Stanley Quay was born in 1833 and died in 1904. He was a very influential person in American politics during his time. He first bought this house in 1874, and it remained his main home until he passed away.
Quay first studied to become a lawyer. During the American Civil War, he served in the Union Army. He was even awarded the Medal of Honor for his brave actions during the Battle of Fredericksburg.
Quay's Political Journey
Matthew S. Quay started his political career in the 1850s. He quickly became a strong leader for the Republican Party in western Pennsylvania. He worked closely with another powerful politician named Simon Cameron. Eventually, Quay took charge of the state's Republican Party.
His leadership helped him get elected to the U.S. Senate in 1887. In 1888, he led the presidential campaign for Benjamin Harrison. This campaign was known for being the most expensive presidential campaign up to that time. Quay was open about using political favors to gain support. However, after Harrison won, he didn't always agree with Quay's methods.
Because of this, Quay worked against Harrison when he tried to be re-elected in 1892. Harrison ended up losing the general election to Grover Cleveland. Matthew S. Quay was known for his very strong and determined political strategies, especially during the 1888 election.
See Also
