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Sturgeon House
Sturgeon House.jpg
Sturgeon House is located in Pennsylvania
Sturgeon House
Location in Pennsylvania
Location 4302 Avonia Road
Fairview, Pennsylvania
Built c. 1838
Built by Samuel C. Sturgeon
Architectural style Federal, Saltbox
NRHP reference No. 80003490
Added to NRHP December 10, 1980

The Sturgeon House is a special old house in Fairview, Pennsylvania. It was built around 1838 and has a unique shape called a "saltbox." This house is so important that it was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1980. Today, the Fairview Area Historical Society takes care of it and runs it as a museum. You can visit to learn about its history!

What Makes the Sturgeon House Special?

The Sturgeon House is located where Water Street and Avonia Road meet. It's a rare example of a "saltbox" style house in northwestern Pennsylvania. A saltbox house has a long, sloping roof that goes down to one story in the back, like an old-fashioned salt container.

The house also has a porch that is set back into the side of the building. Its walls are built on strong stone foundations. The roof slopes at a 30-degree angle. The front door has fancy decorations around it, including a cornice and Federal-style designs.

A Look at the House's History

Sturgeon House 2
Front of the house showing its unique saltbox shape.

The Sturgeon family were some of the very first settlers in what is now Fairview Township. Jeremiah and William Sturgeon bought land there in 1797.

The Sturgeons helped travelers by running "coach stops" and "taverns." These were places where people could rest and eat when traveling between Erie and Cleveland, Ohio. This was especially important after the first road connecting these cities was built in 1805. The family even founded a community called Sturgeonville, which later became Fairview.

The Sturgeon House itself was built around 1838 by Samuel C. Sturgeon. It was one of several homes built by the Sturgeon family. A part of the house on the south side might have been added in the early 1850s.

In 1979, a descendant of Jeremiah Sturgeon sold the house to the Fairview Area Historical Society. Because of its historical importance, the Sturgeon House was officially listed on the National Register of Historic Places on December 10, 1980.

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