Terence V. Powderly House facts for kids
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Terence V. Powderly House
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House in 2007
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| Location | 614 N. Main St., Scranton, PA |
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| Area | less than one acre |
| Built | mid 19th century |
| Architectural style | Victorian |
| NRHP reference No. | 66000667 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | October 15, 1966 |
| Designated NHL | May 23, 1966 |
The Terence V. Powderly House is a special historic home located in Scranton, Pennsylvania. This house was the home of Terence V. Powderly from when he was young until 1921. Powderly was a very important person in American history. He led a large group called the Knights of Labor, which was one of the first big tries to create a labor union for workers. He also served as the mayor of Scranton many times. Because of its history, the house was named a National Historic Landmark in 1966. Today, it is still a private home and is not open for people to visit.
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About the Powderly House
The Terence V. Powderly House is on the east side of North Main Avenue. It's a two-story house made of wood. It was built in a common Victorian style, which means it has a classic look from the 1800s. The roof has a special cross-gable shape. The house is on a busy street in a neighborhood near downtown Scranton. From the house, you can see the Lackawanna River.
One interesting part of the house is a glass "anteentrance." This was like a small glass room at the front door. It helped keep the cold weather out, which was not very common back then. After Powderly passed away, other people owned the house. But it hasn't changed much. The second floor was made into an apartment, and a picture window was added there.
Who Was Terence Powderly?
Terence Powderly (1849-1924) was a key figure in the history of American workers. He started working as a machinist, which is someone who builds and repairs machines. From a young age, he believed in helping workers get fair treatment.
Powderly and Unions
In 1871, Powderly joined the Machinist and Blacksmiths Union. He quickly became its president. During a tough economic time called the Panic of 1873, he lost his job. This made him even more determined to help workers.
Powderly then became a leader in a secret group called the Knights of Labor. This group grew very large in the early 1880s. It became one of the biggest labor unions of its time. A labor union is a group of workers who join together to improve their working conditions, pay, and benefits.
Goals of the Knights of Labor
Powderly believed in peaceful ways to make things better for workers. He focused on talking and negotiating, not fighting. The Knights of Labor was also very forward-thinking for its time. It allowed both women and African Americans to join, which was unusual for unions back then.
However, in 1886, the Knights of Labor started to lose power. Powderly did not support a demand for an eight-hour workday. He also disagreed with other union leaders, like Samuel Gompers, who wanted to use stronger tactics. Because of these disagreements, the Knights of Labor eventually became much smaller. Even so, Terence Powderly's work helped lay the groundwork for future labor movements in the United States.
