2018 Victorian Christmas Brochure
The Rowley House Museum
707 West Fourth Street
Owner: Preservation Williamsport
Chair: Robert Kane, Rowley House Curator
Music: tba
Description: This 1888 home was designed by Eber Culver and built on land purchased by Peter Herdic. It is recognized as one of the most outstanding examples of Queen Anne architecture in the state and features extraordinary Tiffany quality stained glass windows which were featured in Victorian Homes Magazine. The cherry and oak woodwork is in excellent condition, and the electric light fixtures are extremely rare. This home was opened to the public as a Victorian House Museum the summer of 2007.
634 West Fourth Street
Owners: Glenn and Myra Shaffer
Florist: Rosemary’s Thyme-Floral Design: Rosemary Holmes
Sponsors: Airmen Mechanical Services, Buttery Biscuit, East End Lumber
Music: tba
Description: This Victorian three-story, brick, Second Empire-style mansion with mansard roof is the largest house of this style surviving in Williamsport. It was designed and built in 1866 by Philadelphia architect Isaac Hobbs for Henry B. Smith family and in 1880 sold to Moses Ulman. The home is adorned with ceiling medallions as well as converted gas chandeliers. The main floor parlor, library and dining rooms have been preserved in original fashion. This home has since served as apartments, a rectory, law office and recently changed back to a family home.
1217 Campbell Street
Owners: Dr. Zachery and Katie Ritter
Co-Chair: Katie Ritter and Christine Johnson
Florist: Lady Di’s Floral & Garden Art: Diane Franklin
Sponsors: Blaise Alexander Family Dealership, Rigmaids, Sanders Morturary
Music: tba
Description: Built in 1917, this Italianate home with Mediterranean influences was the retirement residence of Calvin H. M’Cauley, who had served as Chief Counsel for the Pennsylvania Railroad in their New York City offices. M’Cauley commissioned an aspiring young New York architect, Aymar Embury II, to design his home which was featured in the June 1919 edition of House Beautiful magazine. This is a classic grand-scale, upper-class home with fairly conservative design. The home inside features patterned hardwood floors, numerous French doors, white-painted custom wainscoting, wide moldings, trims, and built-ins, all exuding old-world craftsmanship.
The Dickert House
1401 Woodmont Ave
Owners: Dr. Tim and Nicole Judge
Co-Chairs: Nicole Judge and
Florist: Nevill’s Flowers
Sponsors: Brickyard/Stonehouse Pizza, Bastian Tire Auto Centers, Dr. Marc Rosenthal
Music: tba
Description: This traditional-style Colonial home with Georgian influences was built between 1924-1925 for George H. and Augusta Dickert. The Dickert family owned a shoe repair shop in downtown Williamsport. The large, but conservative, features of this home, both exterior and interior, reflect its upper middle-class origin. Additionally, there are original oak hardwood floors, classic fireplace and unique glass paneled folding doors leading into the dining room. The kitchen has been recently remodeled.
The Myers/Douglass House
317 Grampian Blvd.
Owners: Rick and Sandi Douglass
Co-Chairs: Nan Young and Valerie Lundy
Florist: Janet’s Floral Creations
Sponsor: Backhouse Cafe’ Coffee and Tea, Chef Hosch and Ann Catering, Allison Crane and Rigging
Music: (2 Granddaughters playing violin throughout day)
Description: This traditional colonial-style cut stone house was built in 1926 for William A. Myers. Mr. Myers was the proprietor of The Edison Shop, which sold Edison diamond disc and cylinder phonographs. The exterior stone for this home came from a local quarry on Freedom Road, while the roof is slate and copper. Inside note the beautiful hardwood floors, large glass paned pocket doors and coffered ceiling in the dining room. There are French doors to the side stone patios, stained glass windows on the second floor and built in corner cupboards. These are just a few of the fine interior features.
The Cochran/Lyon House
1005 West Fourth Street
Owners: Captain Edward and Judee Lyon
Chair: Ruthann Crotty
Florist: Special Occasion Florals: Karen Ruhl
Sponsors: Al and Judy Strycula, Franco’s Lounge/Cloud 9, Shamrock Grill & Subs
Music: tba
Description: Formerly the Goodrich-Walker House, this home was built in the mid 1880’s by John Goodrich. The house is English High Victorian-Gothic and is one of the finest examples of this style on Millionaires’ Row. Located in what was once the social center of Williamsport, it was also the home of Anne Weightman Walker Penfield who, after inheriting her father, William Weightman’s estate and quinine fortune, was considered one of the richest women in the world. Its carriage house, with fairytale façade, is the only carriage house in town with the original horse stalls.
The Frederic Moore House
1035 West Fourth Street
Owner: Sharon Wise
Chair: Sharon Wise
Florist: Lady Di ‘s Floral & Garden Art: Diane Franklin
Sponsors: Lundy Warehousing, Inc., Sticky Elbow, Wascher Chiropractic
Music: tba
Description: This three-story home was built in 1898 and completed in 1901 for Frederic Moore and his wife. Moore was the owner of Keeler Co. and was the last Millionaire to live on Millionaires’ Row. The exterior features a brick first floor with wood shingles and fish-scale gable trims on the upper floors, although siding now covers these shingles and trims. Mr. Moore preferred a simpler home without elaborate Victorian features, but it does include beautiful original woodwork, large pocket doors, lead glass window in the dining room and an original gas-electrical ceiling fan. The iron fence around the property is also original.
The Stroehmann House
1501 Glen Echo Road
Owner: Tabby Nassberg
Chair: Phyllis Reynolds
Florist: Nevill’s Flowers
Sponsors: Moon and Raven Public House, Woolrich
Music: tba
Description: This Mid-Century contemporary house was built in the style of Frank Lloyd Wright in 1968 for the Harold J. Stroehmann family and designed by local Architect John Huffman. The home is constructed with center core redwood and has no right angles. In keeping with our inclusion of buildings with great architectural significance we will be opening two stories of this fascinating home.
Old Corner Hotel
328 Court Street
Chair: Joanna Morrone Joanna.morrone@comcast.net
Description: Since 1876 this establishment has maintained a reputation as a favorite meeting place for many people in Williamsport. Although undergoing extensive alterations and modernization in the 1930’s the dining room or “grill” (as it was referred to in earlier years) still features the original dark oak paneling, mirrors along the ceiling, stained glass windows and beautiful tile floor. Entering the Old Corner Hotel is like stepping back in time to a more gracious era.
The Community Arts Center
220 West Fourth Street
Description: Baby, it’s cold outside! Stop into the warm and welcoming Community Arts Center in the heart of downtown Williamsport! This season we celebrate our theater’s history with the observance of our 25th Anniversary since reopening of the old Capitol Theater in 1993 as the newly renovated Community Arts Center. We invite all our patrons and visitors to stop by the landmark theater and see the beautifully restored art deco lobby housing our enormous and ornate 30 ft. Christmas tree! Sweet holiday treats and drinks will be provided in the Capitol Lounge along with a short presentation on the history of the CAC.
The Genetti Hotel & Suites
Description: Walk through the doors of the historic Genetti Hotel & Suites and the ambience transports you back to the classic setting of the Roaring Twenties. The Genetti Hotel has been a landmark on the Williamsport skyline since it opened in 1922 and has been attractively updated to meet the needs of today’s travelers. Over the last 95 years, this elegant hotel has remained a true icon of Williamsport, welcoming guests from around the world. Being located in the heart of downtown Williamsport, the Genetti is the premier place to visit and offers easy walking access to many shops and restaurants. Victorian Christmas guests are invited to stroll through the historic hotel lobby and take in the beautiful Christmas decorations while enjoying some Complimentary light refreshments.
James V Brown Library
Description: The James V. Brown Library was a gift to the city of Williamsport from James Vanduzee Brown, a prominent citizen who made his fortune in lumber and grain mills, and was instrumental in the founding of the Williamsport Municipal Water Authority. The Library was designed by Edgar V. Seeler and opened to the public on June 18, 1907. Entering through the Fourth Street foyer, visitors encounter the marble statues of Ruth and Beatrice Portinari, which were part of Brown’s personal collection. The magnificent Moltz Rotunda Reading Room is part of the original structure and contains the stained-glass dome skylight and wrought iron gazebo.
Williamsport’s Scottish Rite
Description: The Scottish Rite displays the elegance of the Williamsport lumber era in the heart of downtown, located adjacent to Market Square. The remarkable Sottish Rite facilities include the Howard Memorial Cathedral built in 1901, the Acacia Club built in 1911, and the Scottish Rite Auditorium built in 1967. Built as a home for Scottish Rite Freemasons in the area, the facilities now offer an unparalleled atmosphere to the public for many types of events, including weddings, banquets, proms, shows, and conventions.
The Thomas T. Taber Museum
Description: For Victorian Christmas, the Thomas T. Taber Museum of the Lycoming County Historical Society will be alive with the sound of “All Aboard!” as its Community Room is enlivened with train layouts, an extension of the Will Huffman Toy Train Expo. Surrounding the room will be stunning artworks. While you are here, view the detailed lumbering exhibits, the Larue Shempp Model Train Collection, the works of Severin Rosen, J. Wesley Little, Bernard Katz, and all their galleries and exhibits.
Victorian Christmas 