Schellsburg Historic District

The story

Written by AI from this property's National Register nomination and the record above; every sentence is checked against its sources before it appears here. Corrections: privacy@treealive.com

The Schellsburg Historic District is a historic district centered on Pitt, Market and Baltimore Streets in Schellsburg Borough, Bedford County, listed in the National Register in 2001. It covers 46 acres and includes 92 contributing buildings, built between 1806 and 1980, in styles including Federal, Second Empire, Dutch Colonial Revival, Four Square and Prairie School.

Why it's listed

It was listed under criteria A and C, with local significance in commerce, transportation and architecture. The nomination gives its period of significance as 1808 to 1940, from John Schell's 1808 town layout through construction continuing into 1940.

Physical character

Its buildings are of brick, stone, log and weatherboard construction, with stone foundations, asphalt roofs and some metal or aluminum siding. Rooflines are mostly gabled though some are flat, with a two-story rear verandah, paired end chimneys and Flemish bond brickwork. One building was rebuilt in 1937 with a slightly lower roofline. Frank J. Fulton is named as both architect and builder, and Charles Dunaker as another builder.

Historical context

The town was laid out by John Schell in 1808, and Schellsburg was incorporated as a borough in 1838. The road became the Bedford to Stoystown Turnpike in 1818, joined the Lincoln Highway in 1913, and was designated U.S. Route 30 in 1945. Schellsburg Lodge #870 of the Odd Fellows, the United Church of Schellsburg, Culp's Monument Works and W.A.B. Clarke's Tannery were also located in the district.