In an effort to preserve one of Pennsylvania’s historic homes, the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission (PFBC) is marketing for sale, removal, and preservation a two-story, three bedroom, one bath, Italianate-style house with many beautiful original features including brick exterior, wood floors, wrap-around porch, and pyramidal roof capped by a cupola.
The Joshua C. Thornton House was determined to be eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places under Criterion C in the Area of Architecture, as a significant local expression of Italianate villa/Italianate residential property with good integrity.
Front and side elevations of the Thornton house. Photo provided by Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission.
Interested?
Facing West Lake Road to the north (2000 Lohrer Road, Fairview, PA 16415) in Fairview, Erie County, Pennsylvania, this domestic residence was built by Joshua C. Thornton in 1870. The home, which has been used as office space for the surrounding Fairview State Fish Hatchery operated by the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission (PFBC), is proposed for removal either by marketing to dismantle and move it or by demolition.
Thornton house (marked by blue arrow) and property in the 1876 Everts & Stewart Combination Atlas Map of Erie County.
The PFBC and its partner in preservation, the PA State Historic Preservation Office seeks to identify a potential buyer that would disassemble the structure and relocate it from the current property with the intent to preserve and retain its historic character and traits in keeping with the Secretary of Interior’s Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties. Nearby lots or parcels would be ideal for relocation of the structure helping to keep this piece of local history… local!
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- Front and side elevations of the Thornton house. Photo provided by Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission.
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- Front of the Thornton House. Photo provided by Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission.
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- Side elevation of Thornton house. Photo provided by Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission.
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- Rear elevation of the Thornton house. Photo provided by Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission.
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- One of the first floor rooms in the Thornton house. Note marble fireplace surround behind desk. Photo provided by Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission.
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- Details of first floor room. Photo provided by Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission.
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- Stair to first floor. Photo provided by Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission.
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- Main stair from second floor. Photo provided by Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission.
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- Second floor of the Thornton House, showing wood floors, trim, and features. Photo provided by Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission.
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- Wood stair in house leading to 3rd floor. Photo provided by Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission.
The historic residence is being marketed through the state surplus process of the Department of General Services (DGS) via the website, https://www.govplanet.com/jsp/s/item/12680266?h=5259-22%2C741. PFBC is seeking potential buyers until December 23, 2024, with removal of the structure from State property by June 30, 2026.
If you have an interest in purchasing the residence for removal or would like to view the structure, please contact PFBC’s Hatchery and Facility Engineering Chief, Shawn Wheeler, at shwheeler@pa.gov.
Hi! The link to govplanet in the second-to-last paragraph is for an old listing for the “Oshkosh Corporation other” that was sold on 2/28/2023 – just an FYI! Love this post though!!
Hi Addy, thanks for pointing that out! The link has been updated to: https://www.govplanet.com/jsp/s/item/12680266?h=5259-22%2C741.
I wold think a Section 106 review would be in order here, even for the Commonwealth if just one dollar of Federal funding gets within a hairs width away from the Fish Commission’s budget..
Ridiculous it has to be moved. To what purpose? It should not be allowed to be demolished!! What’s wrong with everyone
This is horrible! Move some fence and subdivide a small parcel to go with it!
You do realize that moving it will take away the historic part. Why can’t it just sit there and let someone live it in?
So, just to be clear, the buyer will need to carefully demolish the entire house, remove all pieces, and then potentially reassemble elsewhere?