The Judah Colt Spencer House, also known as the William Spencer House,
is an ornate late nineteenth century home that sits on Millionaire’s
Row. A National Historic District, Millionaire’s Row is located west of
the downtown area and consists of elegant mansions and residences built
during the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.
As founder and president of the First National Bank of Erie, Judah Colt
Spencer was among the city’s elite during the post-Civil War era. His
son William J.C. Spencer was raised in Erie, receiving his education
from Erie Academy and later Princeton University. After travelling in
Europe upon his college graduation, William Spencer returned to Erie
sometime before 1880. He continued his family’s legacy, working at the
First National Bank of Erie as an executive officer until his father’s
death in 1885, when he became president of the company. William was
also involved in the operations of Erie Traction and Mutual Telephone
Companies.
Judah commissioned the construction of this house as a wedding gift for
William, and it was completed in 1876. Four years later, William
married Mary DuPuy, a native of Chicago, in 1880. The Spencer’s resided
in the home with their six children, and Mary stayed in the home well
into the 1930s despite her husband’s death in 1920. For a short period
of time, the home was rented out to tenants. In the 1940s, however,
Judah Colt Spencer, the son of William and Mary Spencer, moved into the
house and resided there until his death in 1980. The home remained
vacant for twelve years until 1992 when it was reopened as a bed and
breakfast. Known to most local residents as the Spencer House, it has
served Erie for almost twenty years as a historic urban bed and
breakfast, boasting six period rooms and offering tourists a host of
fascinating stories associated with the home’s history.
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Sources: Erie County Historical and Architectural Preservation Plan, Erie Metropolitan Planning Department, June 1976.; Frew, David, et al. Journey Through Time: Erie’s Best Downtown Walking Guide. Erie, PA: Erie County Historical Society, 2006. |