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   Judah Colt Spencer House

PROPERTY INFORMATION

Historic Name

Judah Colt Spencer House

Address

519 West 6th Street

Municipality

City of Erie

Tax Parcel

17040016020300

Historic District

West 6th Street HD

Classification

Class 1 (Definitions of Classes)

State Key Number

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Historic Function

Domestic - single dwelling

Style

Queen Anne

Built

1876

Architect

 

Builder

 

Barn Type on property

 

Last Entry Update

7/6/2016


HISTORY

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.

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.


DESCRIPTION


LINKS AND ATTACHMENTS

519 W Sixth Street Sale Ad


UPDATE

If you have additional information or corrections to the existing information, send an email to info@preservationerie.org.
Submitted information is reviewed by Preservation Erie prior to updating the database.


CURRENT ASSESSMENT PHOTO


Photo courtesy, Erie County Assessment Office


PHOTO FROM 2014 SURVEY

HISTORIC PHOTOGRAPHS

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