Historic Name

Amos Judson House

Address

30 High Street

Municipality

Waterford Borough

Tax Parcel

46009058000100

Historic District

Waterford Borough HD

Classification

Class 1 (Definitions of Classes)

State Key Number

Historic Function

Domestic - single dwelling

Style

Greek Revival

Built

1823

Architect

Builder

Barn Type on property

Last Entry Update

7/18/2016

Amos Judson, of Connecticut, first travelled to Waterford in 1795 with Colonel Seth Reed, of Erie’s distinguished Reed family. When he arrived, he worked as a skilled carpenter, and later as a factor for Pittsburgh merchants, Holmes and Herriott. Judson opened his own store, the Judson Store, in the 1820s, which was attached to his home that was constructed in 1823. As a barter-and-trade facility, Judson sold hides, building materials, dried fruits, farm products, and wool that could be bought in exchange for other goods. From 1842 to 1853, Judson also owned the Eagle Hotel, which is located across the street from the Judson House. This building, and the Judson House, were built on the site of Fort Leboeuf, one of the three French forts that Governor Duquesne ordered to be built in the mid-eighteenth century. This is where George Washington executed his first military mission in December 1753 at twenty-one years old. He delivered an English ultimatum to the French demanding that they leave the Ohio Country at the onset of the French and Indian War. Although a successful merchant, Judson was also a civic leader, becoming one of the first officials of Waterford when the area was incorporated as a borough in 1833. Previously, he was County Auditor from 1814 to 1817. He also owned the Enquirer, Waterford’s newspaper, beginning in 1857. The Judson Store remained in operation until Judson’s death in the 1870s.

Edinboro University sponsored an archaeological dig at the Judson House, but few artifacts from the Colonial period were found. They did however find large areas of wood charcoal in the vicinity, which suggest they are the remains of either French or British forts. However, there are over 160,000 artifacts and garbage remains from the American period. In 1945, the Judson House property was sold to the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission by the Fort LeBoeuf Chapter of the Daughters of American Colonists. At this time, curators for the museum were hired to research and design exhibits. By the 1980s, volunteers of the Fort LeBoeuf Historical Society were charged with managing the museum. The house is part of the Waterford Historic District, which was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1990. In 2015, the Pennsylvania Historical Museum Commission sold the property to the Fort LeBoeuf Historical Society, and the house is open to the public for tours and historical research.

Sources: Mulkearn, Lois and Edwin V. Pugh. A Traveler's Guide to Historic Western Pennsylvania. Pittsburgh, PA: University of Pittsburgh, 1953.; Erie Yesterday. Erie County, Pennsylvania. Charleston, SC: Arcadia Publishing, 1997.

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Photo courtesy, Erie County Assessment Office