Royer Mansion lives on
Restoration nears
completion
Williamsburg , Pa.-
Workers from Albert Michaels Conservancy
are wrapping up the final phase of reconstruction and restoration of the
historic Royer Mansion near Williamsburg.
The work includes interior painting,
plaster conservation, carpeting and linoleum work, said Margaret Goodman
of the Blair County Historical Society and co-chairman of the Royer Mansion
committee.
When the work is completed, the society
will have two apartment units ready to rent to low to moderate- income
families.
There will also be a parlor where community
groups can meet and an outdoor pavilion for groups to use, Goodman said.
Royer mansion is listed on the National
registry for Historic Places.
The two story stone structure was built
in 1815 by Daniel Royer, a wealthy ironmaster. The home is on Route 866,
about five miles south of Williamsburg. Known locally as the Royer Mansion,
it is officially called the " Springfield Furnace Mansion." To
clarify its association with the Royer’s nearby iron furnace.
The property remained in the Royer family
estate, and until 1965 was occupied by Carrie Royer Hartman. The state
fish commission then bought the property intending to build a fish hatchery.
The Blair County Historical Society bought
the home and eight surrounding acres in 1985. The society paid the commission
$1 for the property.
The project was started in 1990. "
This has been the project that would never end, but it’s been worth it,"
Goodman said. "It’s one of the gems of the past we have here in our
area. It is a real success story, although it took a longtime. It is one
of the best pieces of architecture we have in the county.
Another article
Putting the finishing
touches
Historical society’s
efforts at the Royer Mansion nearing end this year
Hollidaysburg- Renovation work to the 180-year-old
historic Royer Mansion near Williamsburg should wrap up this year.
Royer Mansion is a two-story, 180- year-old
stone structure built by wealthy ironmaster Daniel Royer along state route
866, about five miles south of Williamsburg.
The Blair County Historical Society started
five years ago to renovate the old structure, and with money expected from
the state this year, that job should wrap up with a driveway and parking
area, landscaping and other finishing touches.
County planner Eugene Zanella says the
historical society, working with the county, will have access to two state
grants from the community Development Block Grant program to use on the
Royer mansion.
One grant is for $59,291, left from 1992
state money, and the other grant is for $13,500, from the 1993 fiscal year.
The 1992 money must be spent by Aug.
31,1995 and the 1993 money must be spent by August 1996, Zanella says.
The Blair County Historical Society owns
and manages the property.
Peggy Goodman, a member of that committee,
has overseen the project that’s turning the historic structure into a senior
citizens resource center with rooms for meetings and events.
The Blair County commissioners this week
agreed to execute contracts with historical society to allocate funding
from the grants that will cover the last portions of the renovations.
Restoration work on the mansion started
after the historical society got a 1987 Community Development Block Grant
worth $ 80,106. The initial work involved repointing the masonry, painting
the wooden trim, relining the flue of the fireplaces and rebuilding the
foundation under the frame.
The second and third phase of the restoration
effort involved interior work, painting and outdoor landscaping.
That included drywalling, plastering,
pouring concrete in the basement, stripping woodwork, painting and cleaning.
While the stone structure is known locally
as the Royer Mansion, it is officially called the Springfield Furnace Mansion
to clarify its association with Royer’s nearby iron furnace.
The property remained in the Royer family
estate until 1965 when the state fish commission bought it with plans to
build a fish hatchery. In 1985, the Blair County Historical Society bought
the home and eight surrounding acres for $1.
Articles and photos courtesy of Gene Stewart, Arlington,
Va. stew@erols.com
JAMES G. KENNEDY Royer Mansion site manager
Email from James in the tidbits #
16 section
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