Knickerbocker Historic District
Why it's listed
Rowhouses built between 1904 and about 1930 form the Knickerbocker Historic District in southeastern Altoona, Blair County. Two-story brick units with paired entrances, pressed metal cornices, semi-octagonal bay windows and stained glass transoms line Burgoon Road and 4th, 5th and 6th Avenues. The Knickerbocker Hotel, completed around 1906, anchors the group at the junction of Burgoon Road and 6th Avenue, where a curved commercial block carries the name and the date 1904 on its parapet. The Knickerbocker Contracting Company, of Philadelphia, built the rows, which were planned for rental housing near the Pennsylvania Railroad South Altoona shops. Most early residents worked for the railroad. The district is regarded as Altoona's largest and most stylized rowhouse complex, and it is the only place in the city where whole blocks consist of planned rowhouses. Its design reflects the transition from Italianate to Neo-Classical Revival styling in working-class housing of the period.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the district is significant under Criterion C for architecture, as a planned rowhouse complex combining Italianate and Neo-Classical Revival influences. It is described as the largest and most stylized rowhouse complex in Altoona and the only area where entire city blocks hold planned rowhouse units. Its development was tied to the nearby Pennsylvania Railroad South Altoona shops and foundry.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 02000064, listed February 20, 2002. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 4th, 5th and 6th Aves., Burgoon Rd., 40th and 41sts., Altoona |
|---|---|
| County | Blair County |
| Listed | February 20, 2002 |
| Reference number | 02000064 |
| Resource type | District |
| Period of significance | 1904-ca. 1930 |
| Architect / builder | Knickerbocker Contracting Company |
| Architectural style | Late 19th and 20th Century Revivals; Colonial Revival and Neoclassical detailing |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Deterioration followed the decline of the railroad; a neighborhood improvement effort was begun in 1997 and the district is said to retain integrity. |
| Acreage | 13.5 |
| Coordinates | 40.48794, -78.41343 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
This is a historic district. Buildings within its boundary are either contributing (they add to the district's significance) or non-contributing. Owners of contributing income-producing buildings can claim the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit; homeowners should look at state credits. National Register districts impose no design review by themselves; a local historic district ordinance, if one exists, does (the difference explained).
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 02000064.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q6422053
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.