Pennsylvania Match Company
Also known as: Federal Match Corporation Factory; Universal Match Corporation Factory
Why it's listed
Brick factory buildings beside Spring Creek in Bellefonte, Pennsylvania, make up a complex of 18 connected structures built from 1899 onward. The Pennsylvania Match Company was organized in September 1899 by four Bellefonte businessmen, including Fountain W. Crider, and began production in February 1900. Architect Robert Cole designed the original buildings, which were one and two stories with slate roofs. The factory made strike-anywhere, parlor, safety and noiseless double-dip matches, and it was among the largest match factories in the country. In 1911 it became a corporation and adopted sesquisulfide of phosphorus in place of white phosphorus. Production ended on July 1, 1947, after peak employment of 400 in January of that year. The complex is significant for its role in Bellefonte's industrial history and its match manufacturing.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the complex is significant under Criterion A for industry as the site of a major match factory producing a specialized forest product. It is described as the only extant industrial complex in Bellefonte associated with the lumber industry, and it reflects the town's effort to diversify its lumber economy. Production ran from February 1900 to July 1947.
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 01000954, listed September 7, 2001. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 367 Phoenix Ave., Bellefonte |
|---|---|
| County | Centre County |
| Listed | September 7, 2001 |
| Reference number | 01000954 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1900-1947 |
| Architect / builder | Robert Cole (architect) |
| Architectural style | No Style |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Industry |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Production ceased in 1947; the complex was later used for a business office and material storage, and Bellefonte Borough purchased the property. No production machinery remains. |
| Acreage | 5.8 |
| Coordinates | 40.90922, -77.78634 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For an income-producing building, listing (individually or as a contributing building in a district) is the gateway to the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit on qualified rehabilitation costs, often stackable with state credits. Work claiming the credit must follow the Secretary of the Interior's Standards and be approved in advance.
Listing does not restrict a private owner acting without federal money or permits; where federal funding or licensing is involved, Section 106 review applies.
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 01000954.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7164006
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.