Dubois Historic District
Also known as: DuBois Commercial Historic District
Why it's listed
Centred on the intersection of Long Avenue and Brady Street in downtown DuBois, this district of about nine acres holds 59 buildings, 55 of them contributing. Most are brick commercial blocks, two and three stories high, many with sandstone facades and stained or prism glass transoms. A fire on July 18, 1888 destroyed 166 buildings in the central business district, and an ordinance then barred wood construction there. Most of the buildings date from the following two decades, with the majority built between 1890 and 1910. The district is significant for its ties to the commercial life of a town built on lumbering, railroading and coal. Its architecture displays Italianate, Queen Anne, Neo-Classical Revival, Colonial Revival and Tudor Revival styles. Local builders and architects, including Aaron Nelson Work, Bert C. Skinner and Russell G. Howard, are represented among its buildings.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the district reflects the commercial life of DuBois, which depended on lumbering, railroading and coal, as rebuilt after the 1888 fire. It also argues the district is a cohesive collection of late nineteenth and early twentieth century commercial buildings representing the popular styles of the period, including work by local builders and architects.
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 97001254, listed October 24, 1997. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | Roughly along N. and S. Brady Sts., and E. and W. Long Aves., DuBois |
|---|---|
| County | Clearfield County |
| Listed | October 24, 1997 |
| Reference number | 97001254 |
| Resource type | District |
| Period of significance | 1888-1947 |
| Architect / builder | Howard, Russell G.; Skinner, Bert C.; Work, Aaron Nelson; Cyphert, George V. |
| Architectural style | Italianate; Queen Anne; Neo-Classical Revival; Colonial Revival; Gothic Revival; Tudor Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Commerce |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | The majority of buildings are in good condition, some in excellent repair, and a small number in poor condition; storefront alterations and some demolition have occurred. |
| Acreage | 9 |
| Coordinates | 41.11998, -78.76324 (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 97001254.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5309981
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.