Irvin-Patchin House
Why it's listed
Built around 1850 of brick made on the property, the two and one half story house in Burnside stands across from a mill once operated by the Irvin family, who were among the area's earliest settlers. Its cross-gable roof, heavy boxed cornices, and symmetrical Federal-style door and window placement with stained glass sidelights reflect a design that persisted in outlying Pennsylvania into the 1850s. A rear three story flat-roofed tower in the Italian Villa manner was added to give the building the asymmetrical picturesque look popular in the mid nineteenth century. Around 1900 a Victorian porch with ornamental brackets was added across the front and side. The house is regarded as a unique element of the Burnside townscape. Timber for the house came from Patchin family lands. Horace Patchin acquired the property in 1870, and his son John Henry Patchin owned it from 1880, serving in the General Assembly from Clearfield County in 1895 and 1896 and operating the Burnside Roller Mills.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the house is a fine example of blended Federal, Italianate and Victorian architecture, with Federal massing and detailing persisting in an outlying area as late as the 1850s alongside a rear Italian Villa style tower. It also cites the use of timber from Patchin lands and bricks made on the premises, and its links to early settlers, the milling trade, and John Henry Patchin, a state assemblyman and horse breeder. It is described as a unique element of the Burnside townscape.
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 79002209, listed June 19, 1979. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | Main St., Burnside |
|---|---|
| County | Clearfield County |
| Listed | June 19, 1979 |
| Reference number | 79002209 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | c.1850 |
| Architectural style | Federal, Italianate and Victorian blend |
| Areas of significance | Exploration/Settlement, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | The interior is described as in excellent condition and retaining most original features. |
| Acreage | 8.3 |
| Coordinates | 40.81612, -78.78828 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
National Register listing is honorary for a privately owned home: it does not by itself restrict what an owner may do with their own money, and it does not require public access. Restrictions come from local landmark or historic-district ordinances, which are separate (how they differ).
Owner-occupied houses are not eligible for the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit, which applies to income-producing buildings, but many states offer credits for homeowners. Listing also opens the door to preservation easements and to buying a plaque. Start with what listing means for homeowners, renovating a listed house and selling one.
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 79002209.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q15228821
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.