Sturgeon House
Why it's listed
Built around 1838 by Samuel C. Sturgeon in Fairview, Erie County, the house has a salt box roof, a recessed side porch and an asymmetric plan. Its stone foundations support heavy timber sills and log-form beams, and its exterior is clad in tapered wood lap siding. The four-member wood cornice, with its frieze and beaded corner boards, follows the Federal Style, as do the front door frame with its entablature and pilasters. The parlor is the only room with elegant trim, including fluted architrave and bullseye turnings. The house is regarded as rare in northwestern Pennsylvania for its form and proportions. It remained in the Sturgeon family until 1979, when it was sold to the Fairview Area Historical Society. The family were early settlers of the region, who had acquired land in 1797, founded the settlement of Sturgeonville and farmed the area. The house's original fireplace served as the cooking center before a southern kitchen wing was added, probably in the early 1850s.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the house is architecturally rare in northwestern Pennsylvania, owing to its asymmetric form, simple proportions, salt box roof and Federal Style cornice and front door frame. It is also tied to the Sturgeon family, early settlers of the Fairview area who farmed the land and operated coach stops and taverns.
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 80003490, listed December 10, 1980. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 102 S. Garwood St., Fairview |
|---|---|
| County | Erie County |
| Listed | December 10, 1980 |
| Reference number | 80003490 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | c. 1838 |
| Architect / builder | Samuel C. Sturgeon |
| Architectural style | Federal Style |
| Areas of significance | Exploration/Settlement |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | The house was sold to the Fairview Area Historical Society in 1979; the nomination describes planned restoration of the original fireplace and replacement of the roofing. |
| Acreage | 0.4 |
| Coordinates | 42.02841, -80.25398 (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 80003490.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q2359253
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.