Clark, Sen. Joseph O., House
Why it's listed
Built in 1901 for banker and businessman Joseph Oscar Clark, this two-and-a-half-story wood house in Glen Campbell, Indiana County, is a Colonial Revival design with weatherboard siding, a sandstone foundation and a truncated hipped roof pierced by dormers on all sides. A wraparound veranda, later enclosed in multi-light sash around 1930 as a sunroom, shelters the south façade, which is centered on a Palladian window and a lunette in the pediment of the center gable. The interior keeps its central-passage plan, a carved walnut newel stair, original kitchen and pantry cabinetry, hardwood floors and cast iron radiators. Clark was a partner in several coal, lumber and oil companies, helped found the First National Bank of Glen Campbell, and was appointed to and later elected to the state senate. The house is regarded as the finest Colonial Revival example in the borough, and it is significant as a well-preserved rural interpretation of the style.
Significance in brief: The house is locally significant for architecture as a well-preserved example of Colonial Revival design in rural west-central Pennsylvania. The nomination states it retains integrity in all its composite qualities and is described in a 1984 survey as the finest example of the style in Glen Campbell. It is also associated with Joseph O. Clark, a state senator and coal and oil business leader of the community.
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 11000646, listed September 8, 2011. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 247 1st Ave., Glen Campbell Borough |
|---|---|
| County | Indiana County |
| Listed | September 8, 2011 |
| Reference number | 11000646 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1901-c. 1930 |
| Architectural style | Colonial Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | The house has been compatibly rehabilitated and retains its historic form, finishes and detail, with minor updating of bathrooms and the kitchen. |
| Acreage | 4.8 |
| Coordinates | 40.81695, -78.82648 (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 11000646.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7449886
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.