Kurtz, T. M., House
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Why it's listed
Built in 1904 on Mahoning Street in Punxsutawney, the three-story brick house was designed in the Colonial Revival style by architect Henry C. Park and constructed by local master builder McKean Harl. Its features include a semi-elliptical entry with art glass, bow-front bays flanking the facade, a porte-cochere, and a stair hall with an open double-run stair and oak wainscoting. It contains more than fifty art glass windows and original fireplaces with tile-fronted mantels. The house was built for Theodore M. Kurtz, a local businessman who ran coal operations and newspaper interests and later served in the Pennsylvania Senate for eight years. He lived there for forty-one years. The house is regarded as one of the county's earliest and most intact examples of the Colonial Revival style in a community where Victorian architecture predominated, and as a work by a notable regional architect whose practice included several public buildings.
Significance in brief: The house is nominated for its association with Theodore M. Kurtz, a local businessman and state senator, and as an outstanding local example of Colonial Revival architecture. It is attributed to architect Henry C. Park and builder McKean Harl, and is described as one of the town's most faithfully preserved turn-of-the-century residences.
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 88001158, listed July 28, 1988. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 312 W. Mahoning St., Punxsutawney |
|---|---|
| County | Jefferson County |
| Listed | July 28, 1988 |
| Reference number | 88001158 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1904-1938 |
| Architect / builder | Park, H. C. (architect); Harl, McKean (builder) |
| Architectural style | Colonial Revival |
| Criteria |
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| Areas of significance | Commerce, Politics/Government, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | The document describes the house as well preserved and little changed, with the loss of the veranda and porte-cochere balustrades and some moulded plaster ceilings noted. It does not state current occupancy. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 40.94310, -78.97264 (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 88001158.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7668493
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.