Pardee, Israel Platt, Mansion
Why it's listed
Built in 1893 on a corner lot in Hazelton, the Israel Platt Pardee Mansion is a 19-room Queen Anne clapboard Victorian designed by the pattern-book architect George W. Barber. Its features include a wrap-around porch, a corner turret, fish scale siding on the upper walls, a red cedar shingle roof, and an oak-floored interior with carved fireplaces, built-in oak bookcases, and stained glass windows. A separate carriage house originally housed a caretaker. Pardee was the son of Ario Pardee, who founded Hazelton and its coal firm, and he returned to the city in 1893 after working as a mining engineer and ironworks superintendent in New Jersey. He was a generous benefactor of Lafayette College, served as its president from 1914 to 1925, and led the Hazelton National Bank. The house is valued as an intact example of its style and as the last Pardee family mansion remaining in the city.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the mansion is a fine, intact example of the Queen Anne style, designed by pattern-book architect George W. Barber. It is tied to the Pardee family, whose founder Ario Pardee founded Hazelton and its coal firm, and to Israel P. Pardee's philanthropy toward Lafayette College and his local banking role. It is described as the only remaining Pardee family mansion in Hazelton.
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 84003487, listed January 12, 1984. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 235 N. Laurel St. and 28 Aspen St., Hazleton |
|---|---|
| County | Luzerne County |
| Listed | January 12, 1984 |
| Reference number | 84003487 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1893 |
| Architect / builder | George W. Barber (architect) |
| Architectural style | Queen Anne |
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Social History |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Acreage | 0.3 |
| Coordinates | 40.96008, -75.97249 (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 84003487.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q15228891
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.