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Centre Daily Times February 15 2005
On the Town: Bellefonte is a blend of many styles
By Helen Bechdel; For the CDT
"If houses could talk, the Ficarro houses in the 400 block of West High Street would speak with a whisper, not a shout. Their quiet elegance evokes an earlier Bellefonte influenced by the Federalist style. Sunrise fan sashes extend over paneled doors flanked by sidelights. Hidden in plain sight, these symmetrical structures stand as reminders of the rich diversity of the town's architecture. Attention is being paid to these houses in the current issue of the borough newsletter because of their proximity to the waterfront, now in the process of revitalization. Research reveals that the houses were built by carpenter George Williams and mason Hudson Williams, probably in the 1830s to 1840s. The newsletter refers to them now as the Williams houses. Many people worked long and hard to establish the Victorian Bellefonte Historic District, an effort that has paid off in marketing ventures and increased tourism. The celebration of Victorian architecture reaches a high point during the Christmas home tour, which each year draws hundreds of visitors to town. But not all Bellefonte buildings are Victorian. Some are much older and reflect earlier architectural styles. The block of West High Street from the northeast corner of Spring Street up toward the courthouse is dominated by late-18th-century Georgian homes, including the Dunlop House, built in 1795. Another example of the Georgian streetscape of early Bellefonte is the row of houses on West Bishop Street, one of them a half-bay rather than the typical Georgian five-bay or five-section house. The Linn House on North Allegheny, built in 1810, now the home of the Bellefonte Museum, is another half-bay. The Centre County Library and Historical Museum, built in 1815 in the Georgian style, was remodeled in 1895 with classical detailing. The courthouse, originally constructed in the Georgian style, was later transformed with columns and a portico in the Greek Revival style. And with the Academy fire last summer, the town lost the other outstanding example of Greek Revival architecture. Besides these older styles, Bellefonte has a mostly undocumented treasure trove of 20th century homes. Tudors, Cape Cods, bungalows, Dutch Colonials, and even that icon of the American post-war period, the sprawling ranch house, will some day come into their own. What is unique here is not the importance of one style over another but the compatibility of different styles. One thing is certain: Bellefonte will never be known as a "cookie cutter" town."
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