Milton, PA (1/9/2023)

Monday, January 9, 2023

A historic and architectural walking tour of Milton, PA, which was founded in 1791 by Andrew Straub, who also built a grist mill. The name Milton is a shortening of Milltown. The West Branch Canal arrived in 1830, providing access to major markets. Later railroads brought more industry to the area, due to its location on the Susquehanna River.

Most of the architecture dates after the Great Fire of 1880.

Former Reading Railroad Freight Station (c 1890)
at 2 Filbert Street, is now the Borough Municipal Building

Former Pennsylvania Railroad Passenger Station
(c 1885, in Queen Anne style) at 1 Filbert Street,
now houses the Milton Police Department

St Joseph's Catholic Church (1883, in Gothic Revival style)
at 109 Broadway Street

65 Broadway Street was a residence for
Dr U Q Davis, who fathered three more
generations of medical doctors 

Trompe l'oeil murals (c 2008, by Pamela J Snyder)
along Arch Street at Broadway

Capitol Theatre Mural (c 2009, by Pamela J Snyder)
at 49 Broadway Street

Former St John's United Church of Christ
(1895) at 18 Arch Street, is the rare church
with a second-story sanctuary

Home (1923) of the The Standard Journal newspaper,
at 21 Arch Street

Fonda Mansion (1891, by Guy King in
Richardsonian Romanesque style) at 60 Walnut Street

The carriage house of Fonda Mansion

First Presbyterian Church (1887, by
Joseph Nesbit in Gothic Revival style)
at 47 Walnut Street

First Presbyterian Church Manse (1883, in
Gothic Revival style with Italianate details)
at 65 Walnut Street (photo by Google Maps)

Christ Episcopal Church (1849) at
21 Upper Market Street, was the only
existing church to survive the fire in 1880

George S Shimer House (in Queen Anne style)
at 216 North Front Street

Samuel J Shimer House (1890, in Queen Anne style)
at 228 North Front Street

Elmer Shimer House (1890, in Queen Anne style)
at 246 North Front Street

George and Elmer were sons of Samuel J Shimer, a lumberman and leading industrialist in Milton.

Townhouses at 243-241 North Front Street

Redneck Windchime at 243 North Front Street

Hull House (c 1863, in Colonial Revival style)
at 213 North Front Street,
was raised from street level after a flood

Murray House (1883, in Gothic Revival style with
Italianate elements) 201 North Front Street

Masonic Temple (1929, in Neoclassical style) at
117 North Front Street, was constructed with concrete

Former Hotel Milton (1895, in Queen Anne style)
at 101 North Front Street

Kent with a gargoyle water drain
at 101 North Front Street

McCleery Mansion at 45 North Front Street

Chapin House (1890s, in Colonial Revival style with
Queen Anne embellishments) at 50 North Front Street

US Post Office (1935, by the WPA in Art Deco style)
at 43 North Front Street

Entrance to the post office with a bronze
panel depicting an eagle below a
representation of the Susquehanna River

Bas reliefs of indigenous people and
modes of transportation

The post office interior has brushed aluminum
light fixtures and a terrazzo floor

Wilson House (1887, in Queen Anne style)
at 28 North Front Street

Unusual building at 15 North Front Street

Lincoln Park on Front Street

Odd Fellows Building (1892, as a post office
in Italianate style) at 12 South Front Street

Former First National Bank (1924, in Greek Revival style)
at 14 South Front Street

14 South Front Street has bas relief carvings of angels
(although they are often mistaken for soldiers)

Former Milton National Bank
(1920, in Neoclassical style)
at 23 South Front Street

Former J F Gauger Tailor Shop (c 1880,
in Neoclassical style with Italianate features)
at 36 South Front Street, was the first
commercial shop built after the 1880 fire

Mural: It's Not Where You (?), It's Where You're Going
(by JMikal Davis) at 45 South Front Street

Former Dreifuss Men's Store (1880s, in Gothic Revival style
with Italianate details) at 45 South Front Street

Cinn-ful of Treats Mural (by Chuck Webster)
at 54 South Front Street

Former Milton Trust and Safe Deposit
Company (1888, in Neoclassical style)
at 51 South Front Street

Bethany United Methodist Church (1880s,
in Gothic Revival style) at 107 South Front Street

Former Milton Water Company Building (1890, in
commercial Queen Anne style) at 114 South Front Street

Swartz Building (1881, with a marble veneer)
at 32-36 Broadway Street

Former Broadway House Hotel (1880s, in Italianate style)
at 46 Broadway Street, is now the YMCA

Elks Building (c 1890, in asymmetrical French Eclectic
style) at 48 Broadway Street

Chamberlin House (1863, in Second Empire style)
at 700 North Front Street, was constructed with
lumber cut to resemble ashlar blocks

Clinger House (1850s, in Italianate style) at
500 North Front Street, is the only home in Milton
with an intact cupola

Hetherington House (1804, in Federal style) at
355 South Front Street, was used as a stop
on the Underground Railroad

Cameron House (1842, brick addition 1860,
in Federal style) at 5340 PA-405, is now the home
of the Milton Historical Society