Historic Residences in Catasauqua, Pa

Catasauqua Residences

By 1900, Catasauqua had become the home of many successful industrialists involved in iron smelting, foundries, metal working, cement production, silk and velvet mills, etc. It was the penchant of these successful men to build pretentious homes that signified their wealth. Many of these magnificent homes still stand in Catasauqua, although almost all have been converted to apartment houses -- and appurtenances such as garages and smaller homes have been constructed on their magnificent grounds.

In April 1984 this area of Catasauqua was nominated for the National Register of Historic Places. A text version of this document, with minor modifications, is available here.

Below is a collection of photographs, many from the 1900 time period, which display the grandeur that composed the residential portion of the town in that era. Many of the early photographs are found in the real estate brochure Greater Catasauqua, published by the Lackawanna Land Co., ca. 1903.

Street map of Catasauqua showing the area occupied by historic homes.

Fifth Street

C. R. Horn House – 5^th & Walnut

Fifth St. on left looking toward North Catasauqua. Photo from Greater Catasauqua.

Charles Robert Horn was a business man involved in banking, real estate and fabrics. He was burgess of Catasauqua from 1894 – 1897. He married Blanche Thomas, granddaughter of Hopkin Thomas. House built in 1880.

5^th & Walnut, Horn house at corner. Walnut looking east on the right. Photo from Lambert & Reinhard, 1914.

Frank J. Fatzinger House – 5^Th & Walnut, East side

Facing the C. R. Horn house. Photo from Walking Tour

Frank Fatzinger was a partner in the F. W. Wint & Co. lumber yard. House built in 1914.

H. J. Seaman House – 5^th & Pine

Pine Street on left, Fifth St. on right. Photo from Greater Catasauqua.

Henry J. Seaman, originally a chemist at the Crane Iron Works, became General Manager of the Atlas Portland Cement Co. of Northampton – one of the largest cement companies in the world at that time. The house was built in 1898.

Postcard, 5^th & Pine– looking west down Pine Street.

Seaman House – recent photo (ca. 2000)

William R. Thomas Jr. 5^th & Pine Sts. (502 Pine St.)

Postcard 5^th & Pine – 5th looking north on left

Current view – 502 Pine St. – photo from Walking Tour

William R. (Butch) Thomas was a grandson of Hopkin Thomas. He was President and General Manager of the Wahnetah Silk Mill. This house built in 1905 by George Davies Jr., son of George Davies, and the Thomas moved in prior to 1910.

George Dery House – 520 Fifth St.

Photo from Greater Catasauqua.

D. George Dery established the Dery Silk Mill in Catasauqua and had interests in other silk mills in the northeast. Extensive gardens and green houses were part of the site. Originally built in 1901, the house was greatly expanded in 1917.

Photo from Lambert & Reinhard, 1914.

Dery house decorated for Old Home Week, 1914. Photo from Catasauqua & North Catasauqua, Martha Capwell Fox.

The Dery house was expanded in 1917. Pine St. on right. Courtesy Fox, Catasauqua & North Catasauqua

5th St. in front. The house now contained a ballroom, art gallery and a swimming pool. Burkhart & Gemmel, 1992

Dery House – Recent photo – ca. 2000

Fourth Street

William Weir McKee House – 4^th & Pine (605 4^th St.)

Photo from Greater Catasauqua.

William W. McKee was President of the McKee Fuller Co., manufacturers of railroad car, wheels and axles. He was married to Ruth Thomas, granddaughter of Hopkin Thomas. The house was a wedding gift from Ruth’s father, James Thomas who lived at 545 Fourth St. House built 1891.

McKee House ca. 1950

McKee house undergoing restoration, ca. 2004

James Thomas Residence – 4^th & Pine (545 4^th St.)

545 4^th St. Photo from Greater Catasauqua.

James Thomas was President of the Davies & Thomas Co. – a large foundry located in Catasauqua. James was the son of Hopkin Thomas. He was also president of the Wahneta Silk Company and was involved in numerous other business activities. The estate covered half the block between Pine and Bridge Sts - eastern side. The house was built in 1901 - James and family moved from Second and Linden Sts. to thier new house on 9/17/1901.. Thomas died in 1906 at which time wife Mary Ann had a smaller house built at 510 Walnut St.

545 4^th in Lambert & Reinhard, 1914. Residence identified as that of Grace Williams Koehler. Later it was owned by Pelham and Grace Harding – Source 1929-30 Catasauqua City Directory.

Postcard ca 1900. 545 4^th is on the left – view is from Pine St. toward Bridge St.

Somewhat later postcard – utility poles have been erected.

E. D. Boyer & F. M. Horn Residences – 4^th & Pine Sts.

Southwest corner of 4^th & Pine Sts. Photo from Greater Catasauqua.

Frank Horn was President of the National Bank of Catasauqua; Edward Boyer was a pharmacist. The house was built by John Williams for his two daughters – spouses of Horn and Boyer – in the year 1885.

Southwest corner of 4^th & Pine Sts., but looking north. Photo from Lambert & Reinhard, 1914.

Recent view - Photo from Walking Tour

John T. Williams, Jr. Residence – 540 Fourth St.

#540 4^th St. Photo ca. 2010

John T. Williams was the son of John Williams Sr. of Bridge St. who built this house and the neighboring double house at 4th & Pine for his children. The residence remained in the Williams family until purchased by Ralph and Mame Weaver in 1927. The Weaver ownership lasted until the late 1950s.

Joseph Sketchley Elverson Residence – 533 Fourth St.

No early photo is available. Pen & ink sketch from Catasauqua, North Catasauqua, A Profile of the Burroughs

Joseph Elverson was a chemist with the Lehigh Car Wheel and Axle Works. The house was built by James Fuller Jr., for his daughter, Maude, Elverson’s spouse. Fuller and his wife Catherine Maria Thomas, Hopkin Thomas’ daughter, lived next door in an even more pretentious home—see below.

Elverson House – recent photo ca. 2008

Seaman – Chapman House - 534 Fourth St.