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The Watson-Curtze Mansion presents an
example of the upper class lifestyle of
the 1890s in Erie. This was a time when
Erie was nearing the peak of its industrial
development. The businessmen and industrialists
who took advantage of this era to accumulate
their fortunes enjoyed the privileges of
an elegant lifestyle.
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The
Mansion is listed on the National Register
of Historic Places. Located at
356 West Sixth Street, on "Millionaires'
Row"of the West Sixth Street Historic
District, it provides an opportunity to
view the architecture and craftsmanship
of stained glass windows, friezes, stone,
marble work and woodwork that went into
building this example of Richardsonian Romanesque
architecture. |
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Two
families occupied the Mansion before it
became a museum. The H. F. Watson family--Harrison
F. Watson, his wife Carrie Tracy Watson,
and their daughter Winifred, moved into
the house in 1891. |
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Watson was president of the H. F. Watson Paper
Company, which manufactured building, roofing,
and lining papers and materials, as well as
steam pipe and boiler packaging and coverings.
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In
1923, Winifred and her husband Ely Griswold
sold the house to Frederick Felix Curtze.
Mr. Curtze was president of the Erie Trust
Company, Heisler Locomotive Works, Union
Iron Works and the Keystone Fish Company.
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The
Curtzes lived in the house until Mr. Curtze
died, in 1941. After Mr. Curtze died, his
wife Caroline, son Frederick A. Curtze and
his wife Myrtle and daughter Louise Curtze
Wilkins gave the Mansion to the School District
of the City of Erie to be used as a museum.The
Museum Department of the Erie Public Library
moved into the Mansion, which became the
Erie Public Museum, and later the Erie Historical
Museum. On January 1, 2000, the Museum merged
with the Erie County Historical Society
to become the Erie County Historical Society. |
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History
of the
Watson-Curtze Mansion
The architectural style of the house is
known as Richardsonian Romanesque, named
after the famous architect Henry Hobson
Richardson. The firm of Green and Wicks,
Buffalo, New York designed the house in
1889. |
The
style is characterized by the use of massive
geometric shapes, straightforward treatment
of stone and broad roof planes. The overall
effect depends on mass volume and scale,
rather than decorative detailing.
The
mansion has 24 rooms, 17 closets, 5 bathrooms
and 12 fireplaces. Most of the rooms are
very different in design and style. Upon
close inspection many unusual building materials
and features can be found. There are mosaics
(inlaid patterns made of bits of stone,
glass or other material), friezes (hand-painted
oil paintings on canvas that are attached
to the upper portion of a wall) and stained
glass windows. |
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Heavily
applied decorative woodwork appears throughout
the house. Hardwood oak floors are found
in all the rooms. Even the decorative hinges,
door knobs and drawer pulls indicate the
high level of detail incorporated in the
building of the mansion. |
The
best information we have concerning how
the house was furnished comes from a 1918
appraisal done by the Fidelity Appraisal
Company for Mrs. Carrie Tracy Watson. This
inventory counted and appraised everything
from the basement to the attic. It listed
every piece of furniture in the house and
even counted the napkins in the linen closet.
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The
only photographs in the ECHS collection
that show how the interior was furnished
are of Winifred Watson's bedroom.
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