Pennsylvania’s historic mansions capture the state’s rich cultural and architectural heritage. Among them, Lynnewood Hall in Elkins Park stands out as a Gilded Age powerhouse. Built in 1897 by industrialist Peter A.B. Widener and designed by Horace Trumbauer, this 110-room Neoclassical giant represents a period when architecture was as much about statement as shelter, with grand ballrooms and finishes that showcased industrial wealth. On the other end of the spectrum is Fallingwater in Mill Run, Frank Lloyd Wright’s 1935 masterpiece of modernist design. Commissioned by the Kaufmann family, its cantilevered structure integrates seamlessly into the surrounding landscape, hovering over Bear Run in a perfect balance of architecture and nature. It’s a bold departure from Pennsylvania’s more traditional estates, reflecting the 20th century’s shift toward innovation. These homes, though vastly different in style and purpose, tell a shared story of how architecture in Pennsylvania has been shaped by changing ideals, from Gilded Age grandeur to organic modernism.
15. John Harris-Simon Cameron Mansion – Harrisburg
The John Harris-Simon Cameron Mansion in Harrisburg is a layered reflection of Pennsylvania’s evolving history. Built in 1766 as a Federal-style home for John Harris Jr., the city’s founder, it was later expanded in the 19th century by Simon Cameron, Lincoln’s Secretary of War, who added ornate Italianate features to suit his political stature. The result is a house that bridges colonial simplicity and Victorian flourish. Its thick stone walls and symmetrical windows speak to its 18th-century roots, while the decorative brackets, tower, and embellished cornices were added later. As a political hub during Cameron’s tenure, the mansion hosted figures shaping the Civil War era, infusing its stately rooms with historical weight. Sitting on a bluff overlooking the Susquehanna River, the house is a rare survivor of Harrisburg’s early architecture, doubling as a museum that captures the intersection of local history and national events.
14. Hope Lodge – Fort Washington
Hope Lodge stands as a prime example of mid-18th-century Georgian architecture, showcasing a practical yet stately style that was all the rage among the colonial elite. Built around 1743 by Samuel Morris, a Quaker merchant, the house later gained prominence under the ownership of William West, a British loyalist who fled the property during the Revolutionary War, leaving it to serve as a temporary military headquarters. In this house, history literally unfolded room by room. Situated on a hill overlooking Wissahickon Creek, it features a symmetrical façade, complete with stone construction and a well-proportioned central pedimen. Inside, its paneled walls, high ceilings, and generous hearths paint a portrait of colonial affluence. During the Revolution, Hope Lodge played host to both sides of the conflict. It provided quarters for Continental soldiers during the 1777 Battle of Whitemarsh and stood witness to the chaos. Later, it returned to being a quiet country estate before becoming a museum in the 20th century.
13. Fonthill Castle – Doylestown
Fonthill Castle in Doylestown is part mansion, part experiment, and entirely unlike anything else in Pennsylvania. Built between 1908 and 1912 by archaeologist and tile-maker Henry Chapman Mercer, it’s a concrete labyrinth of Gothic, Byzantine, and medieval influences. Mercer rejected symmetry and convention, creating a home that feels like a three-dimensional sketchbook. The castle’s sprawling design features 44 rooms, 18 fireplaces, and over 200 windows, each irregular in shape and placement. Mercer’s handcrafted tiles cover the walls, ceilings, and floors. The materials and techniques — concrete poured on-site without steel reinforcement — were Mercer’s answer to the industrial age’s mechanized procedures. Fonthill can be see as a statement about creativity in a mass-production world. The surrounding grounds, integrated with Mercer’s Moravian Pottery and Tile Works, expand the estate’s artistic reach.
12. Ebenezer Maxwell Mansion – Philadelphia
The Ebenezer Maxwell Mansion in Philadelphia is a textbook study in Victorian eclecticism, combining Gothic Revival and Italianate styles. Ebenezer Maxwell, a textile merchant, built the three-story stone mansion in 1859 in the rising neighborhood of Germantown. The exterior features pointed arches, steep gables, and ornamental woodwork, while the bracketed eaves and wide bay windows add Italianate design. The interior continues Victorian elements with period furniture, intricate plasterwork, and warm wood paneling. Maxwell’s fortunes didn’t last, but the mansion remained a fixture, witnessing Germantown’s evolution from a wealthy enclave to an urban neighborhood.
11. Highlands Mansion – Fort Washington
The Highlands Mansion in Fort Washington, Pennsylvania, is a refined example of late 18th-century Georgian architecture. Built in 1796 by Philadelphia lawyer and politician Anthony Morris, the estate is situated on a lush 44-acre property. The house’s balanced facade features stone construction, a central entrance framed by classical columns, and large, evenly spaced windows that flood the interior with light. The interior features high ceilings, wood-paneled walls, and carved moldings. The grand entrance hall sets the tone, leading to a series of formal rooms designed for entertaining. The surrounding landscape includes terraced gardens and wooded paths, echoing the Georgian focus on harmony between architecture and nature. Later owners added layers of Victorian detail, but the core of the house remains a prime example of Federal-era elegance.
10. Frick Mansion (Clayton) – Pittsburgh
The Frick Mansion, known as Clayton, in Pittsburgh is a snapshot of Gilded Age refinement and the lifestyle of industrial titans. Built in the 1870s and remodeled in 1891 by industrialist Henry Clay Frick, the structure reflects Victorian sensibilities with a blend of Queen Anne and Romanesque Revival elements. The exterior features a stone facade softened by decorative woodwork, wraparound porches, and stained-glass windows. Inside, the mansion offers a mix of opulence and domesticity. High ceilings, elaborate wood paneling, and period furnishings fill 23 rooms, each meticulously restored to reflect the Frick family’s era. Clayton sits within a 5.5-acre estate that also includes a greenhouse, carriage house, and formal gardens. Now part of The Frick Pittsburgh museum complex, the mansion serves as a cultural and architectural record of a family that helped shape the steel-driven economy.
9. Andalusia – Bensalem
Andalusia in Bensalem, Pennsylvania, is a masterclass in Greek Revival architecture. Built in 1797 and expanded in the 1830s for Nicholas Biddle, the influential president of the Second Bank of the United States, the estate is located along the Delaware River. The mansion’s most iconic feature is its grand portico, supported by massive Doric columns. The symmetry of the facade, clean lines, and stonework are all hallmarks of the Greek Revival movement. Inside, the rooms are spacious and dignified, with high ceilings and decorative plasterwork. The estate also includes lush gardens and a conservatory, designed to blend the natural world with the structured beauty of the house itself. Andalusia was a cultural hub where Biddle hosted politicians, artists, and thinkers of his time.
8. Grey Towers – Milford
Grey Towers in Milford, Pennsylvania, is where Gothic Revival architecture meets environmental legacy. Built in 1886 for James Pinchot, a wealthy wallpaper magnate, the stone manor later became the home of his son Gifford Pinchot, the first chief of the U.S. Forest Service and a two-term governor of Pennsylvania. The mansion’s turrets, steep gables, and pointed windows evoke a medieval vibe, but the interior softens the look with wood-paneled rooms and grand fireplaces. The surrounding grounds, designed by landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted, reflect Gifford’s environmental ethos, blending formal gardens with naturalistic plantings. Grey Towers was a hub for political and environmental discussions. The Forest Conservation Movement gained traction here, with the estate serving as a physical representation of Pinchot’s belief in harmony between development and nature.
7. Woodmont – Gladwyne
Sitting atop 72 acres of Montgomery County’s highest ground, Woodmont is a French Gothic chateau with a commanding view of the Schuylkill Valley. Designed in 1891 by architect William Lightfoot Price for steel magnate Alan Wood Jr., the estate cost a then-staggering $1 million, or roughly $38 million in contemporary dollars. The mansion’s design, inspired by the Biltmore Estate in North Carolina, features local stone with limestone trimmings and boasts sweeping views that stretch up to 20 miles. Woodmont was a working estate, complete with stables, greenhouses, and dairy barns. At its height, it spanned over 400 acres. After Alan Wood Jr.’s death in 1902, his nephew Richard G. Wood lived there and began subdividing the land, with portions sold off to the Philadelphia Country Club. In 1953, the estate took on a new identity as the headquarters for the International Peace Mission movement, led by Father Divine. Renovated and preserved by his followers, the mansion remains a shrine to his life and work.
6. Cairnwood Estate – Bryn Athyn
Cairnwood Estate in Bryn Athyn is the epitome of late 19th-century grandeur. Designed in 1895 by Gilded Age architect Carrère and Hastings — best known for the New York Public Library — it was commissioned by John Pitcairn, the industrialist behind Pittsburgh Plate Glass (now PPG Industries). Built for a princely $250,000 (equivalent to over $9 million today), the Beaux-Arts mansion sprawls over 26,000 square feet of limestone, brick, and terra cotta. Situated on a lush 274-acre estate, its formal gardens, carriage house, and service buildings were meticulously designed to complement the main house. The interior features intricate woodwork, custom mosaics, and vast rooms designed for entertaining. The estate is also part of the religiously significant Bryn Athyn Historic District. Pitcairn, a devout Swedenborgian, intended the estate to reflect both worldly success and spiritual dedication. It sits near the Bryn Athyn Cathedral and Glencairn Museum, built by his family.
5. Woodford Mansion – Fairmount Park
Woodford Mansion stands as a solid example of Georgian architecture, built in 1756 by William Coleman, a prominent merchant and close friend of Benjamin Franklin. Originally a summer retreat, it was located far enough from Philadelphia’s bustling port to offer tranquility but close enough to remain connected to the city’s social and economic life. The red-brick façade is all about symmetry, with balanced windows, a central doorway framed by pilasters, and a pediment. The interiors feature original wood paneling and detailed craftsmanship. In the mid-19th century, the mansion became part of Fairmount Park, one of several historic homes preserved to protect the watershed around the Schuylkill River. Woodford now houses an exceptional collection of American antiques, thanks to the efforts of collector Naomi Wood, who ensured that the house didn’t just survive but maintained its historical character.
4. Mount Pleasant – Fairmount Park
Mount Pleasant, set dramatically above the Schuylkill River, is a Georgian masterpiece. Built in 1761–62 by the colorful John Macpherson and his wife Margaret, the estate was dubbed “Clunie,” honoring the Scottish clan seat of its privateer owner. Macpherson, whose exploits left him with “an arm twice shot off,” as noted by John Adams, infused the estate with his outsized personality. Architect Thomas Nevell, who trained under the legendary Edmund Woolley of Independence Hall fame, brought colonial elegance to life in every brick and carving. The symmetrical façade is adorned with Doric columns, a pedimented entrance, and a roofline capped by a balustrade, dormers, and twin chimneys. Flanking pavilions house a summer kitchen and office, blending utility with design. Inside, original paneling and ornamental carvings frame spaces brimming with period furniture, much of it crafted by renowned artisans like Martin Jugiez. Benedict Arnold purchased the estate in 1779 as a gift for his wife, Peggy Shippen, though financial troubles forced a quick sale. Later, Jonathan Williams, Benjamin Franklin’s grandnephew, called it home before the estate passed to Fairmount Park. Restored in 1926, Mount Pleasant stands as a testament to Georgian grandeur and Philadelphia’s layered history.
3. Strawberry Mansion – Philadelphia
Built in 1789 for Judge William Lewis, a prominent abolitionist and legal reformer, Strawberry Mansion reflects the Federal style of architecture with its clean lines, tall windows, and perfectly balanced proportions. The house gets its name from strawberry fields that were nearby in the 19th century. By then, the house had evolved, gaining Greek Revival columns that added a touch of classical gravitas to its straightforward Federal roots. Strawberry Mansion transitioned from a private home to a public treasure when it became part of Fairmount Park’s historic preservation efforts. Restored in the early 20th century, it now offers a glimpse into both its late 18th-century origins and the layers of history that followed. Its interiors feature period furniture and artifacts, a nod to the lives of the people who shaped the city’s history.
2. Lynnewood Hall – Elkins Park
Lynnewood Hall in Elkins Park, Pennsylvania, is a massive Neoclassical mansion designed by Horace Trumbauer and completed in 1900 for industrialist Peter A.B. Widener. Spanning 110 rooms, the limestone structure exemplifies the scale and precision of Gilded Age architecture. The facade is defined by its symmetrical design and restrained elegance, with a central portico supported by Corinthian columns that frame the main entrance. The interior features marble floors, gilded details, and expansive spaces, including a ballroom and art galleries. The mansion’s layout reflects a balance of functionality and formality, with private quarters separated from public entertaining areas. Set on 33 acres, the estate includes formal gardens, reflecting pools, and carriage houses, all integrated into the overall design. Lynnewood Hall was built to house Widener’s extensive art collection and to serve as a hub for social gatherings.
1. Fallingwater – Mill Run
Built in 1935 for Pittsburgh department store magnate Edgar J. Kaufmann, Frank Lloyd Wright’s masterpiece of organic architecture hovers over a cascading waterfall in the Laurel Highlands. Wright’s goal was to harmonize the structure with its environment, blurring the line between built and natural worlds. The house’s dramatic cantilevers extend over Bear Run Creek, giving the impression that the residence emerges organically from the rocky landscape. Wright used locally quarried sandstone and reinforced concrete to anchor the design, while ribbons of horizontal windows invite the forest inside. The interior spaces, with built-in furnishings and warm earth tones, emphasize function, though the effect is anything but austere. Fallingwater is more than architecture — it’s philosophy rendered in stone and glass. The home symbolizes a shift in American design toward modernism, a rebellion against traditional styles and fussy ornamentation. Declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Fallingwater captures the spirit of innovation, seamlessly integrating human shelter with the raw power of nature.
