History of our Organization
The Cambria County Historical Society was officially founded in 1925 by John McCormick, Mrs. Nevada Sherbine, M.S. Bentz, Sarah M. Gallaher, J.M. Young, and Ivan J. McKenrick. Until we purchased our first permanent location in 1975 we had displays in many public offices throughout Ebensburg. Upon purchase of our fist building we became a stand alone museum and research library. It was the Jeff Evans house located on West High Street. In 1990 is when we purchased and moved into the A.W. Buck home, our current location.
The A.W. Buck House
Built in 1889 the A. W. Buck house is one of the great mansions of Ebensburg. It was built by Anicetus William Buck and his wife Hattie. Buck was a banker who was originally from Carrolltown. He was taken from school at a young age to become one of the youngest bank cashiers in Pennsylvania. Buck would work his way up to a bank partner at, what would be named, “Johnston, Buck and Co. Bank” in Ebensburg. He would later open the First National Bank in Ebensburg, Carrolltown, and Hastings.
One of the most interesting facts about this house is that it was a catalogue house. Meaning, Buck purchased the blue prints and some of the pieces (i.e. fireplace mantels, staircase) from a catalogue and had it shipped here to be built.
Buck would later give a testimony to the quality of this house for the Shoppell’s Modern Houses Catalogue
” I take very great pleasure in assuring you that I am more than pleased with my house, and further have to assure you that your treatment has, in every way, been entirely satisfactory and business like. The house I built, while not the most expensive, is considered by far the handsomest in our town, and excites the admiration and praise of our people, all of which I attribute to your excellent skill. You are at perfect liberty yo refer to me as often as you see proper. Yours very truly, A.W. Buck.” – November 27th 1889
In the Spring of 1889 is when construction started on this beautiful home. Below is an etching from Cambria County’s 1890 Atlas.
Below is a photograph taken shortly after the home was built
In 1903 an addition was built as a ballroom for their daughter’s wedding. Blanche Buck Married Leo McKenrick in on January 8th 1903. Below shows the turret as part of the addition.
Sadly we have no interior photographs from this time.
In 1918 A.W. Buck passed away and his wife, Hattie, was living in this house alone. She sectioned off part of the property and built a house right next door. She moved into that home and sold this original mansion to the Johnstown/Altoona Diocese. It became a convent for the Sisters of Saint Joseph, they moved in in 1924.
The house served as a convent from 1924 until 1990 when it was sold to the Cambria County Historical Society. We operated in the building “as is” until 2000 when we received a grant to fix up the building and bring back its original charm. We are still constantly making updates and refurbishing parts of our building. Most recently we had two of our chimneys rebuilt, our second floor balcony refurbished to original condition, and an asphalt driveway poured. It is through your donations and support we are able to continue maintaining this beautiful historic home!
