Miles-Humes House, also known as the Potter Home, is a historic home located at Bellefonte,

Centre County, Pennsylvania Centre County is a county in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. As of the 2020 census, the population was 158,172. Its county seat is Bellefonte. Centre County comprises the State College, PA Metropolitan Statistical Area. History The lands ...

. It currently serves as the Centre County Library & Historical Museum.

History

The Miles-Humes house was originally built circa 1814-1816National Register of Historic Places. Application for inclusion: Miles-Humes house. 1976. for Captain Joseph Miles, the co-founder of both

Milesburg, Pennsylvania Milesburg is a borough in Centre County, Pennsylvania. It is part of the State College, Pennsylvania Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 1,123 at the 2010 census. History Milesburg, as well as nearby Miles Township, was named afte ...

and the Centre Furnace Iron Works. He sold the house in 1830 to

William Wilson Potter William Wilson Potter (December 18, 1792 – October 28, 1839) was a member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Pennsylvania. William W. Potter was born at Potters Mills, Pennsylvania. He completed preparatory studies in Bellefonte, Penn ...

and his wife, Lucy, who continued to reside in the house after William's death in 1839. She lived in the house alone until she convinced her niece, Lucy Alexander, and nephew-in-law, Edward Humes, to move in with her.Montgomery, Dot. "Library will be a Stop on May 19 Homes Tour." ''Pennsylvania Mirror'' May 15, 1976. After Edward Humes' death in 1895, his children William Potter Humes and Ann Elmira Humes took up ownership of the house and decided to renovate it.Kerstetter, Rich. "Miles-Humes Building received a Big Lift." ''Centre Daily Times'' February 14, 2003. The Humes siblings remodeled the house extensively, including moving the entire house several feet from the street. The house stayed in the Humes family until Ann's death in 1934, when she donated the house for use as a public library.Montgomery, Dorothy. "Library 'house'--160 years old." ''Pennsylvania Mirror'' March 28, 1975. The house officially opened as the Centre County Library in 1939. In 1977, the main library collection moved across the street. The house continues to serve as a specialized local history and genealogical reference library known as the Pennsylvania Room on the first floor, a small local museum, and administrative offices for the library.Centre County Library and Historical Museum: History. http://www.centrecountylibrary.org/content/history Accessed November 22, 2011.

Architecture

The Miles-Humes House is a -story, five bay rectangular

limestone Limestone ( calcium carbonate ) is a type of carbonate sedimentary rock which is the main source of the material lime. It is composed mostly of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of . Limestone forms whe ...

building in the

Georgian Georgian may refer to: Common meanings * Anything related to, or originating from Georgia (country) ** Georgians, an indigenous Caucasian ethnic group ** Georgian language, a Kartvelian language spoken by Georgians **Georgian scripts, three scrip ...

style architecture. It has a low pitch, gable roof and three dormer windows. In 1896, the house was moved 12 feet from the street and elevated 4 feet off the ground in order to add on new porches to the front and side of the building. The north wing was also removed and replaced with a three-story addition to the back of the house. It was added to the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic ...

in 1976.

References

External links

Centre County Library and Historical Museum websiteThe Pennsylvania Room website
{{authority control Museums in Centre County, Pennsylvania Houses on the National Register of Historic Places in Pennsylvania Georgian architecture in Pennsylvania Houses completed in 1816 Houses in Centre County, Pennsylvania Public libraries in Pennsylvania History museums in Pennsylvania 1816 establishments in Pennsylvania National Register of Historic Places in Centre County, Pennsylvania Individually listed contributing properties to historic districts on the National Register in Pennsylvania