Stirling is an historic, American

mansion A mansion is a large dwelling house. The word itself derives through Old French from the Latin word ''mansio'' "dwelling", an abstract noun derived from the verb ''manere'' "to dwell". The English word ''manse'' originally defined a property l ...

that is located at 1120 Centre Avenue in

Reading Reading is the process of taking in the sense or meaning of symbols, often specifically those of a written language, by means of Visual perception, sight or Somatosensory system, touch. For educators and researchers, reading is a multifacete ...

Berks County, Pennsylvania Berks County (Pennsylvania Dutch language, Pennsylvania Dutch: ''Barricks Kaundi'') is a County (United States), county in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the coun ...

. It was listed on the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the Federal government of the United States, United States federal government's official United States National Register of Historic Places listings, list of sites, buildings, structures, Hist ...

in 1980.

History and architectural features

Built between 1890 and 1892, this historic residence is a three-story, twenty-four-room,

Châteauesque Châteauesque (or Francis I style,Whiffen, Marcus, ''American Architecture Since 1780: A guide to the styles'', The MIT Press, Cambridge, MA, 1969, p. 142. or in Canada, the Château Style) is a revivalist architectural style based on the ...

-style dwelling that was designed by noted Philadelphia architect Theophilus Parsons Chandler Jr. (1845–1928). Created for industrialist James Hervey Sternbergh (1834–1913), the owner of the American Steel & Iron Manufacturing Company, and his second wife, it was named after Stirling Castle in Scotland and was built using squared

granite Granite ( ) is a coarse-grained (phanerite, phaneritic) intrusive rock, intrusive igneous rock composed mostly of quartz, alkali feldspar, and plagioclase. It forms from magma with a high content of silica and alkali metal oxides that slowly coo ...

ashlar Ashlar () is a cut and dressed rock (geology), stone, worked using a chisel to achieve a specific form, typically rectangular in shape. The term can also refer to a structure built from such stones. Ashlar is the finest stone masonry unit, a ...

. Located at 1120 Centre Avenue in Reading, Pennsylvania, it features a number of eclectic decorative elements including tall chimneys with decorated caps, a balustraded

verandah A veranda (also spelled verandah in Australian and New Zealand English) is a roofed, open-air hallway or porch, attached to the outside of a building. A veranda is often partly enclosed by a railing and frequently extends across the front an ...

, steeply pitched gable roofs, and roof dormers. ''Note:'' This includes During the 1930s, Stirling served as the setting for high teas, salons and other society events that were hosted by James Sternbergh's widow. Following the death of James H. Sternbergh, ownership of the mansion and a significant portion of his wealth were transferred to his widow; following her death, the mansion and much of the family's remaining fortune were inherited by their youngest daughter, Gertrude Sternbergh (1899–1996). A classically trained concert pianist and graduate of the

Juilliard School of Music The Juilliard School ( ) is a private performing arts conservatory in New York City. Founded by Frank Damrosch as the Institute of Musical Art in 1905, the school later added dance and drama programs and became the Juilliard School, named afte ...

, Gertrude Sternbergh also became one of the first women in

to become a licensed airplane pilot and was a well-known patron of artists, authors and musicians across and beyond the

Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Pennsylvania, officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a state spanning the Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes regions of the United States. It borders Delaware to its southeast, Maryland to its south, West ...

. Among her beneficiaries and friends were American pianist Andre Watts and

Metropolitan Opera The Metropolitan Opera is an American opera company based in New York City, currently resident at the Metropolitan Opera House (Lincoln Center), Metropolitan Opera House at Lincoln Center, situated on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. Referred ...

star

Jerome Hines Jerome A. Hines (November 8, 1921 – February 4, 2003) was an American operatic bass who performed at the Metropolitan Opera from 1946 to 1987. Standing 6'6", his stage presence and stentorian voice made him ideal for such roles as Sarastro in ' ...

. A soloist with the Reading Symphony Orchestra between 1924 and 1971, she frequently held fundraisers for the ensemble on the grounds of the estate. Through her support and the support of her friends, the ensemble was able to recruit a significant number of

Philadelphia Orchestra The Philadelphia Orchestra is an American symphony orchestra, based in Philadelphia. One of the " Big Five" American orchestras, the orchestra is based at the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts, where it performs its subscription concerts, n ...

members during the early phases of their careers to serve as the RSO's principal section chairs during the twentieth century, enabling the RSO to achieve prominence as an ensemble that was respected in its own right. This property was listed on the

in 1980.

Present day

Stirling is now operated as a

bed and breakfast A bed and breakfast (typically shortened to B&B or BnB) is a small lodging establishment that offers overnight accommodation and breakfast. In addition, a B&B sometimes has the hosts living in the house. ''Bed and breakfast'' is also used to ...

.Pena, Susan L.
New arts program at Stirling in Reading will honor Gertrude Sternbergh’s legacy
" Reading, Pennsylvania: ''Reading Eagle'', March 22, 2020 (retrieved online June 4, 2023).

References

External links

The Gables at Stirling
(official website) *

(video). Allentown, Pennsylvania: WFMZ-TV, May 31, 2019 (retrieved online June 4, 2023) {{National Register of Historic Places in Pennsylvania Buildings and structures in Reading, Pennsylvania Bed and breakfasts in Pennsylvania Houses on the National Register of Historic Places in Pennsylvania Houses completed in 1892 Houses in Berks County, Pennsylvania National Register of Historic Places in Reading, Pennsylvania