Millionaires’ Row

In the 1800s, Pennsylvania’s forests powered a booming logging industry, with enormous systems that helped transport logs along the Susquehanna river. Along this route sat Williamsport, which was considered the “Lumber Capital of the World,” and had the highest number of millionaires per capita of any American city thanks to this unprecedented level of wealth. Many of the lumber barons built lavish, Victorian-style mansions in what is now called “Millionaires' Row” in a residential area of Williamsport. Today, 263 extant buildings comprise the “row,” including a few stunning and beautifully preserved mansions.

A self-guided walking tour allows visitors to explore these blocks at their own pace, while imagining what Williamsport looked like at the height of its logging boom. These grand homes, built in stucco and brick, offer a variety of ornate architectural details, from brownstones with Queen Anne and Romanesque influences, to Colonial Revival homes, to rock exteriors with towers and Roman arches. The Rowley House, designed by Eber Culver in 1888 for E.A. Rowley, one of the wealthiest men in the area, features elaborate stained glass windows, and English Milton tiles in all the fireplaces; it has been turned into a museum that is occasionally open for private tours. 

Other mansions have become private homes, offices, restaurants, and bed-and-breakfasts. The Italianate Peter Herdic House is now one of the area’s finest restaurants, where you can enjoy a craft cocktail and a plate of filet mignon after spending a few hours picturing yourself as a lumber baron.