Dempwolf building stood next to Bonham House
A follow-up question was raised by Stewartstown Historical Society’s Doug Winemiller involving Stewartstown’s Hartenstein Funeral Home, which repurposed items from the William H. Kurtz [1822-1894] mansion at 109 West Market Street in York. Doug received an email from Hartenstein’s with two drawings. Doug thought one of the J. A. Dempwolf drawings appeared to show Charles Kurtz remodeled the back portion of his father’s (William’s) mansion.
Quoting Doug’s e-mail, “The room drawings match the drawings of William’s original residence and it mentions ‘new back’ of building. There is just one questionable item on the architectural plans for Charles’s residence—it states residence on East, not West, Market Street. I think it must be a mistake, unless Charles constructed an exact duplicate of his father’s mansion! Any thoughts?”
My reply, “Thanks for sharing the Dempwolf drawings of the W.H. & Charles Kurtz Residences. I found a 1906 newspaper article noting that Charles Kurtz had a residence at 146 East Market Street. Also the shape of the building at 146 East Market Street, from the 1908 Sanborn Fire Insurance Map, matches the plan view on the submitted ‘East Market Street’ Dempwolf drawing; therefore you are correct that Charles Kurtz constructed a near duplicate of his father’s West Market Street mansion.”
I’ve annotated the illustration that compares the 1908 Sanborn Fire Insurance Map of the Southwest Corner at East Market Street and South Queen Street to a 2016 Aerial View of the same ground. The John A. Dempwolf designed Charles Kurtz [1857-1927] residence stood at 146 East Market Street; neighboring the west side of the Bonham House. This Dempwolf residence and the neighboring building at 142 East Market Street were demolished to construct the modern headquarters for Susquehanna Broadcasting Company in 1969.
Greater Detail on the J. A. Dempwolf Drawing
In February of 1900, Charles Kurtz purchased an existing property at 146 East Market Street. He kept the three-story front-end of the home, which contained a Parlor and a Library on the first floor. The existing back-end was replaced with a J. A. Dempwolf design using many of the features that the architect previously designed into the William H. Kurtz mansion at 109 West Market Street. Charles Kurtz moved into 146 East Market Street by May 3rd, 1901 when he held a “leading social event” at which “Selak’s full orchestra furnished a musical programme of high order.” Additional posts will follow on Charles Kurtz and the building at 146 East Market Street:
- Charles Kurtz and The York Water Company
- The York Water Company at 100-Years
- Christmas Portraits at Loring Studios during WWII
An illustration containing the first floor plan view, on the submitted drawing, is followed by the title block. Although not dated, my research indicates this John A. Dempwolf drawing was created in 1900.
Related links include:
- The Kurtz Mansion at 109 West Market Street
- Stewartstown Mystery involved a Dempwolf Mansion in York
- Malt, Castings and Turbine-Waterwheels
- Baugher, Kurtz & Stewart; The Prominent Foundry along the Codorus in York
- WSBA’s race to become first UHF TV station
