Easton in Northampton County, Pennsylvania — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)
Millionaire's Row
Karl Stirner Arts Trail
— City of Easton, Pennsylvania —
Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, June 4, 2017
1. Millionaire's Row Marker
Chipman Mansion (252 Spring Garden Street) was built c.1907 and was designed by William Michler. It served as a residence for Easton Industrialist W. Evan Chipman, a partner with his brother in the Charles Chipman Sons Hosiery Mills.
Built in 1884, the Thomas Rinek Mansion (36 N. Third St.) is an ornate stone-fronted home. Thomas Rinek was the president of the Northampton County National Bank, and one of four brothers who were partners in the J. Rinek Sons cordage company. His nephew, Charles Norvin Rinek, was an early aviation competitor of the Wright Brothers.
The Herman Simon Mansion (41 N. Third St.) was designed by William Marsh Michler and built in 1902 by Herman Simon. Mr. Simon and his brother Robert operated the sprawling R&H Simon Silk Company mill complex located on N. 13th Street in Easton.
The neighborhood surrounding this portion of North Third Street has a distinguished past for both its historical significance, as well as the beauty of its architecture.
Karl Stirner Arts Trail
City of Easton, Pennsylvania
Erected by
this page online
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Architecture • Industry & Commerce • Man-Made Features • Notable Buildings. In addition, it is included in the Pennsylvania, Easton, Karl Stirner Arts Trail series list.
Location. 40° 41.554′ N, 75° 12.548′ W. Marker is in Easton, Pennsylvania, in Northampton County. Marker is on North 3rd Street north of Church Street, on the right when traveling north. Marker is located along the sidewalk at the northwest corner of the former Herman Simon Mansion, which is now occupied by the Third Street Alliance for Women & Children organization. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 41 North 3rd Street, Easton PA 18042, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. First Reformed Church (within shouting distance of this marker); Worshipping, Learning, Healing, Peacemaking (within shouting distance of this marker); Lafayette College Founding (about 400 feet away, measured in a direct line); Soldiers and Sailors Monument (about 500 feet away); Benjamin Riegel Mansion (about 500 feet away); a different marker also named Soldiers and Sailors Monument (about 500 feet away); The Declaration of Independence in Easton
Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, June 4, 2017
2. Millionaire's Row Marker (tall view)
More about this marker. Marker is included in Easton's "Karl Stirner Arts Trail" series.
Also see . . .
1. The Simon Mansion.
In 1902, German-born silk merchant Herman Simon commissioned architect William Michler to build the “the handsomest house in the Lehigh Valley” for his wife and daughters. The result, two years and $250,000 later, was the Simon Mansion. Exterior features include a carved likeness of Mrs. Simon, an Indiana limestone façade with a granite base, and a Vermont slate roof with copper ornamentation that still retains its mystique. The lavish interior boasts Spanish leather, Italian marble, Delft and Bavarian tiles, South American mahogany and Caen Stone, as well as frescoed ceilings. (Submitted on March 5, 2018, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)
2. The Chipman Mansion.
The Chipman Mansion was designed/built by William Michler in 1902 for Easton industrialist Evan Chipman, a partner in the Charles Chipman Hosiery Mills. Today, wood paneling on the ground floor conceals a hidden staircase that descends to a basement barroom, which the owners’ oral tradition holds was a speakeasy during the Prohibition era. The basement room also has concealed spaces behind its walls reportedly used to store illegal liquor and a peephole where you can see people on the street outside. The Chipman Mansion appears to have replaced the corner residence built in the late 1820s by Rev. John A. Probst.
Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, June 4, 2017
3. Millionaire's Row Marker (wide view; Herman Simon Mansion; marker visible bottom left corner)
Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, June 4, 2017
4. Thomas Rinek Mansion (center; now occupied by computer company)
Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, June 4, 2017
5. Herman Simon Mansion (here beside marker)
Credits. This page was last revised on October 4, 2020. It was originally submitted on March 5, 2018, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. This page has been viewed 577 times since then and 76 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. submitted on March 5, 2018, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. • Bill Pfingsten was the editor who published this page.
