Newtown Township in Bucks County, Pennsylvania — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)

McMasters House

— Newtown Heritage Walk —

Photographed by Pete Skillman, December 23, 2024

1. McMasters House Marker

Inscription. The McMasters House is located at 13 West Centre Avenue, on the corner of Sycamore Street and Centre Avenue. This building was built in about 1833 by John Bond and has been named after one of its early owners, Robert McMasters, a blacksmith who purchased the home in 1863. McMasters built and operated his blacksmith shop on the property and later sold the shop to Sylvester "Wes" Dyer. There were many blacksmiths in Newtown due to the importance of horses to the local economy, being a primary means of travel and the primary resource for the livelihood of its residents.

The house is unusual, in that it shares its foundation with the footing of the adjacent Centre Avenue Bridge, which was built in 1796. The Centre Street Bridge is the oldest remaining bridge in Bucks County, and the fourth oldest in Pennsylvania. Note the date stone on the Centre Avenue Bridge, located near the entrance to the McMasters House.

In 1997, the McMasters House was saved from demolition by several concerned groups and it has been renovated by Bruce Lesser from several apartments into commercial office space. The renovated structure is situated

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on one of the gateways to Newtown and serves as a pleasant reminder of what Newtown was like over a century ago.

Site Sponsor: Paul Allen & Jack Lacey
Design & layout donated by Mike DiPiori, www.BuzzGraphicDesign.com, Newtown, PA.

[Captions]:

View of the McMasters Hose circa 1900 with Centre Street Bridge in foreground.

View of Wes Dyer's Blacksmith Shop, circa 1899, which was located near 9 South Sycamore Street.

Erected 2007 by Newtown Historic Association. (Marker Number 10.)

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Architecture • Bridges & Viaducts • Industry & Commerce • Settlements & Settlers. In addition, it is included in the Pennsylvania, Newtown Heritage Walk series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 1833.

Location. 40° 13.681′ N, 74° 56.314′ W. Marker is in Newtown, Pennsylvania, in Bucks County. It is in Newtown Township. It is on South Sycamore Street, on the right when traveling north. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 11 S Sycamore St, Newtown PA 18940, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally,

McMasters House Marker - wide view with house image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Pete Skillman, December 23, 2024

2. McMasters House Marker - wide view with house

this marker is in Southeast Pennsylvania and in Greater Philadelphia.

It is also in the American Northeast

and in the Mid-Atlantic.

Globally, it is in North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once the Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) Confederacy,

New Netherland,

and one of the original Thirteen Colonies.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Newtown Creek Bridge (within shouting distance of this marker); Twining Farm (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); The First National Bank (about 400 feet away); Washington's Headquarters (about 500 feet away); Newtown - County Seat (about 500 feet away); Loyalist Raid of 1778 (about 500 feet away); Justices House (about 500 feet away); February 9, 1778 (about 500 feet away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Newtown.

Credits. This page was last revised on December 24, 2024. It was originally submitted on December 24, 2024, by Pete Skillman of Townsend, Delaware. This page has been viewed 259 times since then and 41 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on December 24, 2024, by Pete Skillman of Townsend, Delaware.