Stirling
About this property
Stirling is an historic mansion that is located at 1120 Centre Avenue in Reading, Berks County, Pennsylvania, United States. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1980. Built between 1890 and 1892, this historic residence is a three-story, twenty-four-room, Châteauesque-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 ashlar. 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, steeply pitched gable roofs, and roof dormers. 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, Gertrude Sternbergh also became one of the first women in Berks County, Pennsylvania to become a licensed airplane pilot and was a well-known patron of artists, authors and musicians across and beyond the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Among her beneficiaries and friends were American pianist Andre Watts and Metropolitan Opera star Jerome Hines. 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 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. "19th-century Stirling Guest Hotel under new ownership" (video). Allentown, Pennsylvania: WFMZ-TV, May 31, 2019 (retrieved online June 4, 2023)
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Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).
Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
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Questions about this property
When was Stirling listed on the National Register?
Stirling was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on April 16, 1980.
What type of historic resource is Stirling?
Stirling is classified as a building in the National Register of Historic Places.
What is the period of significance for Stirling?
The period of significance for Stirling is recorded as the industrial era.
Can I research the history near Stirling?
Yes. Aubrey Research reports search National Register listings, battlefield records, land patents, and other primary historical sources within any radius of a US address. A report for an address near Stirling will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.
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