Simon Mansion Interior
Easton, PA, 18042 US / PA
Location Description
The historic Simon Mansion & adjacent Bixler Building, c.1900 & 1920 respectively are currently owned by & house the Third Street Alliance. The main building is the Simon house, once the home of Easton silk merchant Herman Simon. It was begun in 1902, and construction took nearly two years to complete at a total cost of $250,000. Designed in the French chateau style by architect William Michler, the Simon House has an exterior of Indiana limestone with a granite base and a roof of Vermont red slate. ***Tours are provided by appointment. Historic rooms and the gymnasium/stage are available to rent for receptions, meetings, concerts and other activities. Visitors to the building are struck by the elaborate woodcarving throughout the historic rooms. The dining room boasts an original mural by Taylor Rue and curved windows that were once the exterior of the building. Mr. Simon's library and den on the second floor reflect his pride in his German heritage. Each of these rooms has a magnificent fireplace and leather walls. The German influence is seen throughout the building with the exception of the front parlor, which was done in French style customary to wealthy Europeans. The original building once had formal gardens that were lost when the adjacent Bixler Building was built in the 1920's. Additions in 1955 and 1971 added increased space for programs. The mansion was purchased by the YWCA of Easton in the 1930’s. A gymnasium and pool were added in 1955, and in the 1980’s the organization was renamed Third Street Alliance for Women and Children. The Alliance provides vital human services of shelter for homeless women and their children, adult day care services and an accredited child care learning center. The pool was closed in 2011 and is no longer functional, and the agency plans to repurpose or restructure the pool space.
Location Category
- BUSINESSES / BUILDINGS - [general]
- BUSINESSES / BUILDINGS - [general]
- HOUSES - [general]
- HOUSES - Mansions / Estates
- HOUSES - Period Homes / Historic
Architecture Style
- 1920s - 1930s
- French Country
