Tamaqua's Shepp House is sold

April 3, 2007

Attorney purchases historic landmark

Tamaqua's Shepp House is sold

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JOE PLASKO/TIMES NEWS The historic 1887 Daniel Shepp House, 204 East Broad Street, Tamaqua has been sold by the Tamaqua Area Community Partnership to Attorney Gary Marchalk, a tenant in the building.

By JOE PLASKO  jplasko@tnonline.com

A Tamaqua historic and architectural landmark has once again exchanged hands.

The 1887 Daniel Shepp House, 204 East Broad Street, has been purchased by Attorney Gary D. Marchalk, a tenant in the building who is expanding his law firm and title business, Northeast Pennsylvania Abstract, LLC.

The house is located between THE TIMES NEWS Tamaqua Bureau/Schuylkill County AAA office and the Tamaqua ABC High Rise.

Marchalk closed on the property on March 29 and has bought the Shepp House from the Tamaqua Area Community Partnership for $130,000.

While owned by the partnership, the Shepp House was its headquarters as well as providing office space for the Tamaqua Area Community Partnership, Tamaqua Industrial Development Enterprises (TIDE) and Downtown Tamaqua, Inc., in addition to Marchalk's law firm.

The house is significant both for its architectural value as a prominent example of the Eastlake Victorian style, and as an historic site that was built by one of Tamaqua's most notable citizens.

Daniel Shepp was an early industrialist who played major roles in the development of electricity with the Edison Electric Illuminating Company, and in the Molly Maguires saga after he participated in the hiring of a Pinkerton detective in response to the murder of his brother in law, Tamaqua police officer Benjamin F. Yost, at the hands of alleged Mollies members.

Shepp also was a participant in the California gold rush and later became a Tamaqua councilman.

The Shepp House was almost razed a few years ago when Bethany Evangelical Congregational Church, located across the street, bought the building and was considering constructing a parking lot for its congregation there.

The partnership then stepped forward and worked out a deal where it would purchase the Shepp House while having a garage in the rear of the building torn down to allow parking space for the church.

As the new owner, the partnership utilized grant funding to restore the house to its original Victorian look while it and several other organizations moved in as well.

"We achieved what we set out to do with the house," said partnership chairperson Patricia Freeh-Stefanek. "We saved the house from demolition and we got it fixed up. It was never our intention to be the property owner, since we are a non-profit group, but that is how we were able to accomplish it."

Marchalk then became a tenant, moving his law offices onto the second floor while the Chamber and Downtown offices were located on the ground floor.

Marchalk, a Tamaqua native, soon found that he had outgrown his space.

"We are fortunate that our business has been expanding and that we need more room," said Marchalk. "Being from Tamaqua, I'm happy that we are part of this success."

"It's nice to see what the Tamaqua Area Community Partnership has done for the borough," said Linda L. Zerby, vice president for Northeast Pa. Abstract.

The Shepp House has a national historic easement through Pennsylvania Preservation, noted Marchalk, who said he will maintain the building's Victorian look.

"It's also our intention to continue with remodeling and renovating some of the rooms that the partnership didn't get to do," said Zerby.

In addition to Marchalk and Zerby, the firm also employs attorney Keith Hoppes and paralegal Jennifer Johnstone Keich, both of whom will be promoted to full-time status, said Zerby.

The firm is also leasing several spaces in the lot from Bethany E.C. to provide parking for clients and staff.

"We're happy and excited that we've been growing so much we need to expand," said Zerby.

Meanwhile, the partnership, chamber, TIDE and Downtown Tamaqua will be relocating in the Gallery at the Tamaqua Art Center, 114 West Broad Street, which at one time housed the chamber. The Tamaqua Historical Society owns the gallery building.

The move is expected to be completed by the end of the week.

"There's a new business in the downtown, the church has its parking lot, and we're moving into the gallery, where we won't have all the expenses that we had as a property owner, so this has worked out for everybody," said Stefanek.