Schuylkill County Council for the Arts
About the Historic Frank D. Yuengling Mansion
Preserving the Past & Celebrating the Arts in Schuylkill County | Historic Frank D. Yuengling Mansion
WHAT WE CAN OFFER YOU
Discover What the Yuengling Mansion Has to Offer
OUR UNIQUE PIECE OF HISTORY
The Schuylkill County Council for the Arts (SCCA) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting the arts and local artists throughout Schuylkill County.
As stewards of the Historic Frank D. Yuengling Mansion, the SCCA is committed to preserving this architectural landmark while honoring the legacy of Frank D. Yuengling and his family. Thanks to the generosity of the Yuengling family, the mansion has been transformed into a vibrant cultural hub that continues to serve the community. Throughout the year, the SCCA hosts art exhibitions, workshops, craft markets, concerts, and more—creating meaningful opportunities for artistic expression, community engagement, and historic appreciation in a space that has been filled with creativity and celebration for over a century.
The Frank D. Yuengling Family & the Making of a Mansion
In 1913, Frank D. Yuengling—third president of America’s oldest brewery—commissioned architect Harry Maurer to design a grand Tudor-Jacobethan Revival home for his family at 1440 Mahantongo Street in Pottsville. Built at a cost of $75,000, the mansion featured over 20 rooms across four floors and included elegant details such as leaded glass windows, carved stonework, pocket doors, and button-style light switches—cutting-edge for the time.
Frank and his wife, Augusta, raised five children in the home, where they employed household staff including a cook, four servants, a chauffeur, and a gardener. The thoughtfully designed property includes a covered portico, formal gardens, and a carriage house, with a driveway accessible from both Mahantongo and 15th Streets.
The Yuengling family lived in the mansion until 1978, when it was gifted to the Schuylkill County Council for the Arts (SCCA) to serve as a center for arts and culture. The home was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1979 and remains a preserved historic landmark.
Today, thanks to the generosity of the Yuengling family, the mansion continues to welcome the community through arts programs, exhibitions, performances, and events—just as it did over a century ago.
PARLOR AND PHONE ROOM
Visitors enter through the original main entrance into a neo-Jacobethan-style parlor, once the Yuengling family’s formal receiving room. This elegant space features a carved soapstone fireplace, parquet wood floors, and an open staircase. Leaded glass doors and stairwell windows—believed to be German-made—reflect European influence, while rare cross-cut oak paneling adds warmth and richness.
Original furnishings remain, including a leather settee, matching chairs, entry table and mirror. A built-in telephone booth once served as an early communication hub, highlighting the home's blend of innovation and craftsmanship.
MUSIC ROOM
This room was originally the Yuengling family’s music room, where Mrs. Yuengling often led gatherings around a baby grand piano. The family also enjoyed music from an early Victrola record player, adding to the room’s rich musical history.
The space reflects a bright, feminine Adamesque style, featuring wall sconces with Wedgwood medallions, a European cut-glass chandelier, and an intricately carved fireplace mantel. A brass bumper along the marble hearth adds both elegance and function.
FORMAL LIVING ROOM
This formal living room, once reserved for special occasions, reflects the elegance of neo-Jacobethan design. Paneled in solid mahogany with the original silk tapestry walls depicting a garden scene, it was the setting for Augusta Yuengling’s wedding and many family celebrations.
Highlights include a carved mahogany fireplace, silver andirons, a graceful chandelier, and hand-carved brass light fixtures with Steuben Glass shades. French doors open to views of the English gardens, where Mrs. Yuengling hosted summer gatherings. A discreet call button near the light switch once summoned household staff—one of many throughout the mansion.
FAMILY DEN
The den was a central gathering space for the Yuengling family. Surrounded by rich oak paneling, it was here that Mrs. Yuengling read to her children and the family spent evenings together listening to radio broadcasts. Below the wood mantel, the hand-designed fireplace tiles were crafted at the renowned Moravian Tile Works in Doylestown, Pennsylvania. The fireplace tools are made of copper and iron, reflecting the fine craftsmanship of the era.
The European leaded glass windows in this room remain a bit of a mystery. While the exact meanings of the etched designs are unknown, some clergy visitors believe they represent religious symbols commonly found in European church architecture. Others suggest they may be watermark-style emblems used by papermakers to “autograph” their creations. Like many rooms in the mansion, the built-in window seat cleverly conceals a radiator, combining comfort with elegance.
DINING ROOM
This room once hosted the Yuengling family for every meal around a grand twelve-foot dining table. Even after their children had grown and moved away, Mr. and Mrs. Yuengling continued the tradition, seated at opposite ends of the table. A discreet servant’s call button, located beneath the table, remains as a reminder of the home's past.
Architecturally, the room features Adamesque influences, generous proportions, and a striking western exposure that floods the space with natural light through large windows. Originally, the room’s refined character was set by pale gray-green paneling and silver-grey wallpaper. The chandelier and wall sconces—crafted from silver and adorned with hand-blown Steuben glass—add to the elegance.
In 1929, the room was redecorated with a blue and white color palette, featuring floral wallpaper, a hand-painted decorative plaster ceiling, and luxurious blue velvet drapes. The bay window area showcases marble panels and an intricate ceramic tile mosaic, reflecting the attention to detail typical of early 20th-century design.
Above the fireplace hangs a painting by J. Frank Copeland(1872–1957) was an American artist known for his decorative watercolor paintings, stained glass work, and murals. He studied at the Pennsylvania Museum Schools in Philadelphia. A respected artist from the mid-Atlantic region whose work was featured in the New York Times upon his passing in 1957. Several of his pieces are held in the collection of the Everhart Museum in Scranton. The painting depicts Mount Vesuvius—though Mr. Yuengling never visited the site, it was said to be among his favorite landscapes.
