Welcome to the Erie History Highlights! Here you will find the historical highlight of the week. The information for these historical highlights comes from the Historic Preservation Advisory Board Brochure.

370 Briggs Street

Egnew Hotel / Powell House

Built in 1890 and 1891 by Alice Powell, daughter of Erie founder, The Reverend Richard J. Van Valkenburg, the structure was used mainly as a boarding house for miners and to a lesser extent for travelers. In its prime it had nine sleeping rooms upstairs, a parlor, a long gambling room, a dining room and a kitchen downstairs. Out-house and washing room were located out back. For their rent, miners got a bed, dinner and a box lunch for the mines.

The building went through many ownership changes and was operated as a hotel until 1992 when it became a private residence. The architectural style is late Victorian.