Work Begins on New Cultural Preservation Center in Oil Region NHA

Titusville, PA (May 30, 2019)– Earlier this month, the melodies of Bach’s Brandenburg Concertos marked the beginning of a long-term project to turn a historic home into the Scheide Cultural Preservation Center in the Oil Region National Heritage Area in Pennsylvania.

This historic Titusville home will become the Scheide Cultural Preservation Center.

Photo by Josh Ellis / Courtesy of Oil Region Alliance

On May 5, the Oil Region Alliance (ORA), which manages the Oil Region NHA, held a dedication ceremony that featured a free concert and open house to celebrate the beginning of rehabilitation work on the historic William H. Scheide House in Titusville, PA. The house, constructed in 1866, was home to members of the Scheide family, several of whom served as executives for oil companies such as Standard Oil. It was here that the Scheide family assembled a phenomenal private collection of rare books and manuscripts, which are now housed at Princeton University. The home was acquired by the ORA in September 2018.

Since then, ORA has prepared a Preservation Plan to restore the home to its appearance in 1922-1959, when three generations of the Scheide family resided there at one time. The Scheide Cultural Preservation Center will host art and historical exhibits about Titusville, provide community meeting space, and house offices for ORA and other nonprofit organizations.

Members of the Erie Philharmonic played music by J. S. Bach, William H. Scheide’s favorite composer.

Photo by Josh Ellis / Courtesy of Oil Region Alliance

Since the last resident of the home, William H. Scheide, was an ardent scholar of Johann Sebastian Bach, the dedication ceremony featured members of the Erie Philharmonic playing Bach’s Brandenburg Concertos in a fitting tribute to Scheide’s legacy. Rain necessitated the ceremony be moved from the garden to the nearby First Presbyterian Church, where Scheide had once served as music director. However, poor weather didn’t deter more than 200 people who came from communities throughout the region to hear the Bach concertos. Some came from as far away as Pittsburgh and Erie.

The rehabilitation of the Scheide House will take several years. Phase I will involve restoration of the library wing, including installation of a new roof and repairs to the interior masonry. Phase II will stabilize the rest of the building inside and out, and Phase III will add an exterior lift to ensure the structure will meet accessibility standards. The project up to this point has been supported by local partners as well as by the state and the National Park Service.

The library of the Scheide House will be rehabilitated and used for exhibits and community meeting space.

Photo courtesy of Oil Region Alliance

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