Manchester, Isaac House

This grand two-and-a-half story five-bay brick was built in 1815 by Isaac Manchester of Newport, Rhode Island, upbringing. Located in Independence Township, it is one of only three Washington County structures featured in Charles Stotz's "The Architectural Heritage of Early Western Pennsylvania." It is one of the finest Georgian houses in this region and displays its owner's seaport roots on the exterior by its rooftop widow's walk. Georgian features include the heavily framed entrance portico and semi-circular fanlight over the doorway. The home is surrounded by incredibly preserved support farming structures, including barns, springhouse, carriage house, granary and a workshop which incorporates areas for a wagon shed and blacksmith shop. The interior remains relatively unaltered, with exquisite trim created from native black cherry by a Philadelphia cabinetmaker. The property, also referred to as Plantation Plenty, is one of the finest and best preserved farmsteads in Western Pennsylvania. [pp. 48-49 POP]