BERWICK, Pa. — The Jackson Mansion is an incredible manse designed by Clarence Gearhart Jackson when he was held prisoner during the Civil War. The house boasts 22 rooms and seven fireplaces; its floors and woodwork are intricate and unique. The Berwick Historical Society gave Home and Backyard a private tour of this historic gem in Berwick, PA to see several of the rooms and learn some local history about the man who built the mansion and the painstaking restoration which brought the home back to its beauty and historic integrity. We had the opportunity to see Col. Jackson's bedroom and many of his personal belongings. The Colonel died in his bedroom in May of 1880 after a illness related to the wounds he received during the Civil War. He was thirty-eight years old. We also had the opportunity to see Mrs. Jackson's Bedroom which contains her original bedroom furniture and a beautiful painting.
After returning from the war, Colonel Jackson married Elizabeth Seybert of Berwick in 1866. The couple had two daughters, Henrietta M. and Jane B. Construction began in 1877 and the Jackson Family moved into the Mansion in 1879. Clarence Gearhart Jackson died unexpectedly at his palatial new mansion in Berwick on May 13, 1880. He was thirty-eight years old.
Visitors are invited to tour the mansion and be a part of a fundraiser to help St. Joseph's Center. WNEP-TV meteorologist Joe Snedeker will be stopping by the Jackson Mansion during his Go Joe ride July 25th from 11am to 12:30 pm. The Berwick Historical Society will be hosting many of the festivities. For More information contact the Berwick Historical Society at 570-520-4110.
