Brua Mansion

jeff of pa

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Immediately upon pulling up to the entrance, as shown above, an upsetting feeling crops up in your stomach. The entrance is actually the driveway to the old estate, which is marked on either side by two stone pillars. The driveway itself is blocked by a pile of well-packed dirt, giving the notion that for some reason, people should avoid the place altogether. However, it is very easy to get over the pile on foot. The entire area is dark and ominous...the picture above, and all the pictures for that matter, were taken around 5 pm in September, so daylight was plentiful. As you walk back along the old driveway, you can tell there was a mansion there because the entire driveway is lined with 200-foot tall pine trees, as most mansions are, for privacy purposes. The once-stone driveway is now littered with pine needles, as the property has been abandoned for at least 50 years. The mansion itself is no longer standing, but intriguing remnants remain. About 200 yards back on the left, you can see the foundation of the old storage house, which itself was rather large. Walk a little further and you will come across the old spring house, which has long since filled with 10 feet of water. Walk back even further along a few rarely-treaded paths and you will find the remnants of what was once the Lynn A Brua Estate, also known as "The Orchards". The remaining foundation is about 6 feet deep, made completely of stone, and still in pretty decent shape. You can actually crawl down into the foundation, as the basement steps still remain. The house was actually pretty large--the foundation measures approximately 100 x 75 feet. If you walk a little further back the trail (now you would be about 1/2 mile from the road), you will come to an embankment. If you walk up and over this, you will be overlooking what was once the large walk-through garden, which still contains unique plants and shrubbery from the former rich family. The place is very cool to explore, but I would not suggest traveling long distances just to see it. Rumors about the property range from murder stories to gypsy spells, but in fact, none of them are true. The Lynn a Brua Estate was built in 1872, and burnt down sometime in the mid-1900's. I can find no information on it except the information I have given (which I received from a local), but on the front pillar bears the words "THE ORCHARDS, LYNN A BRUA, 1872". Supposedly, according to the lady I talked to about the place, there is a family cemetery somewhere back there, perhaps in the backyard....but I have yet to search for and find it. So the property could very well be roamed by spirits..............
 

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generik

Full Member
Apr 11, 2007
103
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Selinsgrove, PA
Detector(s) used
White's Prism V
http://ftp.rootsweb.ancestry.com/pub/usgenweb//pa/blair/bios/sell/bo-bu.txt


LYNN A. BRUA, president of the Citizens' National Bank of Hollidaysburg, Pa.,
is a citizen of prominence and affluence, and is the owner of a fine fruit
farm of 150 acres in Frankstown Township, Blair County, Pa., besides being
one of the largest real estate holders in this borough. He was born in
Frankstown Township, Blair County, Pa., and is a son of Jacob and Elizabeth
(Elliott) Brua, and comes of one of the pioneer families of the county.
Daniel and Mary Jane Brua, grandparents of our subject, were married in 1818,
in Lancaster County, Pa., and immediately afterwards came on horseback over
the mountains to Blair County and settled at what was then known as Lowery's
Mill. The land on which they settled is now owned by a grandson, John Brua,
of Frankstown Township.
Jacob Brua, father of Lynn A. Brua, was born June 26, 1819, on the farm
in Frankstown Township, and in 1853, bought a farm of 150 acres adjoining his
father's place. This he cultivated until 1873 when he removed to
Hollidaysburg, where he lived until the time of his death in 1901. He married
Elizabeth Elliott, who died in 1862.
Lynn A. Brua grew to maturity on the farm in Frankstown Township, and in
1873 came with the family to Hollidaysburg, Pa., where he entered the employ
of John H. Law, a merchant, with whom he continued for four years. In 1881,
he opened a general store, which he operated with much success until 1908,
when he disposed of the business, and during that period built some twenty
houses, erecting his own residence in 1884 on Wayne Street. He was one of the
organizers of the Citizens' National Bank, and has served continuously as
president of same since its organization in 1903. Mr. Brua is the owner of
the old home farm in Frankstown Township, and takes great pride and interest
in the cultivation of same. The farm is well stocked and equipped with modern
machinery, and is one of the largest fruit farms in the county, having about
3,000 fruit trees. Mr. Brua was married in September, 1883, to Lizzie I. Hite
of Hite Station, Allegheny County, Pa. In politics Mr. Brua is identified with
the Republican party, and been a member of the Masonic fraternity since 1880.

Sell, Jesse C., Twentieth Century History of Altoona and Blair County,
Pennsylvania, and Representative Citizens, Chicago, IL: Richmond-Arnold,
1911, p. 527.
 

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