Pictured is the Irvine-Newbold Estate.

The Wilder Museum of Warren County History will host a guided walking tour of the Irvine-Newbold Estate in Irvine on Wednesday at 6 p.m.

Guides will lead visitors throughout the grounds, sharing the site’s history and legacy.

In the years following the Revolutionary War General William Irvine scouted the area near the confluence of Brokenstraw Creek and the Allegheny River. He was so entranced by the land he obtained warrants for several tracts. In 1795, he accompanied Andrew Ellicott on his mission to survey Pennsylvania’s northwest and again visited the area. All in all, Irvine acquired over 1,000 acres of land in the vicinity of Brokenstraw Creek.

Irvine’s son Callendar built a cabin there, but it was Callendar’s son, Dr. William Irvine, who enlarged the small farmhouse into a grand Victorian mansion in the Greek Revival style.

The building was home to generations of the Irvine family until the last descendant passed away in 1963. Unfortunately, the condition of the historic mansion had deteriorated to the point it had to be razed in 1973.

The estate is located in the woods off of Dunns Eddy Road and fronts the Allegheny River. The estate was passed down through the family and to the final residents, the locally-famous Newbold sisters. The property, which totaled 1,000 acres, was sold to the National Forge in 1963. The mansion which had fallen into disrepair, was demolished in 1973.

The Western Pennsylvania Conservancy purchased the property. From there, the Allegheny National Forest purchased some of the property from the Conservancy, resulting in the current ownership of the estate with some land in state, federal and private hands. The state property, the Anders Run Natural Area, includes one of the stone homes built in the 1840s for those who worked on the estate.

The site once included a guest house, horse barn, water tank, windmill, flower gardens, corn crib, greenhouse with a banana tree, boat launch, saw mill, milk house, wool mill and tenant farmer houses. The most visible remaining element is the ice house along the riverfront just steps from the site of the mansion. Fence posts can be found on the forest floor in places as well as fieldstone where the mansion was once located.

The tour of the grounds will be led by Steven Campbell, Allegheny National Forest District Archaeologist. Steven has been with the ANF since 2019 and a district archaeologist since 2022. He earned his undergraduate degree in Anthropology and Geography from Youngstown State University and his Master of Arts in Applied Archaeology from Indiana University of Pennsylvania.

Participants should meet at the Wilder Museum, 51 Erie Avenue, Irvine, Pa., by 6 p.m. The Wilder Museum will open earlier that day, at 1 p.m. on June 24. It is encouraged to come early to enjoy the exhibit rooms. It is highly recommended to wear sturdy, closed-toe footwear suitable for uneven and natural terrain during the guided walking tour.

Cost for the tour will be $5.00 per person. All proceeds benefit the Wilder Museum of Warren County History.

Seasonal hours for the museum are May 26 through September 4, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday, from 1:00 to 5:00 PM. Additional 2026 hours are September 11 through October 10 Friday & Saturday from 1 to 5 PM.

For more information, please call (814) 723-1795, visit warrenhistory.org, or the Wilder Museum’s page on on Facebook