Colonial Court Mansion

Step into a captivating tale that begins in 1901 at the renowned Pan Am Exposition in Buffalo, New York. A magnificent structure known as the Michigan State Building graced the fairgrounds, capturing the hearts of all who laid eyes on it. Fast forward to 1903 when an audacious visionary named Theodore Allen Snyder embarked on a daring endeavor. Piece by piece, he meticulously transported the grandeur of the Michigan State Building to the enchanting town of Lehighton via the Lehigh Valley Railroad.

Behold, the birth of the Colonial Court Mansion, Hailed by historians as the "most beautiful home in the Lehigh Valley." Yet, it is not just its stunning beauty that has stirred the imaginations of all who encounter it. Oh no, dear friends, there lies a tale of mystery and intrigue within its hallowed walls. For you see, the Colonial Court Mansion's time in Lehighton was tragically short-lived.

Theodore Allen Snyder came to the area at the youthful age of twenty to be the principal of the Lehighton Schools. He married a local girl, Miss Emma Hauk in 1879. By the age of twenty-eight, he became Superintendent of Carbon County’s Schools, the youngest in state history to hold such an office. Snyder would become one of Lehighton’s key financial and land development pioneers. He served as solicitor and secretary to the boards of many key institutions. Among them were the Lehighton Savings and Loan and the Enterprise Building and Loan companies, the Lehighton Electric Power Plant and helped bring electric trolley service to the town. He also was the key player in the Lehighton Land Development Association.

Snyder’s Demise in 1907 Brings the Beginning of the End of Colonial Court: T. A. Snyder was feeling the effects of the tumor that was amassing on his liver. He traveled to St Luke’s Hospital in Bethelhem by rail on a Saturday and was operated on by Monday. He pulled through the operation well enough, but a “gradual decline” was noted. By Wednesday the family was urgently called to be by his side. He passed that Thursday, May the 16th, 1907.

Sometime during the summer of 1915,a decision made to lease the estate out to Charles and Phoebe Miller of Lehighton. The couple hoped to live in fine style as well as operate the mansion as a boarding house. Perhaps the venture wasn’t working out as planned, the Millers were looking to walk away from their lease in the upcoming summer. However their moving plans were accelerated when a mysterious fire broke out one night in April. Sometime around 1:30 AM, boarder Robert Webb was awakened by smoke pouring into his room from the closet of his second floor bedroom. He alerted the Miller family and the servant. The fire was said to be “coming from everywhere at once.” All hopes at saving any of the iconic building died when the nearby fire hydrants gave forth little to no water, the pipes, like the streets were clogged with mud. By 6:00 AM, the tall columns had fallen into the center of the smoldering remains of the fire and were burned.