Historic Northway Road home tied to 19th-century business empire that stretched to Louisiana
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One historic Loyalsock Township home has played host to one lumber baron and a home for Saint Ann Catholic priests.. Located at 220 Northway Road, the mountainstone home was initially built as a summer retreat and most recently served as a rectory.
"My great-great-grandmother was Annie Bentley and she was from a family of 5 kids. She had four siblings and they had a lumber company in Williamsport run by her brother Joe Bentley. Joe was a go-getter," said Steve Furey.
The Bentleys arrived in Williamsport from Bavaria, Germany around 1873.
According to Furey, Joe was not actually a Williamsport lumber baron. While he ran a successful lumber business here in the late 1800s, it wasn't until Joe moved south that he came into his lumber fortune.
"Joe had a business opportunity in Louisiana and he moved the sisters, brothers with their wives and husbands there," said Furey.
The Louisiana Historical Association's website lahistory.org wrote, "[Joe] purchased a sawmill adjacent to the Red River in Cotile with his partner, E. W. Zimmermann, in 1892; established two lumber companies and a mill town which boasted 188 houses, a utility and fire-control system and a company store for its 600 workers; lived and labored eighteen hours a day with employees.
"Bentley Lumber Company eventually possessed 90,000 acres of virgin pine, all of which were denuded by 1962; Enterprise Lumber Company was organized in 1903 and operated until 1923."
Joe's business pursuits weren't limited to lumber. According to lahistory.org, he founded the Guaranty Bank and Trust Company, which was the largest bank at the time in Central Louisiana, and built the Hotel Bentley in Alexandria.
"The Hotel Bentley was constructed in 1907 by Joseph Bentley, a native of Pennsylvania who became wealthy in the lumber industry in Central Louisiana. Bentley was an eccentric fellow, and legend has it that the only reason he built the hotel is because he was turned down for a room in the former Ice House Hotel," said the Hotel Bentley's website visithotelbentley.com. The opulent hotel still stands today.
By the 1920's, the Bentley family began to miss Williamsport.
"They wanted to come back for two reasons. It was too hot down there and they had major ties to this area and they wanted a place to come back to," said Furey.
In 1928, Joe had the Northway home constructed to serve as a summer retreat for the whole family. His choice for the home's architecture stood out from the Victorians that populated the area.
"I believe the influence came from Louisiana and at that time it was extremely French," said Furey.
According to Saint Ann Catholic Church, their website said the home was later purchased in 1955 from the Bentley family by the church, which is located just across the street. It served a dual function as a home for clergy and offices for Saint Ann.
"The Catholic church always maintains everything well," said Rob Pierce of Fish Real Estate, who is the listing agent for the home that is now for sale.
The 3,762-square-foot home that sits on a 1.4 acre lot is listed at $399,900. The home still retains its charm from when the Bentley family had it built. Oak flooring, casement windows, breakfast nook, built-ins, two staircases and a mountain stone portico remind visitors this was built to the standards of a lumber baron.
"It has tons of character and charm," said Pierce.
In addition to the six bedrooms and five bathrooms, the home has a 700-square-foot wing, separate from the main living space with its own entry. The addition had formerly been used by the church as office space.
Pierce said, "It could now be used as a main level primary suite, in-law quarters, media [room], home gym or home school."
Whoever the future homeowner is, they will only be the third owner of this unique home now over one hundred years old.
Pierce said, "Loyalsock doesn't have a lot of historical properties."
Which makes this a rare find in the township. For more information about the property or to see it for yourself, contact Pierce at 570-279-0856 or rob@fishre.com.