Chamber of Commerce (Anderson House)

Dr. John Anderson, a Bedford native, studied medicine in nearby Carlisle, and in his middle years became active in local affairs. He commissioned Solomon Filler to design his home and, as the founder of the Bedford Springs Hotel, the centerpiece Greek Revival building there as well ( BD16). Anderson helped to establish a turnpike between Chambersburg and Bedford that enabled guests to come to the springs. He founded the first Allegheny Bank in this home in 1814; the original granite vault remains in the east room. The house has a central-hall plan with a staircase rising three stories. A generous wrought-iron porch with balustrade above stretches across the facade. When Espy Anderson inherited the house in 1845, he built the large two-story addition on the north elevation to accommodate his nine children. The house remained in the Anderson family until 1924, when it was donated to the borough. Today it houses borough offices and the chamber of commerce.