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Historic trolley suburb was the first of its kind in Altoona
The historic Llyswen was the first suburb in Altoona and was built to accommodate the Logan Valley Electric Railway Company’s trolley line from Hollidaysburg. Sylvester Baker, the son of wealthy ironmaster and early Altoona settler Elias Baker, plotted out the land for the neighborhood and sold the lots, while prominent architects such as the Beezer brothers designed many of the neighborhood’s historic homes. “Before the trolleys, wealthy people lived in town, and there was no distinction between a wealthy person and a common laborer['s neighborhood],” says Dr. Michael Farrow, Altoona native and historian at the Blair County Historical Society. Baker invested in the trolley company and designed these suburban areas to appeal to wealthy railroad employees who could now commute into the city rather than living in grand dwellings right next to the cramped quarters of their employees. Today, the trolley line along Logan Boulevard has been replaced with a four-lane road into town, but the well-kept historic homes have allowed Llyswen to remain one of the more desirable neighborhoods in Altoona.
The trolley lines uswed to run where now is downtown Altoona.
Llyswen Station, is among the historic buildings designed by the Beezer brothers.
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Historic homes around a former trolley line
Original homes in the neighborhood date from the late 1900s through the 1940s and feature a spectrum of architectural styles, including bungalows, Queen Annes, American Foursquare and Colonial Revival homes. “The Beezer brothers built a lot of these Queen Anne-type homes, with conical towers and spindles,” Farrow says. Smaller homes start around $100,000, while larger, well-kept houses cost up to $300,000. Many of these homes line Logan Boulevard, formerly the path of the trolley line and now a major thoroughfare with four lanes of car traffic and grass medians. Others line quiet side streets branching off from Logan Boulevard. Front yards have a mix of mature and young maple and oak trees, shrubbery and flowering plants. Llyswen was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2002, though Farrow says the designation is more of a formality. “There are no rules about what you can do to the homes. Some people have put vinyl and aluminum siding all over them since wood needs more maintenance.”
Colonial homes on Logan Boulevard are well-kept with long front yards.
Front yards in Llyswen have a mix of mature and young maple and oak trees.
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Historic buildings in Llyswen and conveniences nearby
Llyswen Station, located at 218 Logan Boulevard, is among the historic buildings designed by the Beezer brothers in the neighborhood. A pyramid-shaped tower with dormer windows juts out of this stone cottage that was the Logan Valley Electric Railway Company’s land office. Other historic institutions in the neighborhood include the Llyswen Methodist Episcopal Church on Coleridge Avenue and Ward Avenue United Presbyterian Church at the corner of Coleridge and Ward. Llyswen itself is primarily residential, but Logan Valley Mall has major retailers about a mile south, and grocers like Martin’s are also nearby. Pleasant Valley Boulevard has chain restaurants and businesses like Sheetz, Dunkin’ and Red Lobster. Knickerbocker Tavern, nearby off 6th Avenue, serves upscale American fare and craft cocktails in its historic 1904 building.
Llyswen was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2002.
The Logan Valley Mall has major stores like Jc Penney and Macy's.
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Students attend the Altoona Area School District
Students in Llyswen may attend Baker Elementary School, which earns a B from Niche. The elementary school was originally built in 1906, with an addition added in the ‘60s. “The old part of the building is still in use, and you can’t see the addition if you’re looking at the front of the building,” Farrow says. “They built the original school and the tower with the bell. As the school grew and they added on to it, the tower is now in the middle of the building.” Students continue to Altoona Area Junior High School and Altoona Area High School, which earn a C-plus and a B, respectively. The high school earns an A for athletics. The grounds of Mansion Park Stadium, the high school's main sports facility, are just north of Llyswen with two football fields, two baseball fields and several tennis courts. The stadium can hold 10,400 people and hosts about 60 high school sporting events each fall.
Altoona Area High School serves the student population from all over Altoona.
Students from the City of Altoona attend Altoona Area Junior High School.
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Events downtown and at Baker Mansion
Downtown Altoona, about 3 miles north, has regular events such as the Altoona Farmers Market, held each Thursday at 11 a.m. in Heritage Plaza, and the annual Rails & Ales Brewfest. At the festival, attendees can sample wine and beer from local vendors, listen to live music and catch up with friends. The historic Baker Mansion, completed in 1849 by Elias Baker, is also just north of Llyswen off Oak Lane. Locals can tour this Greek Revival-style mansion and learn about the history of Altoona and the Baker Family. The Blair County Historical Society operates from the mansion and has maintained it over the years; the historical society also hosts events like monthly lectures, movie nights on the lawn and afternoon teas.
The Baker Mansion is a historic home built between 1844 and 1849.
The Downtown Farmers Market is only eight minutes to Llyswen.
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Recreation at Highland Park, Mansion Park and Canoe Creek State Park
Highland Park, just west of Llyswen, is a small neighborhood park on top of a hill. It has a playground, picnic shelters and a disc golf course, and visitors can sit and enjoy views of the Allegheny Mountains in the distance. Just north of Llyswen, the athletic facilities of Mansion Park Stadium are open to the public. For more hiking and outdoor activities, Canoe Creek State Park has a swimming lake and several trails among the mountains, about 9 miles east.
Thhe Mansion Park Stadium in Llyswen sees major inter highschool league competitions.
An aerial view of the Mansion Park Stadium let's you see he importance of this sports complex.
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Traveling around Altoona by bus and car
Logan Boulevard has multiple Amtran bus stops that take riders around town, and Pennsylvania Route 36 runs through the neighborhood and northwest through the state. Just east of Altoona, Interstate 99 connects locals northeast to State College, home to Penn State University 45 miles away, and to other major interstates like I-80 and I-90 that span the U.S. from coast to coast. The Altoona-Blair County Airport is about 18 miles southeast, and nearby hospital UPMC Altoona is about 4 miles north. The CAP Index crime score in Llyswen is a 4, on par with the national average.
Amtran Buses run along Logab Boulevard and stop at major shopping centers close to Llyswen.
Llyswen is well interconnected with the I-99 highway, Route 36, and Logan Boulevard.
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Llyswen Demographics and Home Trends
On average, homes in Llyswen, Altoona sell after 29 days on the market compared to the national average of 53 days. The median sale price for homes in Llyswen, Altoona over the last 12 months is $178,000, down 6% from the median home sale price over the previous 12 months.
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