Bloomsburg Regional Technology Center

History of the Edward B. Tustin Mansion

The building that now houses the Bloomsburg Regional Technology Center was originally constructed as the private residence of Edward B. Tustin and his family.

Born in Bloomsburg in 1866,Tustin was at one time the treasurer of the Greene Consolidated Copper Company and made his fortune in the stock market. He later succeeded his father as the Cashier of the First National Bank of Bloomsburg.

Construction of the home began around 1904 as an elaborate undertaking. The original terracotta roof was imported from Germany along with two German craftsmen responsible for the assembly and installation of the tiles. The majestic staircase in the lobby is believed to have been purchased at the 1904 St. Louis Exhibition. Amazingly, there are no screws or nails holding it together; fastened by perfectly drilled holes and precisely fitted wooden pins and dovetails.

The Morning Press newspaper reported the building completed at the end of 1906. According to local historian Ted Fenstermacher, the home cost about a quarter million dollars to complete.

Due to financial troubles, the Tustin family only lived in the home until about 1910 when the house was seized, but not sold. Tustin moved to New York to try to settle his financial situation, but declared bankruptcy in 1911. He returned to Bloomsburg in the 1930s and lived in his family’s home on West First Street. The home changed hands twice before being sold to the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks of Bloomsburg in 1923. It is said that Edward Tustin attended Elks functions at his former home.

Hundreds of meetings, dinners, dances, and other social events were held at the Elks lodge over nearly 80 years before the building changed hands once more. Due to the growing need for repairs and dwindling membership in the organization, the mansion was sold to the Columbia Alliance for Economic Growth in 2002. The Alliance’s vision was to preserve the historic structure while offering modern amenities for technology related businesses. Following extensive renovations, the Bloomsburg Regional Technology Center was dedicated in a ceremony with Governor Edward G. Rendell on May 18, 2005.