Indiana University of Pennsylvania - Alumni Affairs, Breezedale Alumni Center

Maybe you remember this house for its use as a dormitory or for art and music classes. If you're a more recent graduate, you probably recall it as the "old, abandoned house," the stuff of which ghost stories were made.

The good news is that because of a great many people's contributions, in terms of time, talent and financial resources, Breezedale is back. Restoration that actually began in the early 1970s and resumed again in the 1980s has returned the mansion to a grandeur befitting its role in the history of Indiana and IUP.

Today, the first floor of the house is available for both university and public use for meetings, receptions and other functions while the second and third floors provide space for the Office of Alumni Relations.

The first floor of Breezedale (as seen in floorplan) is used for receptions, dinners, and meetings. The second and third floors house the Alumni Affairs offices and three meeting rooms. The building is wheelchair accessible. The Alumni Affairs Office administers the policy for use of Breezedale.

First Floor Plan of Breezedale

Reception Room: At the one side of the main hall is the original library, which now serves as a reception room for various meetings and other functions held on the first floor.

Note: This story originally appeared in the Spring, 1993 edition of IUP Magazine and is reprinted here with permission. It was written by Katrina Jesick Quinn M'92.

Breezedale stands upon land originally granted to James Brison by the state of Pennsylvania in 1789. The 365- acre tree plantation was passed through several owners and divided several times before a four-and-a- half-acre portion was sold to James Sutton on February 22, 1868 for $5,000.

James Sutton (1815-1870) was a prominent businessman and financier in nineteenth century Indiana. With his brother, John, for whom John Sutton Hall is named, James made his first venture into business with the J&J Dry Goods Store, a mercantile establishment which the brothers jointly owned. In 1853, James established the Indiana Strawboard Mill, later known as the Indiana Paper Mill Company.

Story continued...

Turkish Room: Of all of the rooms in Breezedale, the Turkish Room is the most captivating. "Smoking" rooms such as this were quite popular in the late nineteenth century, reflecting the trend toward romantic, often exotic, decor. Among the features of the room: a carved mahogany fireplace and a three-sided alcove seat.

The Parlor
Parlor: The room features a striking white marble mantel in the style known as Second Empire. The portrait above the fireplace is that of Sarah Stansbury Sutton, wife of James Sutton, the original owner of the home.

Library: The law library was built as an addition to Breezedale by John Elkin and his wife, who purchased the home from the Sutton family. During his career, Elkin served as a legislator, attorney general and Supreme Court judge for the state of Pennsylvania. The library features an oak beamed ceiling, a skylight, wall-to-wall bookcases and a commanding view of the IUP campus to the south.