Zelienople
Jackson Township, Butler County, Pennsylvania
Marker Inscription
Founded by Baron Dettmar Basse in 1802. Named for his daughter Zelie. On the hill overlooking the town, he built Bassenheim, a palatial wooden "castle," which burned in 1842.
Erected by Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission
The Story
Zelienople was founded in 1802 by Baron Dettmar Basse, a German nobleman who came to western Pennsylvania to establish a settlement and named the town for his daughter, Zelie. On a hill above the young community he built Bassenheim, an elaborate wooden "castle" that stood as a curiosity of Old World grandeur until fire consumed it in 1842. The town endured long after its founder's manor was gone.
Why it matters
Zelienople is a vivid example of the European gentry who tried to plant Old World estates on the American frontier during the early Republic.
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Related people
- · Dettmar Basse
Themes & tags
Nearby & related markers
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