This historic Centre County home will appear on HGTV’s ‘Scariest House in America’
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- A historic Centre County home will appear on HGTV’s “Scariest House in America.”
- The Bellefonte home sits on the edge of the historic Union Cemetery.
- It’s not yet clear which episode will feature the historic Bellefonte home.
The newest season of a reality television show is expected to feature a historic Centre County home.
The home, a centuries-old property bordering Bellefonte’s most historic cemetery, will appear as one of the many properties featured in the upcoming season of HGTV’s “Scariest House in America.” Each episode features three homes across the country that compete for a $150,000 makeover after receiving tours from Retta, the comedian and home design enthusiast best known for her role on NBC’s hit comedy “Parks and Recreation.”
The Bellefonte Area School District was the first to spread word of the historic Centre County home appearing in the show’s upcoming season. In a post on Facebook, the district noted the home is owned by 10th grade English teacher Katherin Momenzadeh.
Shortly after closing on the sale of her new home in late February, Momenzadeh said she was contacted by HGTV producers offering to feature the house. She thought their offer was a scam attempt until her realtor concluded it was legitimate.
“It just kind of fell into our laps,” Momenzadeh told the Centre Daily Times. “[The producers] said they had been following our home throughout the sale and offered to feature us on the show. It really is a once-in-a-lifetime thing. We figured, ‘Well, when are we ever going to say that we were on TV again?’”
Momenzadeh’s home is uniquely situated at the Howard Street entrance of Bellefonte’s Union Cemetery. She said she has not yet seen a final cut of the episode, but she figures it will largely focus on the home’s placement in close proximity with the historic site.
“Some people think cemeteries are scary, but I am not one of those people,” Momenzadeh joked. “Bellefonte is an old town. I think about two-thirds of Bellefonte is haunted. We figure, ‘Oh, things happen that we don’t have a reason for? We’ve checked all the logical solutions and none exist? Well, that’s Bellefonte.’”
For now, it’s unclear exactly when the Bellefonte home will appear on HGTV’s “Scariest House in America,” whose season premiere episode will air at 9 p.m. Friday, Sept. 19. Momenzadeh said she believes her Bellefonte home will appear in the season’s third episode, titled “Apparitions of Appalachia,” on Oct. 3.
Though her home’s featured episode may be a few weeks away, Momenzadeh said her students are already excited. She said a few of her classes have already asked to have in-school watch parties once the episode premieres.
Bellefonte’s historic home
Union Cemetery, essentially Momenzadeh’s backyard, serves as the final resting place of several significant figures, including Evan Pugh, the first president of the school that would become Penn State, and several former Pennsylvania governors, including Andrew Curtin, James Beaver and Daniel Hastings.
Though the home is undoubtedly significant, local experts say its exact history remains up for debate.
The home is believed to have once been part of Curtin’s law office and may have been moved from the Crider Exchange block of North Allegehny Street. According to the Bellefonte Historical and Cultural Association, an alternative history suggests the home was built in 1859 as a gatehouse for the cemetery and served as the home of the cemetery superintendent.
The four-bedroom, three-bathroom home sold for $196,300 in February, according to its online Zillow listing. Modern upgrades include a roof replaced within the last five years and a recent paint job, but some of its most distinct features come through front-facing gables that evoke the Gothic Revival or Folk Victorian styles.
“The property has been acknowledged by historic preservation groups for its architectural and historic significance,” the home’s online real estate listing read. “This property knows no equal”.
Momenzadeh said the attention her home has already received for its upcoming appearance on HGTV is a bit humbling “in a good way,” largely thanks to its significance to Bellefonte locals.
“We’re pretty private people,” she said. “In Bellefonte, it feels like everyone owns the gatehouse because it’s such a cool home that’s been a part of the community for so long. It’s been a part of so many people’s memories, so everyone feels like it’s a little bit theirs. I think that’s a beautiful thing.”
This story was originally published September 18, 2025 at 5:30 AM.
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