GreatGreat thingsthings areare happeninghappening here!here! LeMoyne Avenue Whiskey Rebellion Rich History Historic Neighborhoods LeMoyne House Washington Central Business David Bradford House District-Eligible Historic District Underground Railroad National Road - US 40 County Courthouse Discovery of oil Washington Hospital George Washington Hotel County Jail Maurer House Historic homes East Washington Historic District McMillan Hall Washington Armory Washington Trust Building PA Railroad Freight Station Chapter 7. A Plan for Historic Preservation Historic Preservation A Plan for 7. Chapter A Comprehensive Plan for the City of Washington and East Washington Borough This page is intentionally left blank 7-2 Historical perspective is an important part of any project that deals with the quality of life in a community. The present and the future cannot be discussed without first looking at the past for answers. In no case is this more appropriate than Washington and East Washington. One of the earliest settlements west of the Alleghenies, the community has long served as a hub for the entire County – economically, socially, and culturally. This role has reverberated through the generations and influences the City and adjoining Borough today. Its early frontier history is a large part of its identity now, and for this reason examining the ways in which the many fascinating and important pieces of history interconnect can be used to build a more successful future within the City of Washington and East Washington Borough. Historic Preservation Questions to Consider: How can historic areas be preserved? How can historic areas be improved? How can historic preservation be used as an economic development tool? A. COMMUNITY SNAPSHOT Historic Development The City of Washington and East Washington Borough are both home to many significant historic places, events, and persons. These resources not only shaped the character of the two communities but played an integral role in the development of the region as well. The following historical information for the City of Washington and East Washington Borough was derived from http://www.livingplaces.com/PA/Washington_County/ East_Washington_Borough/East_Washington_Historic_District.html, the Washington Bicentennial Magazine‐ July 25, 2010 and East Washington Celebrates 100 Years Publiction—May 16, 1992. City of Washington The City of Washington was incorporated as a Borough in 1810. However, Chapter 7. A Plan for Historic Preservation Historic Preservation A Plan for 7. Chapter 7-3 the City’s history starts way before this time as it was first known as a frontier outpost. After Washington County was established the City was laid out and named Dandridge. The name was then changed to Bassett Town and renamed Washington after General George Washington in 1784. One of the oldest structures in Washington is the Bradford House, built by the leader of the Whiskey Rebellion, David Bradford. The stone house was built in 1788 and was considered one of the nicest homes west of the Alleghenies in its time. In its early years, the City did not have a huge population as many people were using the National Pike to travel but not to stay. The landscape of the City changed in 1884 when a well on West Chestnut Street struck oil. The well ended up not being a huge producer but it brought in many oilmen and speculators. Not only were oil rigs located all around the City but other businesses related to the oil industry began to emerge. Shipping yards and rail lines were developed to ship oil to markets. In addition to the oil boom there was a natural gas boom as well. Glass plants and other industries used the natural gas as it was easier and cheaper than coal or coke. As the oil and natural gas boom evolved many new workers moved to the City. The population grew from 7,063 in 1890 to 26,280 in 1950. This lead to annexation and consolidation of nearby municipalities into the City, such as South Washington, North Washington, and West Washington Boroughs and parts of Canton and South Strabane Townships. As industry grew in Washington, so did Main Street. The county courthouse, jail, Washington Trust Building, George Washington Hotel, as well as numerous banks, taverns, and stores were all built in the early 1900s. In 1924 Washington became a third class city. Unfortunately, in the 1960s the once thriving economy of Washington Photo Credit: Glance & Associates began to fade. One of the main 7-4 reasons was the use of tin and plastic for containers instead of glass. Also the steel industry and its manufacturers were beginning to decline. The impact on the Main Street was great and was further impacted by the development of shopping centers, such as the Washington Plaza, Washington Mall, Washington Crown Center, and South Hills Village in surrounding municipalities. Today the City is still home to many businesses, county offices, Washington and Jefferson College (W&J) and Washington Hospital. Recent projects such as the Streetscape along Main Street have also served to increase the quality of life for those living and working in the City. East Washington Borough Founded in 1892, East Washington Borough was one of the four boroughs that were formed around the City of Washington. It was the only one of the four not to consolidate with the City. The Borough experienced an influx of wealthy residents in the late 1800’s and early 1900’s due to the oil and gas boom who built large, stately homes of wood, brick and stone. Photo Credit: Glance & Associates Many important people lived within the Borough which led to several streets being named for them. LeMoyne Avenue was named after Dr. Francis Julius LeMoyne, a physician and founder of the first crematory and Nicholas Wade whose family lived on a farm in East Washington for many years, and married Dr. LeMoyne’s daughter, Romaine. One of the Borough’s most famous residents was Edward Martin, a US Senator, governor of Pennsylvania and general in the US Army. While the Borough has been primarily residential from its beginnings, several non‐residential structures have existed throughout its history. In 1923, East Washington School District bought four lots in the Morgan Plan and built a yellow brick school building, which served as the East Chapter 7. A Plan for Historic Preservation Historic Preservation A Plan for 7. Chapter 7-5 Washington High School for 41 years. Several businesses also existed including a grocery at the triangular intersection of Beau Street, Wade Avenue and Thayer Street. In 1968 the first church, the First Christian Church, was built in the Borough at the corner of Beau Street and Wilmont Avenue. In 1927 the Grayson family built a swimming pool on part of their property along Beau Street. In 1947 the family donated the pool to the private non‐profit organization, Elmhurst, who still manages the pool today. Over the years, some conversions of the large ornate houses have occurred, but the borough retains architecturally rich streets with many of the houses retaining their historic integrity. Examples include residences within the Borough’s historic district and along LeMoyne Avenue. National Register Properties and Districts The City of Washington currently has a total of eight (8) buildings listed on the National Register of Historic Places, all of which are located in the Central Business District (CBD) and shown on Map 7-1. Two of these listed buildings are also National Historic Landmarks. National Historic Landmarks are defined as buildings or places of great significance, and include buildings such as Fallingwater and the White House; only 2,400 places in the United States are listed as National Historic Landmarks. Remarkably, two of them reside just a few blocks from one another in downtown Washington. These landmarks include the Lemoyne House and the Bradford House. The Lemoyne house, built in the early 1800s is an eclectic, late Georgian style, home that was the largest stone home constructed west of the Susquehanna at the time. This finely proportioned home also served as a doctor’s office. Dr. Lemoyne was an outspoken advocate for the abolition of slavery, and the home played a vital Photo Credit: Glance & Associates role in the Underground Railroad. 7-6 The Bradford House was constructed in 1794, and is an excellent example of Federal style architecture. David Bradford was instrumental in the Whiskey Rebellion, which nearly led to the secession of Pennsylvania from the Union. Aside from the two National Landmarks, perhaps the two most significant of the Photo Credit: Glance & Associates remaining listed buildings are the iconic Washington Courthouse and Jail. The Courthouse was constructed in 1900 at a cost of a then‐staggering sum of $1‐ million dollars. Arguably one of the finest examples of Beaux‐Arts public buildings in the country, the building is exquisitely detailed and has been faithfully maintained and restored. The Jail, completed just before the Courthouse, is a Roman Cross plan capped by a dome. The façade is a highly rusticated stone with three bay porticos at the principal facades. The building is no longer a jail, having been converted to support functions for the court house in 2004. Additional listed properties listed on the National Register of Historic Places include the Administration Building (now McMillan Hall) at W&J (the oldest higher education building west of the Alleghenies), Washington Armory, the Pennsylvania Rail Road freight station, and the Dr. Joseph Maurer House. Each of these buildings has been reasonably maintained over the years. The Borough of East Washington currently has one historic residential district listed with the National Register of Historic Places (See Map 7-1); this district is the only entity in the borough listed on the National Register. The district is bounded to the North by Thayer St, to the East by Bakewell Lane, the railroad tracks to the South, and the East Ave and W&J to the West.