Protecting the Places that Make Pittsburgh Home

Pittsburgh History & Landmarks Foundation Nonprofit Org. 1 Station Square, Suite 450 U. S. Postage Pittsburgh, PA 15219-1134 PAID www.phlf.org Pittsburgh, PA Address Service Requested Permit No. 598 PHLF News Published for the members of the Pittsburgh History & Landmarks Foundation No. 160 April 2001 Landmarks Launches Rural In this issue: 4 Preservation Program Landmarks Announces Its Gift Annuity Program Farms in Allegheny County—some Lucille C. Tooke Donates vent non-agricultural development. with historic houses, barns, and scenic Any loss in market value incurred by 10 views—are rapidly disappearing. In Historic Farm Landmarks in the resale of the property their place is urban sprawl: malls, Through a charitable could be offset by the eventual proceeds The Lives of Two North Side tract housing, golf courses, and high- remainder unitrust of the CRUT. Landmarks ways. According to information from (CRUT), long-time On December 21, 2000, Landmarks the U. S. Department of Agriculture, member Lucille C. succeeded in buying the 64-acre Hidden only 116 full-time farms remained in Tooke has made it Valley Farm from the CRUT. Mrs. Tooke 12 Allegheny County in 1997. possible for Landmarks is enjoying her retirement in Chambers- Revisiting Thornburg to acquire its first farm burg, PA and her three daughters are property, the 64-acre Hidden Valley excited about having saved the family Farm on Old State Road in Pine homestead. Landmarks is now in the 19 Township. The property includes a process of selling the protected property. Variety is the Spice of Streets house of 1835 that was awarded a “I believe Landmarks was the answer Or, Be Careful of Single-Minded Planning Historic Landmark plaque in 1979. to my prayers,” says Mrs. Tooke. With this form of gift, a donor trans- “I hope Landmarks finds a buyer who fers cash, securities, or other property to loves the place as much as we do and 20 the CRUT and in return, avoids capital appreciates what was done to save it.” Membership Survey gains tax, receives a federal income tax Anyone interested in purchasing the deduction, and a percentage of the property can call M. J. Kelly Realty trust’s value each year. When the Corp. at (412) 271-5550. CRUT ends (in this case after 20 years), Landmarks also has discussed its Rural Preservation Program with the remaining principal passes to Program Meeting Planned Landmarks. “Great efforts were made Scenic America and with the American to structure the gift to meet Mrs. Tooke’s Landmarks will host a meeting this Farmland Trust and expects to income needs,” said Jack Miller, director spring at Hidden Valley Farm with develop additional programs with of gift planning for Landmarks, “and farmers and others interested in their organizations. farmland preservation in Allegheny to enable Mrs. Tooke’s daughters to you are interested in attending the County, in cooperation with the If receive any remaining income, if Mrs. meeting at Hidden Valley Farm, please Allegheny County Agriculture Land Tooke should predecease the term of call Jack Miller at (412) 471-5808, Preservation (ACALP) board and the CRUT.” ext. 538. Be sure that he has your In response to this preservation the Western Pennsylvania office of But what about preserving the farm? name, address, and phone number so concern, during a meeting on April the State Department of Economic The CRUT’s independent trustee must he can send you further details regard- 17, Landmarks’ Board of Trustees Development (PDED). The ACALP entertain bids to assure the highest price ing the meeting. approved the establishment of a Rural for any non-cash gifted asset. Mrs. is the local administrator of the Preservation Fund. Philip B. Hallen, Tooke took the additional precaution of Pennsylvania Agricultural Conservation Chairman of the Board, announced specifying in the CRUT that any organi- Easement Purchase Program that NOTE: The information contained in this article that Landmarks would be initiating zation willing to preserve the property supports the donation of easements to should not be construed as legal or tax advice. this program with income from the be given the right to match the highest responsible non-profit organizations. Persons considering any planned gifts should first Patricia Thauer Named Fund, estab- Arthur Ziegler, president of discuss them with their personal financial and/or lished in 1993 through a bequest from bid. That’s when Landmarks stepped to legal advisors. Gifts of real estate are reviewed by the plate. Landmarks, and a representative of a long-time member. In addition, PDED will inform farmers in Allegheny Landmarks on an individual basis and must meet Since Mrs. Tooke chose to make criteria set forth in our gift acceptance policy. Landmarks is allocating up to County about the State’s program, $500,000 from its Endowment Fund Landmarks the irrevocable beneficiary To learn more about creative ways you can leave about Landmarks’ planned giving a legacy to Landmarks and western Pennsylvania, income to the Rural Preservation of her CRUT, Landmarks decided to bid on the property. As the successful bidder, opportunities, and about the significance please contact our Web site at www.phlf.org or Fund and is seeking additional grants contact Jack Miller, director of gift planning at Landmarks could place a restrictive of saving historic farm structures and and contributions to bring the initial associated land. (412) 471-5808, ext. 538. funding package to $1 million. easement on the farm and land to pre-

Route 8 corridor

Gibsonia expansion Valencia and Rt. 228 In 1835 Lewis Ross and his wife Temperance built a farmhouse at the northern border of Allegheny County in what is now Gibsonia. Symmetrical on the front, L-shaped in plan, the masonry structure is well proportioned and solid. Hidden Valley Farm One-hundred sixty-five years after its construction, Hidden Valley Farm was threatened on all sides by development. In order to protect the family homestead, Lucille C. Tooke, a member of Landmarks for 36 years, established a charitable remainder unitrust. She donated the farm to the trust and named Landmarks as Pine Richland the irrevocable beneficiary. When the trust put the farm on the market, Landmarks High School purchased it and will preserve it with a protective easement. Treesdale Page 2 PHLF News • April 2001

Welcome New Members Recent Contributions & Gifts (As of March 5, 2001) There are many ways to give to Landmarks. Our members and friends make contributions in support of specific programs or in memory of a loved one. THANK YOU FOR JOINING! Your membership strengthens our They also give memberships as gifts or donate goods or services. We thank the organization—and brings you benefits, too: discounts at several Bed & following people and corporations for their contributions, as of March 5, 2001: Breakfasts; free walking tours and postcards; and invitations to special Corporate Matching Gifts events. For the most up-to-date news, check our Web site at www.phlf.org. • Chevron Corporation, for its gift in honor of Jack D. Burgess and Stephanie G. Sladek; • Merrill Lynch & Company Foundation, Inc., for its gift in honor of Meg and Robb Alarcon Richard Henry Mattern, Jr. Mr. & Mrs. Charles R. Altman John R. Matthews and family Edward C. Brown; and Lee Ann Antol Robin Mauser and family • PPG Industries Foundation, for its gift in honor of Paul W. Schaughency. Katie Bailie Constance E. Mayer Joe Balaban and family James McDonald Gift Memberships Kathleen M. O. Barkocy Deborah McCrogan Robert B. Bergdahl, Jr. Sharon and Mark McLaughlin • David and Janet Brashear, for their gift of membership for James Brugh; Robert Berger Kym Mosgeller and family • Carol and James Campbell, for their gift of membership for Randall Campbell; Paul R. Bernthal Phyllis Nowakowski Susanna Bjorkman and family Janet R. O’Connor • Elisa J. Cavalier, for her gift of membership for Mr. & Mrs. James E. Cavalier; Karen Boucher and family Ken Pasterak • Judith E. Donaldson, for her gift of membership for Mrs. John Stecklein; Mary Briscoe Jeanette Patsakis • K. Donna Hallen, for her gift of membership for Phyllis Nowalkowski; Alison Brooks Susan Peake Suzanne M. Broughton Debra Pisciuneri and • Martha Jordan, for her gift of membership for Nancy and Tom Spyke and family; family Jane Brown • Shirley and Tom Phillis, for their gift of membership for Mark T. Phillis; Craig Cahall and family Pittsburgh Candace Cain and Fred R. Nene Community • Mr. & Mrs. David W. Stevenson, for their gift of membership for Marge Stevenson; Reinvestment Calvary United Methodist Church • and Nan Weisenbaum and Reza Vali, for their gift of membership for Marilyn and June Cameron Group Pittsburgh Elementary Norman Weisenbaum. Harrison C. Chandler Gifted Center Cleft of the Rock Ministries John L. Price Morton & Greta Coleman and family In-Kind Contributions Rollyn E. Puterbaugh Marnie Conley Pamela and Emil Quatchak • We thank Norfolk Southern for railroad ties and hardware for the relocation Mallory Crawford Sandra Quinn and Stephen Thomas of the Tom Thumb locomotive. Jim Denova Indigo Raffel Rosemary DeRiso Leslie G. Reimer Lifetime Membership Mildred Devlin Phyllis Renda and family David Dix Tina Reuwsaat • Mr. & Mrs. Hugh W. Nevin, Jr., for their lifetime membership contribution. Carolyn L. Dorazio and family Grace Rock Robert D. Drennan Rachel Roebuck and family Memorial Gifts Dorothy Enright Denise Rousseau and Paul Goodman • Barbara W. Bonnett, Mr. & Mrs. Hugh W. Nevin, Jr., James H. Oliver, Virginia D. David and Cecelia Epperson and family Brian P. Rousseve First Trinity Lutheran Church St. Bede School Ramsburg, Margaret Pollard Rea, and Elizabeth Smith, for their gifts in memory of Arthur W. Fleming St. Elizabeth Ann Seton School Constance Hillman Oliver O’Neil; and Joe Fiorill St. George Orthodox Church • Nancy Gaskey Spear, for her gifts in memory of Mary M. Levine, Pauline Micklow, and Fox Chapel Area School District St. Mary of the Mount Church and School Robert Dulla. Ted Frantz St. Patrick/St. Stanislaus Church Clarence Gerst Leslie P. Schall and family Jeffrey T. Getty Ray Schinhofen Named Funds Donald L. Gibbon Heather and Greg Schmidt • Carl Wood Brown, for a generous contribution to the Carl Wood Brown Named Fund; Joseph Gibson Adrienne Schmitz and family Cynthia S. Giovannitti Richard E. Schmitz • Ruth and Dick Brunermer, Marion V. Green, and Vinnie D. Ziegler, for their gifts to Edward M. Goldston Realtor Gail Schrott the Mary DeWinter Named Fund to support Landmarks’ preservation programs; Pat L. Griffin Mary Lou Seaburn • and David Simpson, for his gift to the Helen E. Simpson Named Fund to support our Brenda L. Smith and family Martha M. Grottenthaler education programs. Christine Grzyb South Allegheny School District Darla and Bill Grzybowski and family South Fayette Township School District HNMA/Historic Library Estates Nancy and Tom Spyke and family Program Support Station Square Gallery Linda A. Hannon • Mr. & Mrs. David Barensfeld, for their gift to the Barensfeld Family Named Fund to M. L. Hare Mrs. John Stecklein support Landmarks’ work; Robert Harper Mark Steele Ann Sutherland Harris Elizabeth Stork and family • Esther L. Barazzone, for her gift to support Landmarks’ preservation activities; Mary Tabasko Jan Guilaive Hedquist and family • The Anne L. and George H. Clapp Charitable and Educational Trust, for its gift to Don Heisler Jennifer Tolner support Landmarks’ educational and preservation programs; Janice L. Held Thomas Robert Tripoli and family Marilyn J. Herrlich Urban Impact Foundation • Columbia Gas of Pennsylvania, Inc., for its gift to support the design and printing of eight Deepak Wadhwani Alexandra Hope and David Wheeler more panels for the Landmark Survivors exhibit; Sharon and Ken Hruska Beverly R. Walter and family • Jerilyn Donahoe, for her contribution in support of Landmarks’ educational programs; Frances Huemmrich Marilyn and Norman Weizenbaum Miriam Hurley James Williams and family • The Milton G. Hulme Charitable Foundation, for its gift to support Landmarks’ Barry D. Wingard, Jr. Steven Dane Irwin education programs and preservation services; Jeff Jacobs • The Katherine Mabis McKenna Foundation, for its gift to support Landmarks’ Martina Jacobs Corporate Members C. Lee Jefferson preservation efforts; (As of March 5, 2001) Jeffery Elementary School • Evelyn Bitner Pearson and the H. M. Bitner Charitable Trust, for their gift to support Jubilee Christian School Benefactors our education and preservation programs; John Keeley Ellwood Group, Inc. • Pittsburgh Steelers Sports, Inc., for its gift to support our preservation services; Elizabeth Klimchock Mylan Laboratories, Inc. Francis P. Kownacki Oxford Development Company • Mr. & Mrs. Edward V. Randall, Jr., for their gift to support our historic religious Joel H. Kranich and family PNC Bank–Pittsburgh properties and preservation efforts; Mr. & Mrs. Roy Kurtzrock Pittsburgh Steelers Sports, Inc. Sandra Lafe • the Estate of Delores M. Smith, for its gift in support of our preservation programs; Geraldine and Kurt Larson Partners • Dr. & Mrs. Albert C. Van Dusen, for their gift in memory of Mrs. Oliver W. Brown Lawrenceville Corporation Beckwith Machinery Company and the Buhl Foundation for matching this gift; and Robert W. Leibold, M.D. Bruce Plastics, Inc. • The Walden Trust, for its gift to support our preservation activities and Historic Religious Claudia A. Lep California University of Pennsylvania Judith A. Lesniewicz Chatham Village Homes, Inc. Properties Initiative. David K. Levdansky The Gateway Engineers, Inc. Henry B. Levith and family The Healey Company Edward L. Linder Perkins Eastman Architects, P.C. Elaine and Alan London Urban Design Associates Patty Maloney Verizon Beth Marcello Western Pennsylvania Laborers Mr. & Mrs. William E. Markus District Council and family Ted Marz and Lynne Williams Associates Georgine Materniak Eat ’n Park PHLF News • April 2001 Page 3

Major Donors Year-End Gifts Exceed $14,000 in 2000 We thank the following people for generously donating to our year-end gift cam- paign. As of April 5, 2001 our fund total was $14,037.50. This money, combined We thank the following people, busi- with a gift of at least $10,000 from Landmarks, will enable us to sponsor our nesses, and foundations for generously Historic Religious Properties program for the fifth consecutive year. contributing to the Pittsburgh History & Landmarks Foundation in 2000. Alan L. Ackerman Charlotte E. Lang (Please note: year-end gifts are listed Wilda Wible Aiken Dorcas E. Leibold separately, at right): David H. Archer Robert W. Leibold Conrad C. M. Arensberg Larry and Claire Levine Kim T. and Janice Menke Abraham Jane C. Arkus Samuel D. Levine Frances McK. Armstrong Richard L. Linder Allegheny Foundation Joanne E. Bald Edward D. Loughney Mr. & Mrs. David Barensfeld Esther L. Barazzone Mr. & Mrs. Joel O. Lubenau Esther L. Barazzone James S. Beckwith III Dorothy K. Lynch H. M. Bitner Charitable Trust/ Mr. & Mrs. Richard Berdik Dom Magasano Evelyn Bitner Pearson Joseph M. Berenbrok Richard E. Maine Mr. & Mrs. David M. Brashear Mr. & Mrs. William C. Bickel Bernard Kent Markwell Mr. & Mrs. James E. Brashear G. William Bissell Bernard M. Markwell Carl Wood Brown Edward N. Blair Evelyn A. Mason The Buhl Foundation Charles H. Booth, Jr. Matthews Educational & Charitable Trust Mr. & Mrs. Clinton L. Childs, Jr. Frank R. Braden, Jr. Mr. & Mrs. Samuel A. McClung The Anne L. and George H. Clapp Elizabeth R. Bradley Robert E. McCue, M.D. Audrey and Kenneth Charitable and Educational Trust Edward C. Brown Betty L. McCurdy Columbia Gas of Pennsylvania, Inc. Sara M. Brown Shirley and Howard McIlvried Menke Named Fund Robert Bruno Melissa M. McSwigan Anna Belle and Donald G. Darnell Mr. & Mrs. Jack Burgess Merrill Lynch & Company for Education Jerilyn Donahoe Cable Design Technologies, Inc. Foundation, Inc. Michael Douglas Foundation Thomas C. Camarda James D. Merritt Docent Audrey Menke, and her CB Richard Ellis/Pittsburgh J. A. Cameron Anne B. Metcalf husband Kenneth, are being honored Federal Home Loan Bank of Pittsburgh Chevron Corporation Mary K. Michaely Gailliot Family Foundation Betty M. Chorba Mr. & Mrs. John C. Miller, Jr. by their daughters and sons-in-law Mrs. Paul A. Gorman Mr. & Mrs. Donald Y. Clem Mr. & Mrs. Bill Mistick through the establishment of a Named The Grable Foundation Janet S. Clever John I. Moraca Marion V. Green Louise S. Collazo Muriel R. Moreland Fund at Landmarks. Kim and Janice Frank and Janet Coyle Philip F. Muck Alice Patton Greller Menke Abraham and Michael and Philip B. Hallen Canon Richard W. Davies Mr. & Mrs. Hugh W. Nevin, Jr. H. J. Heinz Company Foundation Esther F. Davies Mr. & Mrs. John S. Oehrle Karen Menke Paciorek gave this gift Bernadine Hespenheide Mr. & Mrs. John R. Davis Susan M. Olaharsk Day & Night Press Brian O’Neill to Audrey and Ken at Christmas time, Gertrude and Arthur Hetherington Mr. & Mrs. Thomas J. Donnelly Jeffrey E. Orman and mentioned that birthday, anniver- Henry Phipps Hoffstot III Mr. & Mrs. George C. Dorman Partners for Sacred Places Mr. & Mrs. Thomas O. Hornstein Mr. & Mrs. Arthur J. Edmunds Madeline Pascasio sary, and Christmas gifts would hence- The Milton G. Hulme Charitable James M. Edwards Robert F. Patton forth be contributed to the Audrey Foundation Mr. & Mrs. Paul C. Emery Carol Prorok The Roy A. Hunt Foundation Lois Scott Emler Mr. & Mrs. John T. Radelet and Kenneth Menke Named Fund for The Torrence M. Hunt, Sr. Fund for Mr. & Mrs. George W. Erny Mr. & Mrs. Edward V. Randall, Jr. Education. “Since our parents have Special Projects Janet K. Felmeth Dr. & Mrs. Keith S. Reisinger IBM International Foundation Edith H. Fisher C. D. Reynolds long been members of Landmarks,” Martha Jordan Charles H. Fletcher, Jr. Deborah and Edgar Roach said Janice, “we thought this would be Kathryn Karrer Suzanne Flood Mr. & Mrs. Daniel M. Rooney Mr. & Mrs. G. Christian Lantzsch James and Ruth Frank Mr. & Mrs. Farrell Rubenstein a good way to create a gift that would Linden Garden Club Mr. & Mrs. Henry J. Gailliot Virginia W. Schatz be meaningful to them and of value to Mr. & Mrs. Richard V. Garland Mr. & Mrs. A. Reed Schroeder Grant McCargo Mr. & Mrs. Mark S. Gleeson Grace Gates Sconza the Pittsburgh community.” Mary McDonough Harry C. Goldby Kathi Sekara The Katherine Mabis McKenna Stephen C. Graffam Freida G. Shapira “We were thrilled,” said Audrey, Foundation Ethel Hagler Furman South “and look forward to working with Merrill Lynch & Co. Foundation, Inc. Martha M. Hanna W. Paul Spencer Merrill Lynch Trust Clyde Hare Judge & Mrs. William L. Standish Landmarks’ staff through our Named Mr. & Mrs. Hugh W. Nevin, Jr. Heinz Healey’s Mr. & Mrs. Garrett L. Stauffer Fund.” Norfolk Southern Foundation Mr. & Mrs. Henry C. Herchenroether, Jr. Mildred M. Stevenson James H. Oliver Mildred C. Hoffmann Nancy C. Tranter Audrey joined Landmarks’ docent Persifor Oliver Mr. & Mrs. Hale Holden, Jr. Karen Tysarczyk training class in 1984, after retiring Constance H. O’Neil Joseph S. Horbath Mr. & Mrs. Robert A. Walsh from Koppers. She was beginning Michael J. and Karen Menke Paciorek M. P. Huessener Faith Weinstein Pittsburgh Steelers Sports, Inc. David W. Hunter Dr. & Mrs. George R. White part-time work as a travel agent and Mr. & Mrs. Harry T. Hutchinson, Jr. Frances H. Wilson Craig A. Platt Mr. & Mrs. Jay K. Jarrell Helen M. Wilson was hoping to learn more about RSMIS Foundation Martha W. Jordan Jane M. Wissner Pittsburgh. Since that time, Audrey Mr. & Edward V. Randall, Jr. Mr. & Mrs. William C. Keck Mary Wohleber Silver Cord Interdenominational Ellen and Jack Kessler Fannie J. Yount has been one of Landmarks’ most Association of Ministers’ Wives & Arthur P. Ziegler, Jr. David A. Kleer loyal volunteers, assisting with private Ministers’ Widows James W. Knox Mr. & Mrs. Jack R. Zierden David Simpson group tours, school tours, noontime Douglas Simpson walking tours, and special events such Larry J. Simpson Named Fund Grants Robert A. Simpson as the Old House Fair and Award of T. R. Simpson We are pleased to report that the Mary DeWinter and the Emma Ziegler Named Merit reception. An avid reader and Thelma Simpson Funds at Landmarks made donations to the following organizations in 2000: William J. Simpson II researcher, Audrey enriches • American Chestnut Association, for an experimental program to revive the The Estate of Delores M. Smith American Chestnut tree; Landmarks’ standard tours through Judge and Mrs. William L. Standish Margaret S. Stouffer • Beginning with Books, for its reading program in historic inner-city neighborhoods; her intimate knowledge and genuine USX Corporation • Bidwell Cultural and Training Center, for its training program for inner-city youths; love of Pittsburgh. Ken accompanies Dr. & Mrs. Albert C. Van Dusen • City Theatre, for restoration of its adjoining historic building; Audrey to many of Landmarks’ The Walden Trust • Cranberry Township Historical Society, for restoration of the one-room A. M. Wiggins, Jr. Sample schoolhouse; special events and always speaks • Dormont Historical Society, for its new headquarters in the historic Hillsdale School; Mr. & Mrs. Ledlie W. Young, Jr. highly of his wife’s involvement in our Vinnie D. Ziegler • Eldridge Street Synagogue, for restoration of this nationally important synagogue in the history of immigrating Jews; education programs. • Mars Historical Society, for the restoration of the Mars Railway Station; We are grateful to the Menke family • The Mattress Factory, for its restoration plan for adjoining houses; for establishing Landmarks’ fifteenth • Partners for Sacred Places, for its national restoration advisory program; • Rachel Carson Homestead Association, to underwrite costs of preparing specifications Named Fund. Mary Lu and Jim for painting and re-roofing the Homestead in Springdale; Denny, Cathy McCollom, and Louise • St. Clair Wright Memorial Fund at the University of Maryland, dedicated to the founder of Historic Annapolis; Sturgess also have contributed to the • St. Luke’s Church, for maintenance of this historic building restored entirely by volunteers; Named Fund. • The Society for the Preservation of the Duquesne Incline, for its restoration program; • and to the Western Pennsylvania School for the Deaf, for restoration of its historic campus buildings. Page 4 PHLF News • April 2001

Meeting the Needs of Our Members and Friends Landmarks Announces Its Gift Annuity Program

The best planned-giving program isn’t annuity is removed from her estate, designed to meet a non-profit’s needs. resulting in an additional tax savings. Gift Annuity Rates It is designed to meet the needs of its Most importantly, Mrs. Smith realizes Single Life members and friends. That’s why that a portion of her annuity will be Help Us AGE RATE AGE RATE Landmarks is creating its own charitable used for Landmarks’ charitable mission 50 5.8% 70 7.5% gift annuity program. after her death, which not only achieves 51 5.9 71 7.6 Help You A charitable gift annuity is a simple her original intention, but provides her 52 5.9 72 7.7 contract between you and Landmarks. with a tax deduction, while she is living, 53 6.0 73 7.8 In June, Landmarks will begin making In exchange for an irrevocable gift of as well. 54 6.0 74 8.0 Landmark Legacies available to its at least $10,000 in cash, securities or other assets, Landmarks agrees to pay Interested? 55 6.1 75 8.2 members. The newsletter is specifically one or two people a fixed sum each year To learn if a charitable gift annuity 56 6.2 76 8.3 designed for persons interested in learning for life. might be of interest to you, please call 57 6.3 77 8.5 about creative ways to redirect their tax “We decided to offer this program 58 6.4 78 8.7 Jack Miller, director of gift planning, dollars to support their families and because many people who want to at (412) 471-5808, ext. 538. His email 59 6.5 79 9.0 Landmarks’ mission. support our mission hesitate because address is [email protected]. Or you may 60 6.6 80 9.2 The free publication will include timely they are on a fixed income,” said Philip visit our Web site at www.phlf.org for 61 6.7 81 9.4 B. Hallen, Chairman of Landmarks’ more information. 62 6.8 82 9.6 information on tax law changes that relate Board of Trustees. “I think this is a 63 6.9 83 9.9 to charitable giving and feature stories great way to meet the needs of all who 64 6.9 84 10.2 about members and friends who have are interested in supporting Landmarks’ NOTE: The information contained in this article 65 7.0 85 10.5 should not be construed as legal or tax advice. found a way to create their own legacy in mission.” 66 7.1 86 10.8 Persons considering a charitable gift annuity The older the annuitants are at the 67 7.2 87 11.1 support of our mission. time of the gift, the greater the fixed should first discuss it with their personal financial and/or legal advisors. Landmarks is currently 68 7.3 88 11.4 If you would like to be sure to receive income Landmarks can pay. The nice only issuing gift annuities to residents of 69 7.4 89 11.7 Landmark Legacies, or wish to notify us part about the payments is that in most Pennsylvania and conforms to PA Act 1996-127 90-over 12.0 that you have included Landmarks in cases, part of each payment is tax-free. as it relates to the establishment and maintenance The benefits of a gift annuity include: of a charitable gift annuity program. Gift For illustrative purposes only. Please contact Jack your will or estate plan, please call Jack annuities funded with real estate are reviewed by • fixed payments in quarterly Miller at (412) 471-5808, ext. 538 for Miller at (412) 471-5808, ext. 538. Landmarks on an individual basis and must meet rates for two persons and exact benefits to you. installments for life regardless of criteria set forth in our gift acceptance policy. interest rate fluctuations; • a federal-income tax deduction (subject to certain limitations); and • if necessary, the ability to carry forward any unused deductions over the next five years (subject to certain limitations). If you give appreciated property, such as stock or real estate, you will pay Heathside Cottage capital gains tax on only part of the appreciation. In addition, if you name yourself as an income recipient, the In 1992, Judith Harvey fell in love with a dilapidated historic landmark that would eventually become her home. capital gains tax will be spread over After years of restoration, she turned Heathside Cottage in Fineview into a showplace with the intention of preserving many years rather than be all due in the year of your gift. the c. 1855 Gothic Revival cottage for the enjoyment of future generations. Another benefit may be reduced To accomplish that goal, she put a preservation easement on the property and then gave the probate and estate costs. A Landmarks charitable gift annuity Your Pittsburgh History & Landmarks Foundation her home while retaining the right to live there for is designed for the person who likes the security of receiving a fixed income for Gift the rest of her life. Her gift was featured in PHLF News 158 (December 2000). life at a predetermined rate and who After Judith’s death, Landmarks will sell Heathside Cottage, and the proceeds will help us wishes to support Landmarks’ mission. Could Be continue our historic preservation programs and services. Here’s An Example In return, Judith received significant tax benefits and the satisfaction of knowing that Mrs. Smith wants Landmarks to receive Your a $10,000 gift after she dies. She’d like Landmarks would preserve her part of Pittsburgh’s history. to make the gift now, but is reluctant to You don’t have to be do so because she may need the income Legacy from her assets for future living wealthy or own a historic expenses. landmark to make a gift. After learning about Landmarks’ charitable gift annuity program, she You just have to care about supporting decides to make a $10,000 gift. Based Landmarks’ mission. on her age of 79, Mrs. Smith will receive annual payments of $900 (nine percent of the amount transferred) for the rest of her life. (Please see the chart above.) For more information on creative gifts that For the first nine years of her pay- meet your objectives, please call Jack Miller at ments, she will pay federal-income tax on less than one-half of the amount she (412) 471-5808, ext. 538; or visit our Web site receives. After that time, the entire pay- at www.phlf.org. ment will be taxed as ordinary income. She will also be allowed to deduct more than $4,900 as a charitable gift in the year the gift is completed, and the amount used to fund Mrs. Smith’s PHLF News • April 2001 Page 5

1. Site of the former Ober Park, Allegheny Center 3. Intersection of Mahon and Kirkpatrick Streets with Centre, Middle Hill

2. Market Square, Downtown 4. Convergence of Lowrie, Ley, and Froman Streets, Troy Hill Landmarks Sponsors Public Squares and Spaces Competition Young architects, landscape architects, planners, and artists in Allegheny ❹ ❺ Those interested in competing must send a letter of intent to Barry Hannegan by County are turning their attention to eight historic public squares ❶ ❼ May 1. Submissions are to be delivered directly to the Mattress and spaces, thanks to a juried competition sponsored by Factory on Pittsburgh’s North Side on September 8, 2001. the Pittsburgh History & Landmarks Foundation. “The Materials submitted with entries will be selected for inclusion in competition is limited to young designers under the age an exhibition at the Mattress Factory in September. of 35,” said Barry Hannegan, director of historic Landmarks is offering three prizes of $5,000, $2,000, design programs at Landmarks, “because they don’t ¥ ¥ ¥ and $1,000 for first, second, and third place designs, often have an opportunity to show their talents. ¥ ¥ ¥ ❻ respectively. “We are encouraged by the response we I have the strong impression that there’s an extreme ¥ have received so far,” said Barry, “and look forward to diversity in Pittsburgh’s young design community, ¥ seeing some innovative ideas in the final submissions.” and I’m eager to see what they are capable of doing.” For further information, visit Landmarks’ Web site Competitors must select one of the eight sites (www.phlf.org), or contact: ❷ shown here. They are asked to consider the historic ❽ Barry Hannegan, Ph.D. design character of the site, its current condition, and Director of Historic Design Programs present use patterns, and then propose what might be done to ❸ Pittsburgh History & Landmarks Foundation the space to make it more attractive and more useable. “Almost all One Station Square, Suite 450 the sites involve an interesting arrangement of street patterns, and all Pittsburgh, PA 15219-1134 have the potential of becoming focal points, adding to the vitality of our Phone: (412) 471-5805, ext. 528 city and its neighborhoods,” said Barry. E-mail: [email protected]

5. Doughboy Square, junction of Butler Street and Penn Avenue, Lawrenceville 7. Morrow Triangle Park, Baum Boulevard, Bloomfield

6. Lyndhurst Green, Beechwood Boulevard, Point Breeze 8. Oakland Square, Dawson Street, Central Oakland Page 6 PHLF News • April 2001

Neville House Opens for Tours, Movies, and Special Events

The historic “Woodville” House August 1 plantation, also known Tours Thomas Jefferson: Part 2 as the John and Presley Beginning on September 5 Neville House, is May 3 and The Duel located in Collier continuing October 3 Township on Washington through General Sleepy Hollow Pike (Route 50), just September John Neville (Johnny Depp) twenty minutes southwest 30, costumed docents will lead visitors (1731-1803) of downtown Pittsburgh. on guided tours of “Woodville” on Lectures at Your Site Owned by the Pittsburgh Thursdays and Sundays, from 1:00 If you are not able to come History & Landmarks Foundation and p.m. to 4:00 p.m. Admission is $5.00 to “Woodville,” then invite operated by Neville House Associates, per person or $10 for families (parents a costumed docent to visit Inc., “Woodville” is the Pittsburgh area’s and children under 18). Admission will with your civic or social principal link with eighteenth-century be free on Thursday, May 3, opening group. Honorariums of life and architecture. day. Whiskey Rebellion Day will be $50 or more are requested The house has its origins in a log celebrated on Sunday, July 15. building of c. 1785, that eventually for illustrated slide lectures extended into a gracious manor house. Historical Movies or special programs. Call In The Story of “Woodville,” published (412) 921-3273 or (412) by Landmarks in 1998, Ronald C. The following films will be shown at 279-3385 for information. 7:00 p.m. at “Woodville”: Admission “Woodville” has grown outward from a simple Carlisle tells of General John Neville and nucleus of c. 1785, a house in the Virginia manner his descendants and the house they occu- is free—and so is the popcorn! Enjoy some summer with a rather steep roof and dormers well up the pied for about 200 years. May 2 days and evenings at slopes. Porches and first-floor bedrooms have One of eight National Historic The Crucible (Daniel Day-Lewis) “Woodville.” Once off extended and altered the lower slopes, but the essen- Landmarks in Allegheny County, the highway and in the June 6 tial character of the 1780s and 1790s remains. “Woodville” is well worth visiting. A Midwife’s Tale midst of the landscaped Beginning in May the house will be grounds and historic house, open for public tours, historical movies, July 11 it is easy to imagine living and special events. Please call (412) Thomas Jefferson: at a time when John Neville, George 279-3385 for further information or to Part 1 (Ken Burns) Washington, and the Marquis de schedule a private group tour, May Lafayette were household names. through September. Landmarks Helps Historic Properties, Sites, and Groups

The telephone rings daily with calls jobs in the development, architectural, from people throughout Allegheny and contracting communities. County and beyond who are seeking St. Michael’s, South Side our guidance and support in regard to preservation issues. The following There’s hope for St. Michael the Archangel, designed in 1857 by Charles summaries highlight some of the help Bartberger and closed by the Diocese in we have given in recent months. 1992. On February 13, 2001, Pittsburgh City Council approved Landmarks’ Allegheny Commons Hampton Hall nomination of the please contact Jan Beiber, Library building as a City The owners’ association of a splendid Restoration Committee director, at (412) 828-9532. Historic Structure, A group of North Side neighborhood 1920s Tudor-style condominium build- and Hanson Design ing on Dithridge Street in Oakland organizations, the Parks Conservancy, Preservation Pennsylvania Associates, archi- the Aviary, Landmarks, and others are called to discuss the re-roofing of tects, is now developing a plan for the restoration of Hampton Hall. An investigation of the In 2000, Landmarks contributed to designing plans for the Allegheny Commons. In 2000, original roofing revealed that Ludowici Preservation Pennsylvania, the state- the conversion of Landmarks arranged for a visit by clay tile had been used. Although dupli- wide historic preservation organization, the church into Charles Birnbaum, National Park land- cating that original tile was more costly, to help establish an endowment fund. condominiums. scape historian, to provide information the homeowners decided to expend the Landmarks also is assisting in preparing for the Allegheny Commons Restoration funds to do so. We are grateful to them a plan so Preservation Pennsylvania can Historic Religious more intensively serve western Committee. Everyone has benefited for this commitment. Properties from Mr. Birnbaum’s extensive knowl- Pennsylvania. edge; he feels that the Commons are of On April 6, Landmarks and Tom Keffer, superintendent of property great importance in the history of U.S. Oakmont Carnegie Preservation Pennsylvania co-hosted a maintenance at Landmarks, has offered park development. Library breakfast meeting at the Renaissance advice to: Pittsburgh Hotel with Representative Landmarks member and Oakmont resi- • Greenstone United Methodist Church, Hartwood Acres Thomas Tangretti. Preservation in Avalon, in regard to creating a dent Sue Martin is leading a campaign Pennsylvania is strongly supporting the Tom Keffer, superintendent of property to raise funds for a major expansion of handicap walkway and electronic Historic Home and Neighborhood access doors, repairing the masonry, maintenance at Landmarks, reviewed the Oakmont Carnegie Library. A hand- Preservation Bill (HB 90), currently and addressing the roofing and plans showing modifications to the some brick addition has been designed under consideration in the State senate. drainage needs; volunteer office at Hartwood Acres in by Integrated Architectural Services that The bill has received unanimous support • Jesus Is the Way Church of God in Indiana Township, and offered several respects the architectural integrity of the in the House but the Governor needs to Christ, in North Braddock, in regard constructive comments. library, designed in 1901 by Alden & hear about its importance. Harlow. to a general inspection of the outside HB 90 provides tax credits and other wall, roof, gutters, and downspouts; Mattress Factory The Library Committee already has incentives for owner-occupants of his- raised $1,300,000 from the community • Waverly Presbyterian Church, at Landmarks helped fund studies to show toric residential properties, including and needs an additional $400,000 Forbes and South Braddock Avenues how ground-floor office space could be those containing rental units and before construction can begin. in Pittsburgh’s East End, in regard to changed into public gallery space, and commercial businesses. The package is Landmarks’ chairman Philip Hallen the use of Plexiglas; and how the entire complex could be made designed to strengthen and stabilize and executive director Louise Sturgess more energy efficient. The Mattress traditional neighborhoods and to • West End A.M.E. Zion Church, in met with Sue and Library committee Factory is located in two historic build- encourage investment by new home buy- regard to the installation of 12 interior members to discuss fund-raising ings in the Mexican War Streets. ers. It also has the potential to create Plexiglas windows. opportunities. If you wish to contribute, PHLF News • April 2001 Page 7 Preservation Loan Fund

Work Underway in Manchester, Deutschtown, and on the South Side–and a Coincidence

Named Fund; the Carl Wood Brown Named Fund; Shadybrook Named Fund; Verna S. Shields Named Fund; Delores S. Smith Named Fund; and Patricia Thauer Named Fund. Work includes rebuilding the front and rear porches, cleaning and restoring the masonry, repairing the mansard trim, and replacing the windows. The project architect is Landmarks Design Associates and 1300 block, Liverpool ment Corporation, thanks to financial the contractor is assistance from the City of Pittsburgh Sota Construction Services, Inc. the resources today to help bring these Street, Manchester and Landmarks. According to Arthur Ziegler, president historic buildings back to their original The Richardsonian Romanesque houses Landmarks has committed a total of of Landmarks, “It is great to have work grandeur.” in the 1300 block of Liverpool Street are $400,000 to the project, in the form of underway. It was the sight of the impres- In the fall, when work is completed, now being renovated by Manchester loans and grants. Some of those funds sive house rows on Liverpool Street that Landmarks will sponsor a membership Citizens Corporation in collaboration are coming from Named Funds at inspired the formation of our organiza- tour to Liverpool Street. with the Pittsburgh Housing Develop- Landmarks: the Barensfeld Family tion in 1964. We are fortunate to have

Integrated Architectural Services Corporation

Shelly and Stella Streets, planned to be in the $115,000 to $135,000 range. Cynthia Cooley’s painting of 416-20 Pressley Street South Side The SSLDC and South Side Slopes The South Side Local Development Neighborhood Association hope that the Company (SSLDC) plans to break project will improve the neighborhood 416–20 Pressley Street, ground this spring on an eight-unit, for- physically, provide new homeownership Deutschtown sale housing development on Shelly opportunities, and encourage other We reported, in the December 2000 Street on the South Side Slopes. Last homeowners to invest in their homes. issue of PHLF News, that Landmarks year, Landmarks extended a loan of up had extended a $175,000 loan to the to $200,000 to the SSLDC in support of East Allegheny Community Council so this project. Additional financing is the houses at 416–20 could be reno- being provided by the Pittsburgh Free Downtown vated. After reading the newsletter Partnership for Neighborhood Walking Tours article, one of our members, the Development, a local bank, and well-known artist Cynthia Cooley, the URA. of Fifth & Forbes and a 416–20 Pressley Street in 1978 wrote this note: The Shelly and Stella Street area was Performance! first developed in the early 1900s for Dear Louise, mill-workers and their families. Since Preservation Week: When I saw the photo of then, some of the hillside houses have May14-18, 2001, 12 Noon 416–20 Pressley Street…I knew been abandoned or fallen into disrepair. Walking tours: Meet at the clock in Market right away it was the group “Unfortunately,” said Carey Harris, Square and tour the Fifth/Forbes area with of houses I painted years ago. SSLDC executive director, “none of the Landmarks’ staff and docents. Hear about the I thought you would enjoy seeing hillside houses in the project area could latest plans to revitalize the historic district. my original photo from 1978 and be saved. However, the scale and charac- the painting and drawing which ter of the new houses are consistent with Performance: On Thursday, May 17, Gateway resulted.…I hope your preserva- the existing neighborhood.” All of the to the Arts, Landmarks, and local artists will tion efforts are successful! houses will have off-street parking. present Building Magic. The play takes place 416–20 Pressley Street, April 2001 on a busy downtown street. Buildings come We are pleased to reprint here the The project architect is Integrated to life, through song and lively dialogue, and 1978 photo and the painting. (Inciden- Architectural Services Corporation dramatize the meaning of change in the life of tally, renovation work is underway.) and the general contractor is Mistick Construction. Prices for the units are a community. Page 8 PHLF News • April 2001

My manuscript Hornbostel in basic concept. But why did Hornbostel Pittsburgh is approaching completion, collaborate so often in the 1920s with with a few pictures still to accumulate. Eric Fisher Wood? Their work together Design work is under way and our fund was tasteful but sometimes not much raising effort has begun to help under- more. And yet, Hornbostel had ahead write printing costs. of him the Stripped Classical Research The book will not be a full coverage Building for Alcoa, with its fancy of the architect’s work, coast to coast, Grecian detailing in wrought aluminum, although much of his major work in or the fantastic Golf Clubs in North and California and elsewhere is illustrated South Parks. in the introductory essay. Our primary During this period, the Eclectics interest is in Hornbostel in the were under attack from Modernists of Pittsburgh region; a catalogue of his various colors of conviction. At various works here, from 1904 to 1939, times, Louis Sullivan, Frank Lloyd includes a discussion of at least Wright, Sheldon Cheney, and less notice- 80 designs: master plans, building able figures expressed indignation and designs realized, and building designs contempt at the lack of principle, indeed not realized. the immorality, of the Eclectic’s histori- Henry Hornbostel (1867–1961) cist affectations and their dissemblance flourished at the high time of Eclecticism of structure. A literally insightful book in American architecture: a time when by Edward Ford, Details of Modern naked structure was clothed, and Architecture, shows that architects pur- clothed in costume portedly sincere in at that. To expression—Wright Eclectics, a say, or the Greene Colonial house, a brothers—were Gothic church, themselves not and a Moderne above a little deli- skyscraper might cate fudging. Yet it lie on adjoining seemed so much drawing boards, worse from the

and there would Museum of the City New York Eclectics. be no sense, to Consider the their minds, of Soldiers’ and Sailors’ incongruity. Each Memorial, all puffed institution of mod- and padded out with ern civilization, its huge pyramidal after all, either had roof, its Roman or did not have Doric columns: associations from excessive, arbitrary, the past, and unoriginal in many might well be cos- details. Ah, but: a tumed accordingly. grand public gesture Hornbostel was too, worthy of content with such sacrifice to build, a situation in Finial, Queensboro Bridge, gussy up, and general, though in New York City. 1909. maintain. Consider Hornbostel: the most cases he had a functionalist alter- no use for the bland literalism with native, space and circulation accommo- which the typical Eclectic handled his dated in heavy industrial construction, “precedents.” Indeed, it must have been with a little innovative ornament if you Book and Other on account of Hornbostel’s special bril- must. Doing things the Hornbostel way liance that other well-established archi- was more inspiring. tects sought him for collaborations. The On a modest scale, consider certain of grand gesture, the occasional touch of his houses, where what seems at first to Thoughts mischief, the bold handling of texture: be massive quoins or wall ashlar turns we remember Hornbostel for these. out to be thin limestone plating on hol- Walter C. Kidney Puzzles remain. In the City-County low tile, the stones mitred together at Building project it seems clear that the corners with a reentering angle that Hornbostel, not the architect of record quietly qualifies the whole contrivance Edward Lee, was the real brains of the as, as it were, a genuine fake.

The lush ornamentation, in aluminum, in the Alcoa testing labs at New Kensington. 1930.

The corridor of the City-County Building runs through its open courtyard, so that one is inside in one sense and outside in another. Meanwhile, glass paving slabs complete the corridor system between the pairs of colossal windows at the ends, so that people seem to stride across empty space. 1915–17. PHLF News • April 2001 Page 9

Carnegie Mellon University Architecture Archives At Machinery Hall, Carnegie Tech, Hornbostel solved the com- positional problem of the chimney by surrounding it with an arcade that he labeled a “temple of Venus.” The chimney that penetrates the temple can well symbolize Vulcan, the industrial god and Venus’ consort, 1913. City Hall, Oakland, California.

CONTRIBUTE to the 2002 publication of City Hall, Oakland, California. 1910–14. Hornbostel in Pittsburgh by Walter C. Kidney

In the fall of 2002, Landmarks will publish a handsomely illustrated soft-cover book devoted to the work The body assumes its costume: the entrance hall of of Henry Hornbostel. The book will the College of Fine Arts, Carnegie Tech. C. 1912. include an essay on Hornbostel’s work here and elsewhere, followed by a catalogue of works in Pittsburgh, from 1904 to 1939, of at least 80 designs.

7. Schenley Theater, Forbes Street west 2. Albany: New York State Education Please contribute by completing and Appeal for of Schenley Plaza Building returning this form. • façade • general exterior view Illustrations Yes, I am (we are) making a contri- • major interiors 8. Saupp, Frank D.: truck sales bution to Hornbostel in Pittsburgh • sculptural work of Charles Keck building, 5803 Centre Avenue in the amount of $______. Hornbostel in Pittsburgh is still looking My (our) check is enclosed, payable • photo or rendering as designed, for clear archival images of the 3. Cedar Rapids, Iowa: Memorial to the Pittsburgh History & 1925 following works, as well as permission Building and City Hall Landmarks Foundation and to reproduce the images: • photo of Hiland Automobile referenced “Hornbostel.” Company building (1905) 4. Fairmont, West Virginia: High Level Work in the Pittsburgh area incorporated into Saupp building Bridge of 1921 I (we) understand that this con- 1. Carnegie Technical Schools tribution will be used to support the 9. University Club, Oakland, on 5. Houses by Palmer & Hornbostel (Carnegie Tech, CMU) book’s publication and does not Natalie Avenue or University Place • sharp reproductions of bird’s eye • Norfolk, Connecticut: houses for entitle me (us) to a free copy of the (not the 1905 building on Bigelow views of general layout, 1905 “Mr. Pupine” and A. L. Smith Boulevard) book upon publication. and 1911 • King’s Point, New York: house for • early interiors • same, Engelhardt and Miller Halls Arthur S. Dwight I (we) would like my (our) name(s) (the Clubhouse and the Bungalow) • Wading River Long Island: J. G. to be printed in the contributor’s list 10. German Evangelical Protestant Robin house, “Driftwood Manor.” in the book as follows: Church, Smithfield Street 2. Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Memorial, Pittsburgh • rendering of exterior design 6. Oakland, California: Oakland • 1907 design with flanking colon- Technical High School 11. Webster Hall Hotel nades in front toward Fifth Avenue • exteriors, including close-up of please print your name(s) clearly • coffee shop and other interiors as central section 3. Western University of Pennsylvania first executed All contributors will be invited to (University of Pittsburgh): hillside Note: In the cases of the Carnegie Tech the book release party. campus, Oakland 12. American Bank Building (American bird’s-eye views, the Soldiers’ and State Bank & Trust Company), • renderings of Medical School in Sailors’ Memorial design, the Western Please mail this completed form with 600 block Grant Street complete form, 1910 or 1913 University renderings, and the houses, your contribution to: • rendering or photograph of we are trying to improve on images • subsidence or burning from exterior already available from architectural club Louise Sturgess worked-out mines under site • banking room yearbooks and similar sources. Pittsburgh History & • rendering of entrance group on Landmarks Foundation O’Hara Street One Station Square, Suite 450 13. Grant Building Please call Walter Kidney at (412) 471-5808, ext. 511 if you have Pittsburgh, PA 15219-1134 • lobby, original state 4. Rodef Shalom synagogue sources on any of these illustrations Thank you very much • designs by competitors other • Trumbull mural, The Three or to further discuss his book. Also: for contributing! than Hornbostel Rivers, in lobby can anyone explain a Hornbostel drawing for a concert hall interior 5. West View Cemetery, Ross Work outside the captioned, “Proposed alteration of Township Pittsburgh area Music Hall, Carnegie Institute, A copy of the official registration and financial information Pittsburgh,” published in 1926 but of the Pittsburgh History & Landmarks Foundation may • gates, cottage, stable, chapel be obtained from the Pennsylvania Department of State by 1. New York City probably much earlier? calling toll free, within Pennsylvania, 1-800-732-0999. Registration does not imply endorsement. 6. Klee, William B.: house, • Williamsburg Bridge, general view 5307 Northumberland Street • Hell Gate Bridge as executed, general view Page 10 PHLF News • April 2001

The center of Old Allegheny as it is now. The Old Post Office of the 1890s (left) is now the Pittsburgh Children’s Museum and the Buhl Planetarium of the 1930s (right) is now vacant.

What’s to become of the former Buhl Planetarium on Pittsburgh’s North Side? Unused for nearly a decade but still fresh in The Lives of Two North Side the memories of many Pittsburghers, the fate of the Planetarium is the subject of much discussion lately. Buhl Foundation as well—Chatham Landmarks construction and the high level of Since the Planetarium’s closing in 1991, Village. A work of Ingham & Boyd finishes, the building is in remarkable Landmarks has been wrestling with the ques- always pleases. Commissions a shape for its 61 years. As would also be tion of what to do with the historic structure The Planetarium is an example of the Feasibility Study expected, the mechanical/electrical and hoping that a suitable reuse could be 1930s “Stripped Classicism” in architec- systems, while they were “cutting-edge” found. Our organization was born on the ture, and one that went to an extreme in Landmarks occupied the Old Post Office at the time, are long past their useful life from its founding in 1964 until 1983, North Side, during fights to save the having no publicly visible windows and not in line with modern energy- except for two narrow ones, lighting when it became clear that The Pittsburgh efficient and control-sensitive systems. Planetarium, Carnegie Library, Old Post stairs. From the front it was like a Children’s Museum was successfully The building, offering almost 40,000 Office, and many other historic buildings in casket of limestone, heavily rusticated established in the building. Landmarks square feet of space, was conceived as a the midst of demolition and construction for in its lower part, dead smooth above, moved to new headquarters at Station one-purpose structure and therefore was Allegheny Center. For years we lived in the with a semi-octagon jutting from the Square, and gave the Old Post Office to designed to move crowds smoothly in Old Post Office next door to Buhl rear that was crowned with a dome that the Children’s Museum in 1991. Now, and out of the Star Theatre and also to Planetarium. We took joy in the architectural was originally meant to be tiled. Six more than 110,000 people visit the provide public exhibition space in two contrast between the two buildings: one from allegorical sculptures, Primitive Science, Museum each year, and the Museum main-level galleries and one lower-level the beginning of the so-called American Modern Science, The Heavens, The serves an additional 130,000 people each gallery. The configuration of the circula- Renaissance in architecture and one from the Earth, Day, and Night by Sidney year through outreach programs. tion spaces requires modification for the end. The Old Post Office has the naïve and Waugh, stood in bold contrast to the Aware of the museum’s need for more proposed use by the Children’s Museum space, in July 2000 Landmarks commis- slightly unorganized Classicism that suc- simple, enigmatic walls, and each and associated groups that have sepa- visible face of the semi-octagon had a sioned Landmarks Design Associates, rate requirements but need to be within ceeded Richardson Romanesque, while the label bearing the name of a great Architects, to assess the physical condi- easy reach of each other. Planetarium is utterly cool and considered in scientist between delicate rinceaux. tions of the Planetarium building and LDA developed three possible plans all of its few compositional parts. Inside were marble-lined halls with propose alternatives for its reuse as part to be explored, ranging from one with displays, some active, and most notable of the possible expansion of the minimal change to the original building Buhl Planetarium among them the Foucault Pendulum, Children’s Museum. to one accommodating significant its bob calmly swinging in an elegantly LDA reviewed the condition of the change. The three are as follows: and Institute of decorated brass-railed well, marking the structural system of the building, the A. Restoration of the building and the rotation of the earth. Climactic, though, roofs, and the mechanical/electrical Popular Science Star Theatre, and the creation of four was the Planetarium itself, where the systems as well as the ability of the The Planetarium was given to the City Zeiss projector rose beneath the dome, building to adapt to modern building Old Allegheny Town was largely laid of Pittsburgh by the Buhl Foundation, looking like a giant black ant, ready to codes and modern accessibility codes. bare around 1960 for the creation of established in 1928 upon the death of project the stars of either hemisphere. Due to the high quality of the original Allegheny Center. Henry Buhl, Jr., an owner of the popular The Zeiss Model II projector was at the Boggs & Buhl department store. It forefront of the technology of the era opened in October 1939 and served as a and is now believed to be the last one of Planetarium and Institute of Popular its kind still in working condition. Science until 1991, when the present The structure was built using the Carnegie Science Center was constructed. highest quality materials, as would be Even though the Planetarium is not expected of an institution of science in officially designated as such, it is an the mid-twentieth century. The design architectural landmark. It was designed combined traditional building materials in 1935 by Ingham & Boyd, a promi- of limestone, marble, terrazzo, copper, nent Pittsburgh architectural firm dating and aluminum with an interest in the from 1911 and noted for the calm and latest building technologies. These elegant manner which they employed in technologies included a sophisticated public schools for Pittsburgh and heating and cooling system, an extensive Mount Lebanon, houses in Squirrel Hill, electrical service, and an advanced Shadyside, and the Sewickley area, a audiovisual system for many of the little Gothic church work, and—for the exhibits. PHLF News • April 2001 Page 11

large classrooms for Asset, practice Classical design and high level of finish, ings and other places in some space for the Youth Symphony, and could be adapted for incorporation into instances; in other instances ways of office and conference space for the a new children’s campus. Building reha- building, of using the land…. Pittsburgh Association of the bilitation and expansion costs would Yet there is a danger of artificiality Education of Young Children and range from $5,000,000 to $7,600,000. and contrivance about conventional Youth Alive. Circulation, elevators, Landmarks prefers a plan that honors historic preservation, of forced make- and restrooms would be upgraded the historic exterior and the major believe, just as there was danger from within the existing building interior spaces. starry-eyed money-chasing or stan- configuration. The Children’s Museum submitted dardized do-gooding in the conven- copies of the feasibility study to the six tional urban renewal that historic B. The roof of the east and west wings architectural firms that competed in its preservation arose, as a major force, would be raised (the main front faces design competition; as a result, drawings to combat. The preservationist must south), and an additional floor submitted by three of the firms incorpo- not drag his protected structures into inserted, level with the existing sec- rated the Planetarium and presented the future, there to drift as indi- ond-floor offices. Windows appropri- plans for its reuse. gestible lumps in a world to which ate to the original construction they have no relevance, for some would be added on the east façade. What Now? vaguely-conceived “ever after.” A new circulation core would be Rather, he must know that what added, including an open stair and The Children’s Museum will conduct a he will fight to protect has a place an elevator to provide direct access to capital campaign to raise the money it and a meaning in the future. There all three main levels. The program needs so its vision of an expanded are very few Parthenons, pure accommodates all of the user groups museum and campus can be realized. Federal and West Ohio Streets in the monuments whose very artistry and 1930s: the very center of Old Allegheny, that are provided for in Scheme A, as We support the Museum in this effort, public significance are clinching argu- with the new Planetarium, Ober Park, well as a model school. and applaud them for incorporating two ments for their preservation. and the Post Office. C. In addition to the modifications historic structures in their vision of an expanded museum that will serve the Therein, however, lies the problem. described above, the Star Theatre To what extent can the exterior of the would be removed and the second- coming generations and add vitality to should remain the frontispiece, the the heart of the North Side. There is Planetarium be changed and still principle ingredients of the physical floor expansion would be extended respect the original architecture? To into this space. This would provide much work to be done to translate this plan. What is needed is good new vision into reality. Landmarks looks for- carry out some of the earlier propos- construction linking those historic two 4,200 square-foot spaces for the als of the winning architects would Children’s Museum with the upper ward to working with the Children’s buildings and adapting them for con- Museum to ensure that future plans involve removing the entire end wall temporary use, while not subordinat- space open 52 feet high to the of the great hall on which the carved Guastavino-tile dome. respect the architectural significance of ing them to a dominating modern the historic structures while adapting stone quotation exists and which architectural statement. The new The feasibility study was completed in both buildings for the 21st century. could make the building seem as if it composition cannot simply make 2000, and showed that the attributes of As Walter Kidney so eloquently states had been de-constructed simply to pieces of the historic buildings the building, including its accomplished in A Past Still Alive (Landmarks, 1989): serve as an appendage for a new elements of a new architectural state- architectural statement. That is not ment; it must both adapt the historic Preservation, properly understood, preservation nor is it honoring the buildings to the new use and adapt understands that there will be a existing architecture. the new use to the historic buildings. future and seeks to integrate with The two historic buildings— We are working in good spirit with this future those things from the past the Old Post Office and the the Children’s Museum to arrive at a that have been especially good and Planetarium—constitute a significant good solution. Landmarks familiar and beautiful: specific build- historic complex and those buildings

Landmarks and the Children’s Museum Involve Students in the Design Process

Over 200 students from Pittsburgh’s Elementary Gifted Center are developing designs for a Children’s Park in front of Buhl Planetarium. During a tour of Allegheny Center with Landmarks in September 2000, students paced off the area to be included in their park and sketched their initial ideas. Joan Brindle, Mary Jane Hartz, Phyllis Ochs, and Jay Kadash are using this design challenge as the interdisciplinary theme for the gifted curriculum throughout the 2000–01 school year. The students will present their detailed drawings and models to a jury of architects in May. Twenty middle school students from Allegheny Traditional Academy are working with art teacher Patricia Pirt to build a model showing how Allegheny Center might be redesigned. In October 2000, the students toured Allegheny Center and Buhl Planetarium with Landmarks, and later were inspired by Tom Demko of Burt Hill Kosar Rittlemann, who helped them understand the design process. The stu- dents will present their model to a jury of architects in May. We’ll include photographs of the models in subsequent issues of PHLF News. Page 12 PHLF News • April 2001

He really did want an “ideal” family community and... he built just that.... Revisiting Thornburg Thornburg really Exploring the Origins of an Arts & Crafts Community was his dream, not in Southwestern Pennsylvania just a real estate Albert M. Tannler On two weekends in November 2000 speculation. some 80 people found themselves climb- ing the terraced streets of a residential Frank Thornburg’s granddaughter, suburb established in 1899 in the Prue McCutcheon to Chartiers Valley, some four miles south- Lu Donnelly, west of Pittsburgh. They began their August 30, 1980 visit at the foot of the valley outside the first group of houses erected in 1900. As they walked, Queen Anne gave way to Shingle Style, Tudor, English cottage, Colonial Revival, Craftsman bungalow, and California Mission, erected as the years passed and the community grew upward. Finally they arrived at the summit and entered the great stone and shingle house built for the founder of the com- munity in 1907. Through the kindness of the owners they viewed the living and The Frank Thornburg Mansion, photographed by Lu Donnelly during a tour of the community in November 2000. The entirety of the 1907 Thornburg dining rooms and two-story hall with its Mansion, the consummate Craftsman free-standing house in metropolitan Pittsburgh, is brick fireplace scape they discovered Southwestern artist included—glass designer (see page 13). In difficult to convey by conventional Pennsylvania’s principal connection to Charles J. Connick—is identified as a this extraordi- photography. A pen-and-ink drawing the American Arts and Crafts Bostonian. More recently Arts & Crafts nary house in by Joseph Huot suggests the magnitude Movement. Design in America: A State-by-State this picturesque of the house, while photographs like The visit to the Frank Thornburg Guide (Chronicle Books 1998) includes community set Frederick G. Scheibler, Jr.’s Old this one of the entrance porch taken by Mansion in the Thornburg National within a spec- Register Historic District (designated Heidelberg (1905) and Allen Klages Randell Makinson in 1993, capture tacular land- 1982) in the borough of Thornburg house (1922). Scheibler’s German- splendid elements. (established 1909) was the concluding influenced modernism is, like the work stop on a 31/2-hour tour, “The Arts & of Frank Lloyd Wright, related—but Crafts Tradition in Pittsburgh,” pre- peripherally—to Arts and Crafts pared by Landmarks at the request of influences. The late, whimsical Klages the University of Pittsburgh Independent house is more Hänsel and Gretel than Program (PIP). Only a few attendees Arts and Crafts. had heard of Thornburg and very few had previously visited the borough. Exploring Thornburg This is not surprising. One Since first visiting Thornburg in 1992, I looks in vain for “Pittsburgh” in have been intrigued by its architectural the index to the comprehensive character and the somewhat elusive “The Art that is Life”: The Arts story of its origins and evolution. The & Crafts Movement in America, study of Pittsburgh’s late-nineteenth and 1875–1920 (Little, Brown and early-twentieth century built environ- Company 1987); the one Pittsburgh ment is inherently imprecise, since documentation for area buildings prior PHLF News • April 2001 Page 13

Approximately 250 acres of of Pasadena, while Stanton the property were acquired Heights native Gerald and development began in Giamportone and his 1900. The principal archi- wife Teresa took me to tect for the community the Thornburg family’s was another cousin, neighborhood. Samuel T. McClarren, In 1900, Frank although house designs Thornburg’s mother, by C. E. Willoughby, Susan, widow of Thomas Neal & Rowland, and Thornburg, was living W. H. Metcalf have been on the west side of Los documented. By 1905, the Angeles in a house she development had 28 houses, had built some years before. some modeled on Southern The house, 846 South Beacon California residences as well as Frank Thornburg Avenue, was in the neighbor- houses elsewhere. In 1909 the hood of West Park (today McArthur Thornburg Land Company declared Park) a short trolley ride to downtown bankruptcy, and the Borough of Los Angeles. Her daughters Florence Thornburg was established June 5, and Cornelia and Cornelia’s husband, 1909. Frank Thornburg and his family Samuel J. Paul, a mining engineer, also moved to Los Angeles. lived with her. By 1903 Florence was working as an Southern California attendant in the Los Angeles Public One ponders the source of the two-story entrance hall in the Thornburg Mansion, Inspiration Library; she eventually became a seen here looking toward the dining room. The Heineman brothers would design When the National Trust for Historic cataloguer and spent her working life at their version in 1909 in the Hindry House in Pasadena. Preservation held its annual convention the Library. One wonders what her in Los Angeles in 2000, I used the response was to the Chief Librarian to 1916 is fragmentary at best. In the The artistic homes of Thornburg occasion to explore Frank Thornburg’s from 1905 to 1910, the larger-than-life case of Thornburg, the mystery is com- weren’t copied from a pattern book Los Angeles family ties and possible Charles Fletcher Lummis— journalist, pounded by the fact that the principal by a builder but realized, and probably architectural influences. The week folklorist, preservationist, art collector founder and the primary architect both adapted both structurally and aestheti- began in the Los Angeles Public Library —who founded one of the country’s left the community some time after cally, by architect Samuel T. McClarren. and ended on the block where the first preservation societies, the 1910, leaving us a remarkable set of I noted in my first article about the com- Thornburg family had lived. Two-and- Landmarks Club, in 1894 to save buildings but only bits and pieces of munity, “Historic Thornburg: Variations a-half days of tours chosen from Spanish Mission buildings; built a evidence as to why they did what they on a Theme,” PHLF News 125 Convention offerings provided a rapid boulder and concrete home, “El Alisal” did and when they did it. (September 1992), 4–5, that very little but substantial sense of turn-of-the- (sycamore place) from 1898–1910 The evidence includes, most was known about McClarren; even the century Los Angeles. Former colleague, that evoked the Southern California importantly, the houses themselves, spelling of his name varied with the now Greene & Greene archivist Ann notwithstanding many changes, some speller. Furthermore, although he left a Scheid Lund, gave me an insider’s tour (continued on page 14) obvious, some not. In 1992, I also had fairly substantial paper trail in city access to 1905 and 1917 real estate directories and professional journals in maps, a description of a Thornburg the 1880s and 90s, he virtually disap- house published in House Beautiful, pears after 1904, the last year he is Southern California inspirations: Susan Thornburg’s house at 846 South Beacon Alice Christner’s community history listed in the city directory. He had lived Avenue is gone but some of her Queen Anne neighbors remain. The house shown Here’s to Thornburg published in 1966, in Thornburg since 1902, designed a center left was probably that of Frederick G. Clausin and family, Susan’s next- the Thornburg file in the Allegheny church in neighboring Crafton in 1906, door neighbor. At the end of the block (bottom left) is a later Arts & Crafts arrival. County Historic Site Survey 1979–1984 and enlarged the Thornburg School in Florence Thornburg worked under Charles Lummis for five years; a portion of compiled by Eliza Smith Brown and 1912, but otherwise the record was his house, “El Alisal” is shown (bottom right). Lu Donnelly and used by them to resolutely silent. My article elicited a prepare the National Register Historic letter from a McClarren family member District nomination, and Charles who provided essential biographical Thornburgh’s family history published information about the architect. in 1990. In 1993 I took Greene & Greene Architecture plays a subsidiary role in scholar Randell L. Makinson and archi- Here’s to Thornburg but Alice Christner tect, photographer, and Frank Lloyd provides crucial information. We meet Wright expert Thomas A. Heinz to visit architect Samuel T. McClarren: “Mr. Thornburg. Notes were compared; McClaren [sic] was a cousin of the information exchanged. Thornburgs, and the architect who The late Margaret Henderson Floyd designed many Thornburg houses” [51] told me that the Woolslair School in and we hear Frank Thornburg’s daugh- Bloomfield resembled buildings by ter Florence: “We used to go to Longfellow, Alden & Harlow. McClarren California every winter for Father loved designed the school in 1897, and I the California houses and wanted to get began to look for McClarren buildings ideas for building in Thornburg.” [37] designed prior to Thornburg. When asked to give a tour of In 1998, I published what I had Thornburg in the fall of 1992, I learned in the intervening years in “A reviewed the documents at hand and Player of Architectural Themes and looked for new information. Intrigued Variations,” Pittsburgh Tribune-Review by the dates of Construction Magazine Focus Magazine 22:12 (January 25, —1905 and part of 1906—I requested 1998), 8–9. Since then Thornburg- the volume from the Carnegie Library related information has turned up or of Pittsburgh’s storage facility (the last been uncovered, but in 2000 I learned a reader had been Landmarks’ co-founder, great deal about Thornburg’s founder the late Jamie Van Trump, some quarter and its architect. century before). I found brief but invaluable data The Formative Years on Thornburg houses and architects. Let me give a quick overview of Frank Prior to 1905 Frank Thornburg had Thornburg’s Thornburg. Parcels of what photographed houses in several had originally been the 400-plus acre unnamed American cities as well as in estate of Thomas Thornburg, laid out in California as “patterns” for Thornburg Robinson Township, Allegheny County homes. Frank Thornburg’s base of in 1806, became available for acquisi- operation in California was identified tion by his heirs. His great-grandson, as Los Angeles. In 1905 alone he took Frank Thornburg left Clinton, Iowa 60 photographs of houses “many of the (where he had been born on May 15, mission type and some...very artistic” 1856), and he and his cousin David, in the Los Angeles area as models for who lived in Pittsburgh, formed the Thornburg houses. Thornburg Land Company in 1899. Page 14 PHLF News • April 2001 The following passages are excerpted from “Suburbs of Crafton and Thornburg Are Growing Rapidly in Favor with Home Buyers.” Pittsburgh Gazette 118:327 (June 19, 1904), Section 4, page 3.

Aristocratic Suburb

Thornburg...occupies a unique position in the list of suburban localities around Pittsburgh. The old farm of 100 [sic] acres, which was on the slopes above Chartiers creek and has been in the Thornburg family for over 100 years, began to take the form of a model and aristocratic suburb a little over two years ago. Its pro- moters had one aim in view, to make the place totally different from any outlying residence dis- trict of the city. How well they have succeeded is shown by the advanced ideas of suburban devel- opment which are evident in the larger plans for Thornburg and in the diversity which its homes attest. In making the initial plans for the little town the promoters took their ideas from the best types of suburban improvements around Boston, New York, Philadelphia and on the Jersey as well as the Pacific coast. Although only a part of the property has been laid out Samuel McClarren designed his Thornburg home about 1902; it burned in 1905. the plans include the most elabo- Revisiting Above is a photograph of the house (and the neighboring Miller house) published in rate improvements for the larger 1904. Two houses with California antecedents were also illustrated—the tract. Over five miles of macada- Cobblestone House at 1137 Cornell Road (shown below as it looked c. 1985) and mized driveways are to be pro- Thornburg Frank Thornburg’s second house at 501 Hamilton Road (photographed during our vided, most of them leading tour on November 18, 2000). (continued from page 13) through the woods on the hillside, and making the nucleus of a “neighborhood park” scheme simi- landscape and vernacular buildings; and lar to New Rochelle on the Hudson began to systematically collect and pre- and Llewellyn park in New Jersey. serve Native American art and artifacts. To this park, which will be thickly Frank Thornburg and his family set with tasty homes, there is visited 846 South Beacon Avenue and provided an entrance similar to probably stayed there when in Los Westmoreland place and Angeles. The house is gone; a commer- Vandeventor place in St. Louis. cial building now occupies the site. Golf links and tennis courts have Next door, however, are three large Queen Anne houses, grander members already been provided near this of the same family of houses erected in entrance for the exclusive use of Thornburg on Princeton Avenue in the Thornburg residents. Next 1900. At the end of the block, a later year the big spring, which is house stands; with its stone first floor, perhaps the most valuable asset of shingled upper stories, steeply pitched the suburb, will be walled up and roof, bracketed overhanging eaves, and the water piped to every house casement and bay windows, it would in Thornburg. not be out of place in Thornburg. Several blocks away is Windmill Varieties of Buildings Links, a residential community on Alvarado Terrace laid out in the early Under the direction of Frank 1900s by Los Angeles County Council Thornburg and Architect S. T. president Pomery Powers; here one finds McClarren there has grown up Queen Anne, Colonial Revival, English rapidly the most unique collection and German Medieval, and Spanish of houses near Pittsburgh. From Mission houses. But it was easy in the the California mission with its 1900s to travel farther afield via inter- cement walls to the English tim- urban rail—to Highland Park and the bered cottage or the Swiss brick home of Charles Lummis, or to and shingle dwelling done all in one Pasadena where Locke & Preston built color there are many varieties of Shingle-Style houses on Grand Avenue in the 1890s and Greene & Greene the boulder residence, the cobble- erected their bungalow mansions stone and rubblestone house with between 1904 and 1910, or beyond. its pretty tile roof and the Gothic An essential ingredient, or rather and Queen Anne type of resi- product, used in Greene & Greene dences. No house in Thornburg has houses in California was also found in a counterpart and the resulting Thornburg, although it originated in dissimilarity is so unusual as to be Boston. Samuel Cabot, Inc. of Boston very attractive to the home hunter. made the wood stains used by Greene & The average cost of the residences Greene. Writing about the Blacker thus erected has been at least house of 1907, Randell Makinson David Thornburg was the Pittsburgh home at 1775 Las Palmas Avenue in $8,000 each and a few of them notes: “Structural timbers, rafters, and agent for the Cabot company. Hollywood. He was 57 years old. By window trim were stained a medium have cost from $18,000 to $20,000. Frank Thornburg resided at 846 1923, Frank and Florence were both dark brown; the redwood shakes of the Fourteen houses, all of different South Beacon Avenue immediately after living at 846 South Beacon. Frank exterior wall were green; and windows leaving Thornburg—1911 is the last Thornburg died on March 28, 1927. He types are already assured for this and doors were left a light natural year he is listed in the Pittsburgh city and his family—all sometime residents summer's building and there is a finish....The use of Cabot’s transparent directory and 1912 his first year in the of the house on Beacon Avenue—are good prospect that 50 more penetrating-oil stain was a critical factor Los Angeles directory. By 1913 he had buried in nearby Rosedale Cemetery. dwellings will be built late in the in the Greene & Greene exterior color opened a downtown real estate office summer from individual plans. specification.” Thornburg co-founder at 215 West 7th Street and moved to a PHLF News • April 2001 Page 15

Thornburg History the front porch. The porch is asymmet- Reprinted rical, with a square entrance porch on the left that opens out into a large The Thornburg Community Club circular porch on the right. A balustrade has reprinted Alice Christner’s surrounds the second-story porch. Here’s to Thornburg, originally The photograph, which also includes published in 1966. The paperback the J. J. Miller house at 537 Hamilton reprint is $20.00 plus handling and Road, is important because it shows shipping. To order or for more that McClarren’s house was similar to information call Judy Thompson at those built on the east side of Princeton Road about 1903. This row of houses is 412-922-1702. the second wave of development, which moved Thornburg’s architectural idiom Tour Thornburg into the Shingle Style. Today we can see If you are interested in touring something of the form of McClarren’s house at 1109 Princeton Road, where a Thornburg with Al Tannler, one-story, deep semi-circular porch has director of historical collections at been placed in the center of the gable Landmarks, please call Mary Lu end of the dwelling. This visual evidence Denny (412) 471-5808, ext. 527 or allows us to attribute the design of email: [email protected]. “The Arts 1105 through 1121 Princeton Road to and Crafts Tradition in Pittsburgh” McClarren rebuilt his house in 1906. We see it today on the left at 529 Hamilton Samuel McClarren. is offered by Landmarks on a Road. The J. J. Miller house is on the far right. This is virtually the same vantage The photograph is also important regular basis through the point as that published in 1904 and reprinted on page 14 (top). because we can compare McClarren’s first house with the second house he University of Pittsburgh. designed for himself, standing today at The Elusive Architect 1892 and had three children, a son who 529 Hamilton Road. Excerpts from a press release issued In 1992 I learned that Samuel died prior to 1910 and two daughters, As Construction Magazine noted, and December 21, 2000 McClarren and his family left Pittsburgh Mildred (b. 1902) and Katharine as the Pittsburgh Chronicle Telegraph sometime after 1912. In 2000, census (b. 1905). reported in detail on November 21, Save It! records, a marriage certificate, and 1905, the home of J. Eugene Beck at Don’t Pave It! church records located with the n June 19, 1904, the Pittsburgh 75 Hamilton Avenue caught fire; the assistance of Leona C. Scott provided OGazette published an illustrated fire spread to the McClarren home at Historic Western biographical data, while several newly article on Crafton and Thornburg. 76 Hamilton Avenue. (Please see the Pennsylvania Community discovered newspaper articles added to (Portions of the article are reprinted in sidebar below.) Mr. Beck rebuilt at the side bar on page 14.) This article— Tries to Rescue Golf our understanding of his architecture. another location in Thornburg and his Course, Laid Out in Samuel Thornburg McClarren was located by Marygrace Denk, a Carnegie original lot remains empty today. born on August 28, 1862, probably on Library of Pittsburgh Pennsylvania McClarren built a new home; the 1898, from Industrial the family farm in Findlay Township, to Department volunteer—relates Shingle Style house c. 1902 has become Development Diana Thornburg McClarren (c. 1823– Thornburg to suburban developments a Craftsman bungalow of 1906 (see Citizens from the small, historic 1896) and William McClarren (c. 1812 in New England, mid-Atlantic and mid- above). Soon after, McClarren designed neighborhood of Thornburg... are –1893). William McClarren had been a western states, and California, and Frank Thornburg’s third and final trying to save one of the oldest golf barrel maker before acquiring the farm, reports ambitious plans—64 new house, the Arts & Crafts mansion at courses west of the Allegheny and he and his wife had a large family: houses anticipated by the end of the 1132 Lehigh Road (shown on page 12). Mountains from development. 10 children were living in 1870. Samuel summer of 1904. (In fact, there would Thornburg School Board minutes Through a strategic campaign that was the second son—23 years younger be fewer than 70 homes in all of of May 25, 1912, quoted by Alice was announced to borough resi- than his brother, William—and named Thornburg in 1917.) The article also Christner [79], is (currently) our last dents on December 16, 2000, the illustrates three Thornburg houses—the after his grandfather, Samuel published reference to Samuel McClarren group hopes to acquire the Crafton Cobblestone House at 1137 Cornell Thornburg. In 1883, the family moved in Thornburg. He was 49 years old. Golf Course land and preserve it as Road, Frank Thornburg’s second house to Walkers Mills, a hamlet west of From his niece, Alma V. Armstrong, a conservation district. (called a “cottage”) at 501 Hamilton Carnegie, PA. we learned that the McClarren family The Crafton Golf Course, com- Road (both identified by Frank’s daugh- Samuel McClarren’s name was first moved to St. Petersburg, Florida “just prising 53 acres along the Chartiers ter Florence as modeled after California before World War I.” listed in city directories in 1884; his Valley Greenway, is the last vestige occupation is listed as draughtsman, he houses), and McClarren’s own house Perhaps some Floridian has been of green space in the Borough of resided in Walkers Mills, and he was 22 built c. 1902. researching buildings by one S. T. Thornburg and one of the few years of age. There is some question The McClarren house stood at what McClarren who moved to St. Petersburg pristine parcels of land in the area. about his employment in 1886–87, but was then No. 76 Hamilton Avenue (all c. 1913, and we will one day bring beginning in 1888 he advertised himself Thornburg Avenues and Streets later together both halves of an interesting The Borough, which neighbors as an architect. I will not repeat what I became Roads). Despite the poor career. Meanwhile we will continue to Crafton, Rosslyn Farms, and wrote about his career in “A Player of quality of the image, we can see that the search for clues until the next seren- Robinson Township, has seen most Architectural Variations.” I will hazard Shingle Style house has a gambrel roof, dipitous discovery of documents, of the green hills and valleys sur- a guess that he dropped out of sight gable end facing the street. The first photographs, or family history reveals rounding it destroyed by over- professionally because he found work- floor appears to be stone, while shingles more about the whys and hows behind development and poor land use ing for his cousin Frank as principal cover the upper 11/2 stories. Shed dorm- the houses of Thornburg. Ultimately, planning. Developers have periodi- architect for the Thornburg Land ers are visible on the second floor look- of course, it is up to the residents of cally targeted the golf course Company a full-time, financially satis- ing down Hamilton, while the front Thornburg to respect and care for the property for possible development, factory occupation. façade sports a semicircular gable win- individuality of their buildings, and to including a current potential buyer He married Irish-born Kate (presum- dow above a bay window and (possibly) preserve this fascinating and historic who has announced plans to sub- ably Katharine) J. Bell (b. 1863) in a French door onto the second story of community. divide the entire property for industrial use. For more information, please avenue, and after this had been nearly in the hallway outside, Mr. Beck succeeded contact Mark Perrott at This is excerpted from “Saved From destroyed, they threatened the residence of in safely lowering his wife from the second (412) 921-0178, or via e-mail at Their Burning Homes.” The Pittsburgh J. J. Miller, No. 78 Hamilton avenue.... story to the lawn. Next he adjusted the [email protected]. Chronicle Telegraph 129:122 All Thornburg turned out at that early rope for his two boys, aged 5 and 6 years, (November 21, 1905): 4. hour of the morning to assist in extinguish- and, one after the other, lowered them to Since the campaign to save ad it not been for the precaution of ing the flames, but there was only one fire- their waiting mother, and ultimately the Crafton Golf Course was HEugene J. Beck [sic] in having a rope plug available, and recourse had to be had descended to safety himself....The house announced in December 2000, fire-escape in his bedroom, it is probable to feeble garden hose, through which a tiny was reduced to ruins, only a few stones the residents of Thornburg have that there would have been several persons jet of water squirted. standing upright. contributed $300,000 and received incinerated in the fire which, at 3 o’clock The fire originated in the Beck resi- The fire in the Beck residence aroused a substantial grant from the Scaife this morning destroyed his handsome resi- dence, and when it was discovered by the the family of S. T. McClarren, and all were Family Foundation toward the pur- chase of the property. If you would dence, at No. 74 [sic] Hamilton avenue, occupants it had already obtained a mas- able to leave in good time. The side of the like to help or wish to know more Thornburg. Owing to the lack of a fire tery of the lower part of the house. All house soon caught fire, and although a few about the effort, call Mark Perrott brigade or adequate water supply, the egress in that way was cut off, and resort pieces of furniture were carried out the at the phone number listed above. flames spread across the lawn to the resi- was had to the rope fire escape. With the remainder was destroyed, the house being dence of S. T. McClarren, No. 76 Hamilton room full of smoke, and the flames raging burned to the ground. Page 16 PHLF News • April 2001

A GIFT TO LANDMARKS BRINGS BENEFITS TO YOU Preservation Scene A gift of appreciated securities or real estate can create lifetime income for you of Save America’s Treasures, a joint undertaking of the White House and provide the Pittsburgh History & Millennium Council and the National Trust for Historic Preservation. The Landmarks Foundation with much- building will house the offices of the Chatham College Arboretum; it will needed resources to restore historic also contain guestrooms for visitors, and houses, churches, schools, parks, meeting spaces. To accommodate these new needs, a surface parking lot will be and gardens in the Pittsburgh Good News for Carrie added. Of the $1.5 million cost to the Furnace Project college, including repurchase, about half has been raised. region. You can help At long last the Carrie Furnaces may be No effort at interior restoration will assured of preservation. The Steel revitalize a main be made; too much has happened. But Industry Heritage Corporation, the general repairs and exterior restoration communities of Braddock, Rankin, street in one of our are planned. North Braddock, and Swissvale, neighborhoods, provide together with Redevelopment Authority of Allegheny County will be working Former Synagogue to Be restored housing for low- to with a local design firm that they have Auctioned selected to prepare a master conceptual moderate-income residents, On May 10, the former B’Nai Israel in plan for the Carrie Furnace project. East Liberty will be auctioned. The MacLachlin Cornelius and Filoni will be or put an empty church or minimum opening bid will be $500,000. undertaking the planning work on the A $50,000 deposit will be required for school back into use. 250-acre site. That firm is well-known bidding, according to Karin Widel, for serving as the architects who reno- administrative manager for Harry Davis vated three major historic structures to Real Estate create Heinz Hall, the Benedum Center, of Squirrel Landmarks Can Put Your Assets to and the Byham Theatre, all downtown Hill, which Good Work While Bringing You: in the Cultural District. is handling The State has contributed $75,000 in the auction. • Lifetime income from your gift; local economic development assistance For the funds for the plan and the Allegheny • Public acknowledgment of your gift; past three County Department of Economic years, the • Federal and estate tax savings; Development has allocated $1.5 million historic • Avoidance of probate costs; in community development block grant landmark • Disposition of real estate and elimination of funds to proceed with site work upon designed in 1923 by Henry Hornbostel ownership costs and liability (minimum acceptance of a final plan, which should has been home to the Urban League be complete by June of this year. value required); Charter School. The school leases only Representative Mike Doyle has submit- one wing of the extensive complex and • The satisfaction of making a significant ted legislation to Congress to designate hopes to stay in the building. gift to preserve our western Pennsylvania Carrie Furnaces as a national park. In Pittsburgh’s Landmark Architecture, heritage; Walter C. Kidney writes: “This very • Honorary life membership in Landmarks St. Nicholas Progress unusual design has all the massive (minimum contribution required). The City Historic Review Commission repose usually to be found in synagogue Contact Jack Miller to discuss these and, by a six to one vote, the City architecture of the early twentieth donor options Planning Commission have recommended century, yet its various elements have a (412) 471-5808 ext. 538 that St. Nicholas Church on East Ohio mutual independence quite uncommon. A great drum of dark random ashlar, E-mail: [email protected] Street (Route 28) be designated a City Historic Structure. City Council, which austere and massive as if in response to makes the final determination, has not the steep hillside close behind, termi- Protecting the Places that Make Pittsburgh Home yet voted on the nomination. nates in a blind arcade of contrasting P ITTSBURGH H ISTORY & LANDMARKS F OUNDATION The Diocese wishes to sell the church lightness. Above, immediately beneath the dome, is a very original band of blue One Station Square • Suite 450 • Pittsburgh, PA • 15219-1134 to PennDOT so that it can be moved or demolished for improvements to Route and orange asbestos tiles in a diamond www.phlf.org 28, currently a very dangerous road in pattern, a weightless feature above the the vicinity of the church. Landmarks weighty stonework.” has supported moving the church if the congregation can be successful either in Miller Resigns from HRC finding additional uses for the historic On January 10, 2001, David Miller structure that would help fund its main- officially resigned from the Pittsburgh tenance or in creating a significant Historic Review Commission, however endowment fund. he has agreed to remain until his replacement is appointed by the Mayor. “Willow Mr. Miller had been on the HRC since Cottage” the Commission was formed in 1979 and was the Commission’s member in Back to longest standing. Pittsburgh’s preser- Chatham vation ordinance requires that one The Howe-Childs Commission member must be from a Gatehouse (“Willow preservation organization. As the presi- Cottage”) stands at dent of the Society for the Preservation Woodland Road and Fifth Avenue, one of the Duquesne Incline, Mr. Miller of the rare survivors of the East End held this seat. At this writing, the Mayor “Millionaire’s Row” of the past, and has not yet appointed Mr. Miller’s perhaps the oldest survivor as well. Built replacement. around 1860 for General Thomas David Miller is a civil engineer by Howe, it has endured much remodeling training and his expertise in this regard and neglect, and it has seemed at times was extremely helpful to the HRC over that its City Historic Landmark status the years. Mr. Miller is also a long- of 1986 would prove an empty distinc- standing member of Landmarks and we tion, without power to protect it. thank him for his years of service to But now that Chatham College has the HRC and dedication to preservation acquired the Gatehouse, it is no longer in general. in danger. “Willow Cottage’s” rehabili- tation has been announced as a project PHLF News • April 2001 Page 17

Landmarks Awards Conference Scholarships “This is a wonderful event for our members and friends,” said Cathy • National Trust 2001 McCollom, director of operations and Conference marketing at Landmarks. “We are grate- ful to Joedda Sampson, proprietress of Landmarks will award up to two Victoria Hall, for co-hosting this event scholarships to the National Trust for with us. Vendors from Ontario, Canada, Historic Preservation’s 2001 Andover, Massachusetts, Harrisburg, Conference from October 16 through Gibsonia, and Saxonburg are already 20 in Providence, Rhode Island. signing up for next year’s Old House Qualifications: Applicants must be Fair, scheduled for February 23, 2002.” 21 years or older, residents of Allegheny County, and members of the Pittsburgh History & Landmarks Vendors Give Foundation at the time of application. Great Reviews Applicants cannot have received a Landmarks conference scholarship We liked the show. We would do it during the past three years. Eligible again in the future. People there were looking for quality. It was our applicants include presidents, execu- kind of crowd….The show was tive directors, or board members of great! neighborhood-based organizations Record ––Air Duct Maintenance, Inc. that are involved in restoring historic buildings or main streets. The Attendance We get a great response and defi- organization must recommend the nitely want to continue to be in the nominee and must have utilized show. The market is just right for Landmarks’ technical assistance or at the Old us. We have spoken every year at the show, and now we are going to loan fund program within the past House Fair expand to include other topics next three years. Application and deadline: Please A record crowd––853 people— year. mail a letter by June 29, 2001, to attended Landmarks’ sixth annual Old ––Executive Chimney Sweeps and Fireplaces House Fair on February 24 at Victoria Cathy McCollom stating how you Hall in Bloomfield. From 10:00 a.m. We already have one home inspec- could benefit by attending the until 4:00 p.m., visitors attended tion as a result of the show, which conference: lectures and slide presentations, toured will pay for our show. We also got work for several damp basements. Cathy McCollom the Bloomfield/Garfield neighborhood, Director of Operations and and talked with 44 vendors and experts Last year’s show kept us working for months. We also have made Marketing in the fields of architecture, historic Pittsburgh History & Landmarks preservation, landscape design, and many connections with other vendors at the fair. Foundation neighborhood revitalization. One Station Square, Suite 450 ––Home Inspection by Harkness Arthur Ziegler, Landmarks’ president, Pittsburgh, PA 15219-1134 welcomed the crowd. Architectural his- Eubanks entertained guests with the torian Walter Kidney helped visitors to slide presentation “Architecture: The We got 17 leads and half of them Landmarks began its conference the Fair identify the style of their house, Building Art.” More than 22 volunteers already have signed up for appoint- scholarship program in 1988. Since ments. and education coordinator Mary Ann helped the event run smoothly. that time 10 neighborhood leaders ––Aquaguard have attended conferences relating to historic preservation. Interested in fixing up Architect’s son writes in regard to the • International Urban your home? Pittsburgh Public School Special Issue Mobility Conference Call the Patrick Hassett, assistant director of (No. 159; March 2001) City Planning, received a scholarship Community Design Center from Landmarks enabling him to of Pittsburgh’s Renovation We are pleased to reprint portion’s of a letter we received from James Steen of attend a conference in Paris, France, Highland Park, with permission. Mr. Steen is the son of Marion M. Steen, who was from May 12–16, 2001 focusing on Information Network appointed Board of Education architect in 1935. Seven of the 20 Pittsburgh Public forms of urban transportation––rail, Schools that were recently designated as City Historic Structures were either designed trolley, bus, van, auto––and individ- (412) 391-4333 by, had additions designed by, or had design and construction supervised by ual forms of transit that affect sprawl or visit the Web site: www.cdcp.org. M. M. Steen. Al Tannler, historical collections director at Landmarks, has been and urban revitalization. Landmarks’ The Renovation Information Network corresponding with James Steen during the past year. scholarship is underwriting the confer- (RIN) matches City of Pittsburgh ence fee and airline transportation. homeowners with architects and Dear Mr. Tannler, intern architects who provide renovation advice and ideas. [The Special Issue of PHLF News] tells me a great deal about my Volunteers come to your home to father’s work with the Pittsburgh Board of Education that I did not know of discuss your plans, give you the before….Some I did know about, of course, but not to anywhere near the Newsletter advice you need to get started, and extent which this account provides. The clarity and detailing of the writing and the excellent accompanying photographs are a pleasure to trace Corrections meet with you and your contractor through. Familiar names pop up here and there. James Bonar Please note the following corrections for a low fee of $50 or less, depending [Superintendent of Buildings 1919–34 and well-known local artist] I knew on your income. for the Special Issue of PHLF News and liked very much. He had farm property not far north of Pittsburgh Eighty design professionals partici- (No. 159, March 2001) devoted to 20 where he...entertained our family when my brothers and I were children. pate in the program, and over 360 Pittsburgh Public Schools that were The Schwab, of Schwab, Palmgreen and Merrick [architects of Arsenal homeowners have been matched designated as City of Pittsburgh School], may be Harvey Schwab [it is], an architect whom my father knew with volunteer architects since the Historic Structures. Charles Tattersall and also my wife and I because of a mutual interest in music. Mrs. Schwab, program’s inception in 1996. Helen, was quite a good pianist, and Harvey played the viola....My Ingham, the senior partner in the firm father...played the violin....My wife, who plays in the Pittsburgh Opera and of Ingham & Boyd, died in 1960. Call before you begin your home Ballet orchestras, has owned my father’s violin since his death…. (We had incorrectly given the year as improvements. ….I hope the Foundation’s work toward protecting these buildings fully 1943.) R. M.Trimble died in 1943, not Add to the value of your home and will continue to move forward successfully. I hope to meet you soon. 1966, an incorrect date given by Who neighborhood. Was Who in America (4th edition). Thomas Carnegie’s sons Will, Andrew, and Morrison attended Sterrett School. (We had inaccurately referred to them as Andrew Carnegie’s sons and we had incorrectly named one of the sons.) Page 18 PHLF News • April 2001

of seven historical essays by the curator • Mark Perrott (photographer) and Trustee and Book Reviews Sarah Nichols and others, and a cata- Herbert Muschamp and Hal Kirn logue dividing the displays into 42 Walter C. Kidney (writers), Hope Abandoned: Member Gifts categories. A technical glossary, reading Eastern State Penitentiary. list, and full list of displays follow. No location: Pennsylvania Prison • Sarah Nichols, et al., Aluminum Of Hornbostel interest are the spire of Society and Eastern State Penitentiary Make Library by Design. Pittsburgh: Carnegie the Smithfield German Evangelical Historic Site, 1999. 116 pp., 67 illus. Museum of Art, 2000. 296 pp., Protestant (Smithfield United) Church in $28.00, hardcover. Purchases 290 color illus., 95 b/w illus. $75.00, downtown Pittsburgh, discussed in one hardbound. of the essays; and, in the catalogue, the Indisputably, Mark Perrott’s photographs Possible are the soul of the book. Hal Kirn’s Early in this book we find a detail of little-known but impressive decorative interviews with prisoners, guards, and The Richard D. Edwards Library the heating vents in Otto Wagner’s aluminum work of the Aluminum nearby neighbors recall the prison, Named Fund was established by Postsparkassenbank in Vienna, begun Company of America Research unused since 1970, back to life in some in 1904: a mature and frankly crafted Laboratories in New Kensington. Landmarks in 1997 to benefit the fashion. Herbert Muschamp’s essay, too, work in aluminum. On the roof are two This may be the most copious lay James D. Van Trump Library, thanks is excellent and succinct in its presenta- Secession-cum-Baroque maidens extend- treatment of its subject, and any person to a generous unrestricted contribu- tion of historical background. But the ing wreaths; these too are executed in interested in the ways in which alu- photographs are the reason people will tion from Mr. Edwards, a trustee and aluminum, no doubt with drapery minum can be and has been treated buy the book. As with Eliza, photo- founding member of Landmarks. The riveted in place. Aluminum, at this time, should consider its purchase. graphs by Perrott of J&L’s blast furnaces was finding its role. Its lightness and following books were purchased in so named, there is a certain lack of corrosion resistance would be obvious 2000 through the Edwards Fund: objectivity: in this case, a lot of peeled advantages once it became affordable paint, a multitude of abandoned objects. • Richardson, Margaret, and and predictable in quantity. But from The sight of these things suggest that Mary Anne Stevens, eds. John the production of a few beads in the one day three decades ago, all the inhab- Soane, Architect: Master of 1820s until electrolytic reduction itants simply walked away from their Space and Light. New Haven: processes introduced in the 1880s by assigned places forever, never looking Yale University Press, 2000. Paul L. Héroult in France and by Mt. Lebanon Public Library back. And that of course is approxi- • Tunick, Susan, and Peter mately the way it was. But the realities Mauss. Terra Cotta Skyline: of prisons and blast furnaces alike are New York’s Architectural Beverly Road and Lincoln School, in best conveyed when they are well Ornament. Princeton: the late 1920s. tended and in use. A blast furnace Princeton Architectural Press, photographed by Bernd and Hilla 1997. Becher is a giant affair of riveted plates, Carnegie Museum of Art • Various writers, The Way We Were: and in any adjoining masonry structure • Cleary, Richard L. Merchant A Community History of Mt. Prince and Master Builder: every brick is neatly defined: total objec- Lebanon, Pennsylvania. Mt. Edgar J. Kaufmann and Frank tivity. The reality of imprisonment may Lebanon: Mt. Lebanon magazine, n.d. Lloyd Wright. Seattle: be conveyed better in the museum area University of Washington, 1999. 86 pp., 150 illus. incl. cover. $25.00, of our Old Jail, even though the long paper. cell-block spaces are gone forever: the • Belle, John, and Maxine R. cells are neat, seemingly ready to use. Leighton. Grand Central: Mount Lebanon was incorporated as a And yet, Perrott’s contrasts of prison Charles Martin Hall in the United Gateway to a Million Lives. township in 1912, a settlement already and surrounding city convey that reality States, it was a rare product, good New York: W. W. Norton, 1999. with a trolley access of sorts to too. In this regard, note especially the enough for jewelry, novelties, small Pittsburgh. In 1924 came the opening of picture on page 42 (see below): the • Wilhide, Elizabeth. Sir Edward decorative objects. Suddenly, after the the Liberty Tubes, and in 1928 that of blank geometry of the outer wall, the Lutyens: Designing in the Pittsburgh Reduction Company (later, the Liberty Bridge. The time and effort double houses across the street, whose English Tradition. New York: the Aluminum Company of America) of walking to the trolley kept the earliest view is of that wall; and, far in the dis- Harry N. Abrams, 2000. began operations in 1888, the material homes close to Washington Road, but tance, the airy-looking marble temple that had been the subject of such specu- the diffusion encouraged by the auto- that is Founder’s Hall in Girard College, Thanks to the Robert L. Spear lation became commonplace, highly mobile led to the “My Blue Heaven” a grandly conceived orphanage, a sym- Library Named Fund, established in affordable in large quantities. While it type of residential living we associate bol we may assume of a good start in 1998, archival storage boxes for retained some air of novelty—there with this place: houses individualistic, life. manuscripts and envelopes for photo- were aluminum postcards, for example —one could more and more buy houses built in groups but graphic prints and negatives were aluminum cookware, aluminum paint, pretending to be individualis- purchased in 2000. aluminum furniture, aluminum luggage. tic, houses with more gables We are grateful to the Edwards and This book has two main parts: a set than strictly necessary, Spear families for making these pur- houses with fancy brickwork, chases possible. houses tending toward the © 1993 Mark Perrott quaint, houses going too far Members wishing to use the library, that way, but houses always Monday through Friday between with garages. Not that homes 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m., should call monopolize the book. Al Tannler, historical collections Businesses, institutions, and director, at (412) 471-5808, ext. 515 individuals are prominent on to schedule an appointment. its pages as they would be in the memories of those who have witnessed Mount Lebanon’s changes from vil- lage to small town to pros- perous community.

Historic Plaque Award of Merit Nominations Nominations Thank You and Requested Call Walter Kidney at (412) 471-5808, Welcome ext. 511 if you would like to nominate Each year Landmarks awards its an individual or organization for Historic Landmark Plaques to important consideration by Landmarks’ 2001 Corporate structures and districts. We invite your Award of Merit Committee. Each year, Member Benefactors nominations. To receive an application, Landmarks recognizes individuals and please call, write, or e-mail: Ellwood Group, Inc. organizations who have made outstand- Cathy McCollom ing contributions to the preservation of Mylan Laboratories, Inc. One Station Square, Suite 450 Pittsburgh’s historic architecture and Oxford Development Company Pittsburgh, PA 15219-1134 increased public knowledge of our PNC Bank—Pittsburgh (412) 471-5808, ext. 516 heritage. The Award of Merit [email protected] Pittsburgh Steelers Sports, Inc. Committee will meet in June, so call Or, visit our Web site at www.phlf.org. us soon. PHLF News • April 2001 Page 19

Variety is the Spice of Streets— Or, Be Careful of Single-Minded Planning Arthur P. Ziegler, Jr.

The block on which in our survey of the important structures of Allegheny I live, in one of County. Pittsburgh’s streetcar These buildings retain their porches. In many areas suburbs, displays a of Pittsburgh, notably in Shadyside, porches have been generous variety of stripped from houses, giving an unfinished quality to architecture, uses, land- them that leaves you wondering when they will be scapes, and people. In completed. On my block, buildings have small porches, walking along it last large porches, magnificent two-story porches so that Independence Day, I began someone can sit downstairs or sleep upstairs feeling to think about the desire that some safe and sound; porches set into the structures of the people and organizations have for apartment buildings, and porches enclosed (not always design and zoning controls that often satisfactorily from an architectural viewpoint) and result in standardized environments that made into sun rooms. Some people have back reduce human diversity. porches, where people can enjoy the Is it good for our children to develop vegetation rather than the automobiles. in an environment of conformity— Speaking of plants: on my block, where buildings and landscapes are gardens come in all sorts and shapes, designed and scaled in a consistent manner? Would with quite a mixture of plants. There are our children be more tolerant and respectful of diver- those residents who follow the more sity if they grew up in an environment of diversity— modern suburban format of grass alone, with buildings and landscapes of all different sizes, but most of the dwellers here seem to be styles, uses, and ages? Is it beneficial to have old-fashioned and have flowers and shrubs a “leader” (elected or self-anointed) laid out in richly creative patterns. Some decree what constitutes an appropri- folks prefer the garden tight against the ate environment, as was the case with house and manicured, while others allow the Mayor’s plan for Fifth/Forbes shrubs, hedges, and perennials to inter- supported by the Allegheny weave and create privacy for their porches. Conference? Or is it better for a com- Those of more regimented mentality line up alternating munity to grow and change gradually, plants along their front walkways in straight beds, while based on grassroots activity? others produce a small centered, circular summer flower Independence Day was just the time bed. One person has even added a playful sculpture of three to consider these thoughts, since the hol- nymphs painted bright white adorning the lawn, as if iday celebrates our nation’s victory two Classical civilization had just popped up there in a playful centuries ago of a successful divergence form. Missing from some areas along the street are of grassroots opinion from the leadership the great trees that one associates with the of the English homeland. streetcar suburbs: ones that were planted As I walked in my neighborhood, I in little open blocks in the concrete side- felt that we might draw a lesson from my walks. These would grow through the block. For what appears to be about 100 years, years to vast proportions, lifting the blocks my block has welcomed variance, and the result is of sidewalk near them so that pedestrians substantial community success. were constantly going up and down small Take for example the buildings themselves. They hills as they walked along. In one case, two appear to have been developed between about 1870 huge stumps at ground level have been and 1970, and exhibit a wide variety of architectural hollowed out by an imaginative owner and styles including the Italianate and late Victorian, filled to overflowing with summer petunias. Edwardian, Colonial Revival, Dutch Inhabiting and utilizing these buildings are Colonial, Shingle Style, late Deco, and people representing various nationalities and early Modern and Moderne. While races, occupations, and ages. Young couples, built primarily of brick, they include older couples, families, empty-nesters, singles, surfaces of wood, shingles, metal doubles: all live congenially together, reaffirming one’s belief siding, concrete, and glass, in various rooted in urban experience, that we do not need to have forms, shapes, and colors. The brick similarity in order to have peace and harmony. itself exhibits many colors, from white I would like to take certain people on a tour of this to buff to beige to orange to rust to block, both those political leaders, planners, and newspaper pale-red, intense-red, dark-red, mottled editors who want to regiment our architecture and our liv- red, and several shades of deep brown. ing patterns. Perhaps if they could see the reality of the Unlike the modern automobile sub- delightful results of this architectural landscape, with its urbs, our block also welcomes a variety human compendium, they would grow to respect differ- of buildings and uses. We have single- ences among people and the expression of those differences family houses, single-family houses now in their architecture and their use of build- divided into large apartments, quadriplexes, and ings, and for that matter in their points of major apartment buildings holding perhaps 30 or view. They might then campaign for zoning more units. Two churches in the block are also varied codes that invite human beings to live in in that one is Christian Science (Greek Revival) and ways most comfortable to them while the other is Episcopalian (English Gothic), complete respecting one another. with rectory. Two institutional buildings are centered We are pleased that the grassroots battle in the block almost opposite one another, one a to save Fifth/Forbes, a fight against institu- Williamsburg-style American Legion post where we tionalized thinking and government planning, all vote and one a Roman Catholic friary, complete met with success and that diversity of all kinds with an amazing elaborate stone grotto that is listed now has a chance to prevail. Page 20 PHLF News • April 2001 JOIN LANDMARKS 8. How often do you visit our Web site: Membership Survey ■ Daily Support the Pittsburgh ■ At least once a week History & Landmarks This is the first membership survey we have conducted in ■ At least once a month Foundation in its work to: years. Please make it count! Complete this survey today, and ■ Never (I do not have access to the Web) return it to Mary Lu Denny (address given below), and you’ll • Identify, document, and work receive a complimentary copy of Pittsburgh in Your Pocket, a 9. Do you plan to include Landmarks in your will? to save architectural landmarks, guide to 64 architectural landmarks in the Pittsburgh area by ■ Yes, I already have. historic neighborhoods, and Walter C. Kidney. ■ historic designed landscapes in I’m open to the idea. ■ Not at this time Allegheny County; Feel free to copy the survey if you prefer to keep your • Provide loans and technical newsletter intact. 10. Are you interested in learning more about planned giving assistance to community-based opportunities that can benefit you and Landmarks? organizations that propose feasible 1. How long have you been a member of Landmarks? ■ plans for historic properties; ■ Less than 1 year ■ 11 to 20 years Yes ■ 1 to 5 years ■ More than 20 years ■ Not at this time • Participate in urban planning ■ issues as an advocate for historic 6 to 10 years preservation; 11. Do you live in a house that is of historic or architectural 2. Why did you join? 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General comments:______■ Yes ■ I’d like to (please call Mary Lu Denny: ______■ No 412/471-5808, ext. 527) ______5. On average, how many tours, lectures, or special events do ______you attend each year? ■ Less than five ■ More than 10 ______■ Between 5 and 10 ______6. Check the programs that you think are most important for ______Landmarks to be pursuing: ■ Preservation Loan Fund (including neighborhood ______Call Mary Lu Denny at revitalization) ■ (412) 471-5808 ext. 527 for details Neville House restoration Your name and address (optional): ■ on a multiple-year membership plan Providing advice (technical assistance) in regard to ______at a reduced rate, and for a listing historic properties ■ Identifying and surveying historic/architectural sites ______of our membership benefits. ■ Educational programs for schools ______Yes! Enroll me as a member of the ■ PHLF News Pittsburgh History & Landmarks ■ Historic Religious Properties Initiative ■ (If you would like to receive a complimentary copy of Foundation. I have enclosed a Historic Landmark plaques ■ Old House Fair Pittsburgh in Your Pocket, please include your name and contribution in the amount of ■ address.) ______. Lecture programs such as “Making Cities Work” ■ Advocacy (downtown revitalization, riverfront development, urban sprawl, etc.) E-mail address: Name______■ Rural preservation ■ Tours ______Address______■ Publications (books and brochures) ■ Historic landscape design (parks and gardens) City ______■ Other:______State ______Zip ______(please specify) Thank you for completing this form. Please return it to: Telephone (day)______7. What is your greatest preservation concern in the coming Mary Lu Denny (area code) years: Director of Membership Services ■ Pittsburgh History & Landmarks Foundation E-mail ______Downtown revitalization ■ Urban sprawl/rural preservation One Station Square, Suite 450 ■ Inner-city neighborhood revitalization Pittsburgh, PA 15219 ■ Phone: (412) 471-5808, ext. 527 Method of Payment Surveying and landmark designation ■ Historic religious properties Fax: (412) 471-1633 ■ Check enclosed (payable to PHLF) ■ Schools ■ ■ Credit card: Other:______Your comments will help us better serve our members. (please specify) ■ AmEx ■ Visa ■ Mastercard ■ Discover PHLF News usually is published four times each year for the members of the Pittsburgh History & Landmarks Foundation, a non-profit historic Account # ______preservation organization serving Allegheny County. Special issues, devoted to a particular theme or program area, are published on occasion. Expiration______Landmarks is committed to neighborhood restoration and historic property preservation; public advocacy; historic landscape preservation; and education and membership programs. Signature______© 2001 Pittsburgh History & Landmarks Foundation Designed by Pytlik Design Associates, Photographs by William Rydberg, PHOTON, and Landmarks, unless otherwise noted. Thank you for completing this form. Arthur P. Ziegler, Jr...... President Walter C. Kidney...... Architectural Historian Please detach and fax or mail to: Louise Sturgess ...... Editor/Executive Director Stanley A. Lowe...... Vice President, Preservation Programs Membership Elisa J. Cavalier ...... General Counsel Cathy McCollom ...... Director of Operations and Marketing Pittsburgh History & Laura Charles ...... Education Assistant Jack Miller ...... Director of Gift Planning Landmarks Foundation Tom Croyle...... Comptroller Linda Mitry...... Staff Accountant One Station Square, Suite 450 Mary Lu Denny ...... Director of Membership Services Frank Stroker...... Assistant Archivist/Sales Manager Mary Ann Eubanks...... Education Coordinator Albert M. Tannler ...... Historical Collections Director Pittsburgh, PA 15219-1134 Barry Hannegan ...... Director of Historic Design Programs Sarah Walker ...... Secretary (412) 471-5808, ext. 527 Jean Hardy ...... Secretary Marilyn Whitelock ...... Secretary Fax (412) 471-1633 Phipps Hoffstot ...... Chief Financial Officer Gregory C. Yochum ...... Horticulturist www.phlf.org Thomas Keffer ...... Superintendent of Property Maintenance Ronald C. Yochum, Jr...... Chief Information Officer Shirley Kemmler ...... Secretary Tawnya Zemka...... Education Assistant