Pittsburgh History & Landmarks Foundation450 The Landmarks BuildingOne Station SquarePittsburgh, PA 15219

Published for the members of the Pittsburgh History & Landmarks Foundation

Number 103 Fall 1987

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Interior Restoration atthe Neville HousePreservation SceneEvents & Education NewsScheibler & Steel Surveys

It is a rare accomplishment to live a life thatis worth sharing with others. SarahVukelich Evosevich, proprietress of Sarah'sEthnic Restaurant on the South Side ofPittsburgh, has done just that. Her lifestory, Sørah, will be available from thePittsburgh History & Landmarks Founda-tion and local bookstores in October. The192-page publication, illustrated with morethan 50 photographs and original drawings,is an inspiring story of the evolution of aSerbian farm girl into an Americanbusinesswoman.

An intensely personal accottnt, Sarahalso speaks to the struggles which thou-sands of Eastern European immigrantsfaced while building a new life in America.Indeed, it is a landmark publication,documenting the life of an immigrantwoman and creating one of the few pub-lished oral histories of life in Pittsburghfrom the 1930s to the present.

Sarah Evosevich asked Landmarks topublish her life story in 1983. A grant fromSarah herself has provided the major por-tion of funds needed for publication. Thememoir is based on extensive reminiscenceswhich Sarah recorded in the early 1980s.They have been transcribed and edited intoa narrativq amplified by Sarah's ownwords, which colorfully describes her life.She remembers her girlhood on a farm inCroatia, the rigors of World War I and the1920s, and her marriage to a widower whichbrought her to Pittsburgh in 1931. She

records in touching detail her difficultmarried life and the joys and struggles ofraising four children alone in the ethnicatmosphere of the South Side. (Her hus-band died in 1937.) She describes workinghard to survive and her eventual success asa restaurateur.

Included, too, in the publication are acollection of recipes by Sarah adapted forhome use. There are appetizers, dinners,side dishes, and desserts: spinach pita;bread; cabbage roll; nut roll; apple-nut pita;moussaka; stuffed peppers; roast lamb;stuffed grape leaves; bean and sauerkrautsoup . . these are just the beginnings of afeast prepared by Sarah.

Sarah felt compelled to write her lifestory: she believes that her success, achievedby an independent spirit through faith andhard work, can be an example for otherwomen faced with hardships. "I did it, andthey can do it, too . . . Maybe this little bitof wisdom I have learned, maybe it willhelp somebody. You have to try to help."Sarah chose to dedicate the book to her latedaughter Bosanka, an accomplished educa-tor who had been active and honored inlocal and national public affairs - as wellas a trustee of Landmarks.

In Sarah, the reader will discover anincredible depth of experience, emotion,hardship, and persistence. Out of this lifeemerges a person whose set of values, con-victions, and wisdom can touch each ofusand influence our lives for the better-

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"Últhat I díd, I think I would do øgain: to marry someone inorder to come to the Uníted States . . . and sacffice just øs Idíd, I suppose. I had a famíly to live for. But to get thøt closeto suicíde . . . that is a question mark. I'd have to straightenthat situat¡on out somehow. I would come to the UnitedStates and start a W here ønd do the same things I have beendoíng: working, helping to raise myfamfu and heþìng thosewho need help."

"Suppose I could live my life oven First, I would have abunch of kíds, more thanfour, and give them my lovewhether I had a husband or not. Struggle the way I did; it waspleasant, struggling. We didn't know where the next dollurwas comíng from, but we always managed to have good hotfood on the table I loved the chíldren ønd they loved me, so ítwas awarm home."

"f want to be remembered just as mq Sarah. OnIy as amother, grandma, and sister. ,Iust SaralL a normal and wiseperson, a hard worker. Not in any other way. I don't feel anydifferent now than when I was handlìng horses and a wagonand workìng hard on the farm . . . I want to be rememberedas a human being, a Chrístían who loves God. My nature ís tolove people."

\Tþtds from SørøltSp e ciø I ItIe rn b e rs lt ip Offe r

Ki;"i::;KöafthSend to:

Name

Address

City State

Please send me-copies at $14.95 per book. . . . . . $(a discount from the regular price of $18.95)

PAresidentsadd69osalestax ....... $

For postage and handling add $2.50 per book. . . . . . . . $

Make check payable to thePittsbttrgh History & LandmarksFoundation and mail the completed form to us. Books will be mailedin early October. Gift copies available upon request. Call ShirleyKemmler (412) 471-5808 for further information.

Page2 PHLF News Fall 1987

NTEV/SlWe/corne New Menzbers

Mrs. Joseph AdamsonMr. & Mrs. Peter ArgentineGary R. BakerMs. Audrey J. BishopMs. Terry Laine BrauneMs. Margaret BrennanWilliam A. Burgunder, Jr.Mrs. Sandi DannerDeBolt-Somerset Bus CompanyTimothy S. DeliyannidesMs. Anne M. EgryMrs. Toby FrankMs. Judith E. Garrison & FamilyGateway Upper Elementary SchoolMs. Carol GettingsHugh G. HachmeisterThe Jack Hartman FamilyMs. Barbara R. HiquetMs. Joyce HochardMrs. David HoptonVy'arren J. HoyeMr. & Mrs. Lawrence Jones & FamilyMiss Josephine JosefickDr. & Mrs. Michael S. KavicLarry KregerRick LandesbergMr. & Mrs. Robert F. LawrenceMs. Deborah A. LiotusMs. Anna Mae LitmanMs. Colleen ManagnelloEugene ManasterskiMs. Joyce Martini

Volunteer Profile:Meyer ParkerOne of our most loyal volunteers -for all sorts of jobs - is MeyerParker. Meyer first volunteered toassist Walter Kidney in the James D.Van Trump Library; since then, hehas enthusiastically donated his timeto a variety of events: the AntiquesShow, Hands-On History EducationFair, and Station Square Transporta-tion Museum Auto Festival.

A native of Pittsburgh, Meyer has spent the years since his retire-ment from the construction industry serving Landmarks, the JewishCommunity Center, Children's Hospital, and the University of pitts-burgh's Israel Heritage Room. Meyer's next venture with Landmarks isto become a tour-guide. Given his extensive knowledge of architectureand love for his hometown, we are confident that Meyer will be anexcellent guide. Thank you Meyer, for all your involvement.

If any members are interested in offering their volunteer services,call Mary Lu Denny (471-5808). Antiques Show work is now underway!

Historic Proþerry NewsOld St. Luke'sInterior restorations are complete at Old St. Luke's Church in CollierTownship and the facility is available for weddings, baptisms, specialservices, and tours. Please contact Rev. Victor Zuck (835-7935) forfurther information.

The Burtner HouseFall is fund-raising time for the Burtner House Society at the l82l stonehouse in Natrona Heights. On Saturday, October 10, Landmarks' mem-bers are invited to the Burtner House for the Third Annual HarvestDay. There will be pioneer craft and skill demonstrations, craft sales,and bake sales with homemade soups to buy by the bowl or quart, freshcider, ham barbecues, and delicious homemade funnel cakes. Thehouse will be open for tours during Harvest Day from lt a.m. to 5 p.m.There is no admission charge. Directions to the Burtner House: Route28 north about 20 miles out of Pittsburgh to Exit 15, where you will seethe stone house.

The Rachel Carson HomesteadThe Society of Women Geographers presented an engraved plaquehonoring Rachel Carson at the 80th Anniversary Birthday celebrationheld on N.fay 27 at the Rachel Carson Homestead in Springdale. Over300 people attended the ceremonies and vintage fashion show. Two ofthe rooms in the Homestead have been decorated to look as they didwhen Rachel Carson lived there. The house is open by appointment fortours by calling Evelyn Hirtle (274-5776).

The Neville HouseOn Saturday, October 31, plan to attend the noontime luncheon andfashion show sponsored by the Neville House Auxiliary at the StationSquare Sheraton. The event is being planned to raise funds for the con-tinuing restoration, furnishing, and operation ofthe historic property inCollier Township. Tickets are $15 per person; reservations can be madeby calling Mrs. Jean Davis (279-4565).

PHLF News is a quarterly publication of the Pittsburgh History &Landmarks Foundation.Arthur P. Ziegler, Jr. . .presidentlouise King Ferguson. . ..Editor/Executive Director

M.F. McGrewMrs. Julie MilechmanMr. & Mrs. Joseph A. MimaMiss Pauline MimaBob Muzik & FamilyMrs. Jean Ann NiethamerMrs. Martha OrringerMrs. Esther PalkovitzMs. Evelyn M. PattersonMs. Janet PetroneThe Pittsburgh Hilton & TowersMs. Rose Lynn RednockWallace F. Reimer & FamilyMr. & Mrs. Charles R. RhineEdward E. Rieck & FamilyThe Richard Rizzo FamilyMs. Janet RohrmanMs. Anne A. SchemppWilliam A. SchmidHerman G. Scott, IIISheraton Inn-GreensburgMs. Carol SkingerMs. Michele A. SmithUnited Methodist HomeMs. Nancy VaughanVista International HotelMs. Eileen C. Wayne & FamilyMr. & M¡s. Edward Weiss & FamilyMs. Robin WeissMs. Betty M. WilliamsMs. Virginia M. Witney

Plaques Awarded to,Srx Historic PropertiesLandmarks' Historic Designation Commit-tee, chaired by trustee Richard M. Scaife,has awarded plaques to six historic proper-ties this year. Nineteen years ago, Land-marks initiated the plaque program in orderto recognize the architectural merit andhistorical significance of sites in AlleghenyCounty. Since 1968 the Committee hasawarded over 200 plaques. This year, theproperties determined to be eligible are:

Eliza BrownMary Lu DennySusan K. DonleyEarl JamesWalter C. KidneyStanley A. l-oweChristina Schmidlapp

The Atlanfic Financial Building, 313 SixthAvenug Downtown (1889-90). Designed byCharles Bickel and J. P. Brennan, thisbuilding is one of the finest Romanesquedesigns in Pittsburgh. It was originallycalled the German National Bank, and laterthe Granite Building - before recent reno-vations and a renaming by Dover HistoricProperties (Philadelphia). John Milner ofPhiladelphia is the architect of therestoration.

St. Michael the Archangel CatholicChurch, Fifth and Bayard Streets, Elizabeth(1851). Although the recipient of three2Oth-century renovations, this VictorianGothic church retains its l85l windows andStations of the Cross. It is currently thesubject of a preservation struggle betweenthe Diocese and a large group of thechurch's parishioners.

St. Joseph's Roman Catholic Church,Bloomfield, 47 12 Llberty Avenue(1886-87). Designed by Adoulf Druiding,this large red-brick church was originallyerected for German immigrants in whatbecame a solidly Italian neighborhood.

The Pittsburgh History & LandmarksFoundation wishes to thank the followingfor their generous donations:¡ The Shenango Furnace Company, for

two Schwartz brass-melting furnaces;o Howard Etzel, of McKeesport, for 56

photographs of Pittsburgh-area steam-boats, late l9th century through the early1950s;

o Ronald G. Oelette, of Wexford, for apostcard, c. 1910, ofworkers waiting fora train at the East Pittsburgh Station;r The Port Authority, for donating anearly Pittsburgh Railways Company PCCtrolley. The trolley, in temporary storagethrough the generous assistance of theArden Trolley Museum, is from themid-1940s and is an "air" car: that is, oneof its braking systems is air-powered.Other distinctive features are bowl-likeceiling lights and large, crank-operatedwindows. The car needs restoration of itscontrols. The PCC trolley was designedfor the Electric Railway Presidents'Conference Committee as a radicalresponse to the threat of bus competi-tion, and was first shown in 1934 in thesecond year of the Chicago Century ofProgress Exposition.

Artiføct Donøtions Píttsburgh in YourPocket

o 1133 Penn Avenue Building, ll33 PennAvenug Strip District (1892). Attributed toFrederick J. Osterling, this is another exam-ple of the Romanesque influence applied tocommercial architecturg with large arcadesframing an extensive window systemdesigned for maximum interior illumina-tion. Recently renovated inside and out byUDA Architects, the building is also listedon the National Register.

¡ First Presbyterian Church of Edgewood,120 East Swissvale Avenue (1917-18).Thomas Hannah, architect. The onlychurch in Edgewood, this Gothic designmakes a strong and unique architecturalstatement with two very large, square towers(with gable roofs!). These towers flank ahuge pointed-arch window, with traceryover the church entrance.

Shouse Housg 451 Main Street, Glenwil-lard (c. 1840), was the home of PeterShouse, boatbuilder and founder ofShousetown (now Glenwillard). The origi-nal building was a three-bay structure. Fivemore bays were added later with originaldetailing and materials; the porch is prob-ably an even later addition.

A miniature guidq Pittsburgh in YourPocket, will soon be published byLandmarks. About 60 places in and aroundPittsburgh will be illustrated, described,and put in historic context in a text byWalter C. Kidney. The guide is just a samp-ling of the local architectural attractions ofcourse, but it does give a sense ofthe cityand the region to those unfamiliar with it.The pocket-guide was funded in partthrough a grant from the Historical Foun-dation of Pennsylvania.

Please call Shirley Kemmler (471-5808) inOctober if you would like us to mail thepocket-guide to you. The cost of the guideis $4.75 plus $1.75 in postage and handling.Pittsburgh in Your Pocket will also be avail-able at the Cornerstone in Station Square.

Correctíon: Three gifts credited toMary Wohleber in our Summerissue - a United Motors Servicecertificatg a United ServiceMotors sign, and a Divco sign -were in fact donated by Robert G.Koch, Sr., of Pittsburgh. Thankyou Mr. Koch.JeanHodak .....Artßt

FLP

Sunday, Oct. 18 7am.-11 p.m.Columbus, Ohio andGerman VillageBy bus we will travel to Columbus, wherewe will have lunch at and tour the OhioHistorical Village. Ed [æntz, director ofColumbus Landmarks Foundation, willthen lead a tour of the Palace Theatrg thetunnels under City Hall, and the ethnicneighborhoods. Then to German Village -a 50-block area of narrow brick streetslined with quaint brick homes and attrac-tive gardens, first settled in the early 1880sand still a functioning community. Aftertouring the Village, we will enjoy an ethnicdinner at Schmidt's, the first sausage andkraut restaurant. Then we will return home.

ßarcz 895 members; 8115 non-members

Fridaythru Sunday, Nou. 13-15

Tenth Annual Antiques ShowYes, it's here again . . , for the tenth con-secutive year: Landmarks' prestigiousantiques show. Join us at the membershipparty on Thursday, November 12 to previewthe period furniture, art, china, silver, etcdisplayed by 30 antique dealers from theeastern, southern, and mid-western states.Once again, the show will be in the Ball-room of the Station Square Sheraton.

Ttuesday, Nou 17 7:30-9 p.m.Distinguished læcture onHistoric PreservationLandmarks Design Associates, architects, issponsoring our 1987 Distinguished Læctureto be presented by Elizabeth BarlowRogers. Ms. Rogers is the Administrator ofCentral Park in New York and author ofRebuilding Central Park: A Management &Restoration Plan, IJer experience andadvice will be of value since Landmarks,the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy, andthe City of Pittsburgh share the ambitiousgoal of formulating a master restorationplan for Schenley Park.

Iarcz Members are free; 82 non-members

Sunday, Dec.6 11 ø.m.-9p.m.Holiday Tour in West VirginiaCelebrate the holiday with us! By bus wewill travel to Wellsburg for a tour of andlunch at the Vandergrift Mansion designedin 1901 by Alden & Harlow. Then it's off tothe Olgebay Mansion and grounds for din-ner and the Festival of Lights tour. Finally,we will travel to Wheeling, where we willhave a candlelight tour (while sipping sher-ry) of Independence Hall.

Fare: 880 members; 895 non-members

Thís has been our busìest tourseason ever, and the responsefrom our membersh¡p and thepublic has been outstanding.Sínce our last report in theSummer newsletter, we høveled tours ol the South Sìde,North Síde, and WestmorelandCounty. The photos here arefrom the North Síde tour onJune 7. Thønks to the eîforts ofTbm and Mary Beth Pastorius,beer soon wíll be brewed ín theEberhørdt & Ober Brewery.Restoration plans for the c. 1880buíldíngs at the base of TIoy Híllhtere descríbed. . . and mem-bers sampled Pennsylv aniaPílsnen

Member's Endowment FundBenefits Tour ProgramHelen Simpson, a member and tour guideof Landmarks, established an endowmentfund in 1985 in memory of her brotherDavid Simpson. Since that time, incomefrom the endowment fund (and Helen'sannual matching gift contribution) hasprovided support to our education depart-ment. This year, though, Helen requestedthat we purchase a much-needed portablemicrophone system for the education andtour programs. We are now pleased toreport that we have an excellent lightweightMini-Vox portable microphone system thatis making the job of our tour guides mucheasier. Thank you, Helen, on behalf of theLandmarks' staff, docents - and eventpatrons.

Events ¡tThe Historical Society of

Western PennsylvaniaCalt 681-5533 for further information.

Sept. 23: trhontierl)emocr¡cy: Teaci-ing the Constitution9 a.m.- 4 P,m.

Oct, 7: A Mor€ Perfect Unton: I¡c-turc 1 ln ¡ Series 7:30 p.m.

Oct. ù4: Fublic forum: Does Pitts-burgh Need a llistory Cen-ter? 8:30 a.m.-3 p.m.

Sept.&Oct.: Homewood-Brushton: ACentury of Communlty-Making, an exhibit.

Tbur BusìnessIt is encouraging to speak with programorganizers who have used our tour and lec-ture service many times in the past, andcontinue to invite us back. CountrysideBook Club of Bethel Park, who enjoyedtheir "all-city tour" featuring the sites ofmany Pittsburgh authors last spring, ischallenging us this fall to plan a tour thatwill complement their 1987-88 mystery-story collection. We are hoping that themorning of October 29 will dawn grey andbleak to create the proper mood for aguided tour through Allegheny Cemetery.Following the Cemetery tour, a luncheonwill be served at St. Mary's Priory on theNorth Side. Lunch at St. Mary's Priory hasbecome a popular feature of our tours.Staff members at The Priory have beencongenial and imaginative in their mealcreations, offering a full luncheon for ourNational Trust Advisors last spring, a lightsummer repast for our ladies' tours thissummer, and Victorian tea specialties forour membership tour on June 7. Also thisfall, the Jewish Community Center of Oak-land has requested a repeat of our All-CityTour for a group of their members.

Our private tour services are available onan appointment basis for groups of allsizes. We hire bus or van transportation asneeded, and arrange access to churches andselected private properties. Any memberswishing to learn more about our tour serv-ices may call Mary Lu Denny (471-5808).

PreviewCøll 471- 5S0S for cornþlete detøils ønd reseroøtion informøtion.

Sundays, Sept. 20 & 27The lægacy ofFour Architectural

2-5 p.m.

0fficesIf you have not yet attended one of ourSunday walking tours in September, plan tojoin our group on Sept. 20 & 27 to discoverthe architectural legacies of Henry Horn-bostel and Benno Janssen. The Sept. 20tour, led by architect Iæonard Perfido, willfeature the work of Henry Hornbostel andhis ability to handle Beaux-Arts forms.Buildings featured include the SmithfieldUnited Church, University Club, City-County Building, Rodef Shalom, Bureau ofMines, and CMU. The Sept. 27 tour, led byarchitect Syl Damianos, will feature thework of Benno Janssen, including Pitts-burgh's most fashionable civic designs andinstitutional buildings. Featured buildingsinclude the Twentieth Century Club, housesin Schenley Farms, William Penn Hotel,Buhl Building, and Point Park College.

Fare per tour: 88 members; 812 non-members

Sunday, Oct. 4 10 am.-6 p.m.

Ohio River Cruise to SewickleyThis tour has it all: a river journey, tours ofrestored buildings and private homes, andfood and drink. Travel with us on the Gate-way Clipper, down the Ohio to Sewickley.There Mary Beth Pastorius of the SewickleyValley Historical Society will lead us on abus tour featuring one of three historicneighborhoods, the Village, Old PostOffice, Shields Church, the grounds ofarchitect Frank Alden's home of 1894, andthe interiors of the Walker House (formerlya tavern) and a private residence. Then tothe Alphorn, where French pastries will beserved before our return bus ride to StationSquare.

Fare: 855 members; $70 non-membersNOTE: If you prefer to meet the group in

Sewickley, and not ride the Clipper,the fare is $30 members and $45non-members.

Sunday, Oct. 11 2-4 p.m.The Sculpture of Schenley ParkVernon Gay, photographer for DiscoveringPittsburgh's Sculpture, wlll lead Land-marks' members and friends on a walkingtour of the little-known and well-knownmasterpieces in Schenley Park. Sites includethe Christopher Lyman Magee Memorial,the Schenley Memorial Fountain, and theGeorge Westinghouse Memorial. This eventis one in a series focusing public attentionon the need to ensure restoration of Schen-ley Park, as the park approaches its centen-nial in 1989.

Fa¡e:82 members; $4 non-members

St. Møry\ Priory ua¡ a/so toured, and teø uøs sened in tlte bandsonzeþ restored eourtyørd.

(412)

Books

765-1042

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THE CORNERSTONEnow on the

BALCONY LEVELof

The Shops at Station Square

Wo0¿dag Stroppingl09o discount for members

ArtifactslMusiclGifts

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Page 4 PHLF News Fall 1987

Preservation Scene

News from the Courthouse

A conservator from Greensburg, ChristinaDaulton, is restoring the five murals byVincent Nesbert at the foot of the grandstair in the Courthouse on Grant Street,downtown. Painted in a bright Pointilliststyle, perhaps to offset the lack ofdaylightin the cavernous spaces, the oil-on-canvasmurals will be even brighter after theircleaning. The work, which will cost$67,000, is expected to be ready this Sep-tember. The mural restoration is beingsponsored by the Allegheny County Bicen-tennial Commission, chaired by JamesKnox. The murals have themes of justice,peace, industry, and local history, and werepainted in the late I930s. Vincent Nesbertwas born in Poland but spent the greaterpart of his life in Pittsburgh, where he diedin 1976. The space itself was the originalentrance lobby, whose direct contact withGrant Street was cut off, partially in l9l3by the lowering of the Hump, then com-pletely in 1927 when the widening of thestreet forced the removal of an outside stairbuilt in 1914.¡ A flaB display is also to be installed in thespacg similar to the United Nations displayonce set before the former central doorwaybut in this instance consisting mainly ofstate flags.o A pavement has been chosen for theexterior ofthe Courthouse, a warm graybrick similar in hue to the Youghioghenystone of the architect's specifications. Someinterior painting is under way.¡ The $370,000 restoration of Room 321,

the former Small Orphans' Court, to its1888 appearance was expected to start inmid-July.r A landscape architect, Larry Ridenour,has been studying modifications to theCourthouse Courtyard Park.o Different problems remained to be solvedin early summer: what to do about themountainous, leaky roof; what to do aboutthe County records stored higgledy-piggledy under the roof; what to do abouthaphazard ceiling and lighting installations,chaotic signage, and other chance accumu-lations that violate the character and har-mony of the interiors. Arthur P. Zieçler,Jr., chairman of the Committee on theRestoration ofthe Courthouse, has beenlooking for exemplary restorations ofcourthouses and other governmental build-ings to show County officials.

Call us with Preservation NewsWe need your help in coverìng thecounty. Please call Walter Kidney (471-5808) and report what you know.

Penn-Liberty Historic DistrictOn May 29, Landmarks sent a letter to theHistoric Review Commission and the CityPlanning Commission supporting the crea-tion of the City's Penn-Liberty HistoricDistrict. The letter stressed both the preser-vation of old commercial buildings and therevitalization of the area as an economicentity. On June 16 thepity Planning Com-mission voted to recommend approval bythe City Council of the City district. Thearea has also been nominated to the Na-tional Register of Historic Places, whichwill make rehabilitation tax credits possible.

Kaufmann's Department StoreKaufmann's downtown department storewas given an exterior cleaning and remodel-ing this summer, including the cleaning ofterra-cotta and marble work, and the instal-lation of new, energy-conserving sash.Among other things, the famous clock,bracketted from the Fifth and Smithfieldcorner of the l9l3 Janssen & Abbott sec-tion of the building, was removed for clock-work repairs and refinishing of the bronze-work; it remained down for the greater partof the summer. Some interior alterationswere to be done as well, but no details wereavailable.

Fort Wayne BridgeOn April 23 the Post-Gazette quotedDonald Carter of UDA Architects as advo-cating demolition of the Fort WayneBridge, the 1903 bridge across the Alle-gheny River at Union Station. Landmarksreplied to this unfortunate suggestion,pointing out that the bridge is a majorengineering monument of the city listed onthe National Register, and that its removalwould discourage passenger train travel; anew station, remote from the Triangle,would then be necessary. This magnificentbridge must remain as the last example ofthe major railway bridges that once carriedtrains into the Triangle.

Mechanic's Retreat ParkThe Mexican War Streets Society has sub-mitted a general plan for the MechanidsRetreat Park, at Buena Vista and JacksoniaStreets, to Landmarks and LandmarksDesign Associates for approval. If approvalis given, Landmarks will pledge $1,000 forthe park maintenance fund. The Society iscollaborating with the Architects' Work-shop and other organizations to get theplan put into detailed form and realized.

The park, the cost of whose completionis estimated at $38,000, is conceived as asquare with diagonal paths from the twostreets and the street corner. The street sideswill have low metal and wooden fences be-tween masonry piers, with formal gateways.The corner away from the streets will rise as

a small mound. The ground areas will bethickly planted with trees and shrubs, withground cover in the open areas.

The land for MechaniCs Retreat wasdonated to Landmarks by Charles C.Arensberg, Chairman of Landmarks;Charles S. Arensberg; and Walter D. Toole.We have now made the land available to theMexican War Streets Society.

Eberhardt & Ober BreweryThe Eberhardt & Ober Brewery projectcontinued to progress in early summer, with$300,000 still to be raised of the $3.5 mil-lion total. Landmarks Design Associates,architects, were making working drawings,and had done an application for placing thefive-building complex on the National Reg-ister of Historic Places. The anchor tenant,the Brewery, was legally enabled to operatea brew-pub - making and selling beer andale on the same premises. ThomasPastorius, the proprietor, is planning tooffer several varieties of beer at any onetimg with seasonal changes, and to offerfood as well as drink. The theme of theBrewery's decoration is to be the German-American heritage.

Pennsylvania CanalThe uncovering of a large section of the oldPennsylvania Canal, in the course of sitepreparation for the East Street Valley Ex-pressway project, aroused public attentionthis June. Wooden beams and flooring intwo locks, an intact lock gate, and largesandstone blocks forming the canal wallscame to light, prompting hopes that a lockchamber could be reconstructed on anothersite. By mid-July arrangements had beenmade to send the wooden elements to aUniversity of Pittsburgh research facility inHarmarville for conservation, and to putthe masonry in storage. North Side civicgroups had shown interest in reconstructingthe lock chamber outside the Expresswayarea but as close as possible to the originallocation.

The Canal, opened locally in 1829, waspart of a rail-canal system from Philadel-phia that was completed in 1834. Withthrough rail service on the PennsylvaniaRailroad in 1852 the Pennsylvania Canalbecame obsolete, and was closed to localtraffic in 1864.

Main Street on East CarsonMain Street on fust Carson reports that,between September I of last year and theend of June, 40 new businesses started up inthe East Carson district, l8 businessesexpanded, and 18 closed. Ofthe new busi-nesses, 65 percent are retail, 18 percentrestaurants, and 17 percent offices andprofessional services. Forty-seven facadeshave been altered, with an expenditure ofnearly $l million. Forty-seven building re-habilitations have occurred, aside fromfacade changes, with an expenditure ofnearly $4 million. Also, $862,000 has beenspent on public improvements, and therehas been a net gain of 80 jobs.

Two PropertitPreservation l

Anderson Manorl,andmarks has lent the Women'sChristian Association of PittsburghAllegheny $103,000 for repairs and rvations of Anderson Manor, at 1423Liverpool Street in Manchester. Thirwas the home, built in the 1840s, ofJames Anderson, the industrialist arphilanthropist who founded Alleghtfirst public library and encouragedworking boys - Andrew Carnegieamong them - to educate themselvfrom his private collection.

The Women's Christian Associati,founded in 1868, uses Anderson Maas a personal-care home for 18 residwhose average age is 87. The greaterof the money will be used to improvconvenience and safety of the hometo enlarge its capacity, but about a tlwill be used for architectural restoraincluding removal of exterior fire es-

capes, painting, brick cleaning, andreconstruction of the front porch tooriginal design. The WCA is plannir

John Massey Rhind SculpturerProspects looked excellent this summer Ithe John Massey Rhind sculptures on thrForbes Avenue front of The Carnegie. TlWomen's Committee had more than sur-passed their expectations in raising monrfor the work, and Dennis and Craine, co:

servators from Cambridge, Massachuset'were scheduled to begin a month's workrestoring the four street-level sculptures.The result, as regards color and texture, r

not foreseeable early this summer. Thebronzes are pitted from air-borne chemi<

- it is this chemical action that has turnthem green - and the conservators, asnearly as possiblg will try to establish anrestore the finish intended by the sculptoThe four roof-level statues will be restorenext summer, when the stonework is to b

cleaned. The sandstone facing of The C¿

negie is expected to show up tannish witlan orange tint.

Fall 1987 PHLF News Page 5

In the lioìng room, ø pøir of Englisb ønn e ltøirs flønks a tea table in d room'fnished with reprodøction uall

þaper and ifumitare clteek" fabric.

ìenffi Through'n Fund

become a Landmarks member, and toapply for a Landmarks plaque.

1417 E. Carson StreetLandmarks' Preservation Fund haspledged the South Side Local Develop-ment Company $42,500 for the rehabili-tation of 1417 East Carson Street. This isa typical commercial property in theMain Street on fust Carson project area'a Mid-Victorian corner building ofbrick with a much-resurfaced shop onthe ground floor and a third-floor man-sard roof: not an outstanding building,but a modest contribution to the streetscene. It is now vacant, as so manyproperties are in this particular stretch.The ground floor will be offered as retailspace, the second floor will be SSLDC'sown offices, and the third will be atwo-bedroom apartment. This is to be

the first in a series of such developmentsby the SSLDC in the Carson StreetHistoric District.

Renovations at Carnegie LibrarYSome changes are being planned for the

entrance area of the main Carnegie Libraryin Oakland. Early this summer details were

only beginning to be worked out, but itappeared that the lobby and corridor area

within the entrance would benefit. Thepresent charge booth, disruptive to the

space and out of keeping in finish and

lighting, will probably go. So, probably,will the cheap-looking security gates,

though some kind of security system wouldbe installed. Two side doors to the mainreading room, now covered, will almost cer-

tainly be re-opened. Lighting levels will be

increased, but with due regard to the char-

acter of the space, we can hoPe.

Gwinner-Harter MansionAs of early July, nothing had been deter-

mined on the fate of the Gwinner-Harterhousg the Second Empire mansion at Fifthand Amberson Avenues. The house was

undergoing its second restoration, after thefire of last October, when Dr. Iæo Harter,the owner, died this spring. Early thissummer no work was taking place but thecondition of the house was stabilized, withplastic sheeting for protection and electrici-iy and heat available. The estate was being

settled, with no indication of when a deci-

sion about the house would be made.

Register 200-Year-Old TreesAs a bicentennial project, Allegheny Coun-

ty wishes to register all trees in the countyj00 o. -o." years old. It is at least possible

that there may be white oaks, native to

Pennsylvania, that can be as much as 600

years old. At least a few trees are known to

ãxist in the county, despite industry and all

the other developments of two centuries,

that will meet the age standard. The age ofa tree can be estimated from its circumfer-ence by formula, with no harm to the tree

itself. Èach tree accepted will be registered

both locally and with the State through the

Old Tree Committee of Pennsylvania. For

applications, measurement formulas, and

general information, write:Richard LibertoLandscape SuPervisorStation SquarePittsburgh, PA 15219.

Duquesne Heights InclineNew construction at the upper station ofthe Duquesne Heights Incline was expected

to be complete by Iate summer: the obser-

vation deck, an office wing beside the deck,

and two mansard-roofed turrets overlook-ing the tracks that recall those on the

station in its original two-storied form. The

war memorial, designed by the local archi-tect Harry Lævine, is still to be constructedin front of the station.

Schenley Park UP-dateResearch of the history and conditions ofSchenley Pa¡k continues as the Environ-mental Planning & Design study (begun in1986 and delayed for more detailed soils

analysis) nears completion, a vegetationinventory is in progress, and Landmarksproceeds with its NEA-sponsored investiga-

tion of Panther Hollow.The first volunteer work-day was held in

the park on June 13, organized by Volun-teers for Outdoor Allegheny (VOA).Approximately 30 volunteers participatedin this all-day event, planting 25 hemlocks,mountain laurel, and rhododendron in stra-

tegic sites in Panther Hollow, and cuttingthe wild grape that threatens to overcomePanther Hollow's trees. The City of Pitts-burgh Department of Parks and Recreation

assisted by providing a truck, driver, and

tools for the day. With the Western Penn-

sylvania Conservancy, co-sponsor of the

Centennial Restoration Project, Landmarksis investigating the potential for a volunteerwork program on a larger scale in Schenley

Park for the summer of 1988.

Landmarks greatly appreciates the recent

$1,000 gift from the Vesuvius Foundationfor the Schenley Park project' The gift willassist in matching the $20,000 grantreceived in 1986 from the National Endow-ment for the Arts. Nine thousand dollars isstill needed to match that grant'

The restoration of the Panther Hollowand Schenley Bridges by the City of Pitts-burgh is scheduled to begin in the spring of1988. Landmarks has provided advice inseveral aspects of the restoration, includingmethods of cleaning, color of the bridges'steel truss, and restoration ofthe PantherHollow Bridge's sandstone balustrade.

315 Oakland AvenueIn July, Landmarks was notified that thefuture of 315 Oakland Avenue was underdiscussion by its owner, Children's Hospi-tal. The house is a villa of c. 1860, in astylistic mixture of Gothic and Italianatetypical of the time. This is the last of the

large houses to survive from Oakland'searliest phase as an upper-class suburb - a

phase that began in the 1830s and placed

mansions and near-mansions, in amplegrounds, where the hospitals now stand. Ofthe later Oakland of row houses, doublehouses, and small detached houses, muchremains: but this villa is unique.

Landmarks promptly wrote a statementof significance for the use of the City'sHistoric Review Commission, in the hope

that a demolition permit, should Children'sHospital apply for one, might be delayedwhile a further use for the house, possiblyresidential, could be sought. The City isconducting an Oakland survey that mightlend at least moral support to preservation.

The Oakland Planning and DevelopmentCorporation is also interested in the house,

and may advocate saving it.

Awørds ol MerítCatl turl trwnes (471'5E0E) ìI vou woukllître to nomÍnate an IndÍvidual or orguúrl'tion lot ø aohtatement h presemøilottAwards wíll he møde on l'{ovember 17

Visible Progress in theI\eville Hoùse RestorationRestoration of the Neville House in CollierTownship has been an on-going process forover ten years. Since its acquisition byLandmarks i¡ 1976, the house has had itsporches repaired, all new electrical, heating,plumbing, smokg and burglar alarm sys-

iems installed, and a new roof installed, allunder the direction of the Neville HouseAuxiliary.

Most recently, the restoration has taken a

direction that is dramatically affecting the

appearance of the house. Thanks to thevòlunteer assistance of an Advisory Com-mittee, the living room, dining room, andhall have been restored to their originallSth-century condition. Scientific coloranalysis has revealed the original paintcolors, including a bright verdis gris (green)

for the dining room which was popularduring the last 15 years ofthe 18th century.

Period furnishings on loan from the Histor-ical Society of Western Pennsylvania ap-proximate those originally used in the

house. The Neville House Advisory Com-mittee is pleased to have on loan several

fine Western Pennsylvania pieces such as a

tall case clock, a slant front desk, and a

Hepplewhite bureau, as well as a number ofother good period pieces. All of the fabricsused are documents of authentic l8th-century fabrics, some of them from thecollection at Mount Vernon.

Recently, the Committee discovered 39

rolls of a discontinued reproduction wall-paper that exactly replicates one used in thehouse prior to 1800. The paper will be heldfor later use.

The next project to be addressed will be

the nursery, where a new crown moldingand a color-accurate paint job will recallthe room's l8th-century finishes. The nurs-ery will be used as a museum and archive

room, featuring lgth-century memorabilia,Neville Cowan, and Wrenshall family arti-facts, and geneaologY materials.

According to Anne Genter of the Com-mittee: "What is extraordinary about the

Neville House is the amount of lSth-century evidence that survives. Wdre reallyvery fortunate and therefore felt obliged torestore the hall, living room, dining room,and nursery to the original."

On the exterior, the Committee decided

to restore the house to its appearance at thetime the trellised porches and Gothic dorm-ers were added in the mid-l9th century' Apaint analysis revealed layer-uponJayer ofyellow paint with green and white trim. Thepaint job, which included much meticulouspreparation of the deteriorated wood sur-

faces, is now complete. Yet to be done are

the outbuildings.Of particular usefulness in the restora-

tion has been General John Nevillds inven-

tory for "Bower Hillj' the house which he

built as a successor to the Neville Houseand which was destroyed by fire during theWhiskey Rebellion of fi94. From clothes toclocks and saddles to silver, it lists all of theproperty that General Neville lost in thefire. Presumably the contents of "BowerHill" came from the earlier house, so theinventory is being used as a guide for fur-nishing it. The inventory has focused the

Committee s search for furniture and acces-

sories; most recently they have commis-sioned two Pennsylvania Windsor chairs

for the dining room based on the listing of"one and lz dozen winsor chairs."

The Committee is still looking for addi-tional items to round out the inventory and

fully furnish the house. Among the items

still needed are lSth-century black andwhite engravings, early maps (specificallyHowell's maps), and over two dozen chairs.

"Our goal for the Neville House is tomake it self-supporting," says Mrs. Genter'

"The plan is to rent it for meetings togroups interested in its ambience and sym-pathetic to its delicate condition. We wouldalso like to maintain the property as a

museum and develop a docent program tohost small groups with a particular interestin the house and the history it represents."

The Advisory Committee is well-equipped to achieve those goals. Its mem-bers represent a broad spectrum of exper-tise: Anne Genter, a trustee of Landmarksand Chairman of the Allegheny Committeeof the National Society of Colonial Dames

of America; Ellis Schmidlapp, President ofLandmarks Design Associates, Architects;Raymond Shepherd, Executive Director ofOld Economy Village; Richard C' Smith'an interior designer and artist; Harley andNancy Trice, representing the HistoricalSociety of Western Pennsylvania and seri-ous antique collectors; Kitty McKee, amember of the board of the Neville HouseAuxiliary; Dr. Ronald Carlislq Professor ofArchaeology at the University of Pitts-burgh; Phillip M. Johnston, Acting Direc-tor of The Carnegie Museum of Art; Betsy

Martin, President of the Neville HouseAuxiliary; and Michael Malley of East EndGalleries.

Friends of the Neville House had anopportunity to admire the progress of therestoration at the Second Annual AntiquesShow at the Neville House on Sunday' May31. The show raised nearly $4,000 for therestoration to augment the $14,000 raisedduring Landmarks' 1986 Fall AntiquesShow at Station Square and donated by the

Colonial Dames for restoration of the din-ing room. Additional funds are needed,

however, to move on to the next phase ofthe restoration. A portion of the proceeds

from Landmarks' 1987 Antiques Show thisNovember will benefit the house.

Depending upon the success of the fund-raising efforts, the restoration project couldtake five years. AII of which seems like a

relatively short time in the context of theNeville House's 200-year history.

Page 6 PI{LF News Fall 1987

Student ønd Teøcber Prolecrs

winners of local competitions.Each year junior and senior high-school

students research and prepare historicalpapers, table-top exhibits, live perfor-mances, and media presentations related toan annual theme. This year's themg"Liberty: Rights and Responsibilities inHistory," encouraged students to exploreConstitutional history as related to otherissues. Heather's presentation raised theissue of a citizen's responsibility to preservearchitectural treasures from the past. Shemade the point that future generations havethe right to their heritage. Heatherresearched state and national preservationlaw and interviewed preservation specialistsas part of her effort.

If hers was simply a History Day project,Heather's work would be over. But until anappropriate future for the ThompsonvilleSchool is assured, she will continue apply-ing her considerable enthusiasm anddedication to S.O.S. Heather is setting anexcellent'example for other students tofollow.

Education l\lewsPortøble HistoryThanks to a grant lrom the Henry C. FrickEducot ionol Commission, Land marks isnow able to make Pittsburgh history port-able! This fall, our staff will be creatingPittsburgh octivity kits, containing oldphotographs, artifacts, maps, city director-ies . . . hands-on materials that make pitts-burgh's hßtory tangible. We will then traindocents to take this kit on the roød, vßitingschools and community groups throughoutAllegheny County. Portable Pittsburgh w¿l/be ready for schools and groups in the failof 1988. If you wish to learn more aboutbeing a docent, call Susan Donley(47t-s808).

Fall ProgramsThisfall, Inndmarks will be offering a spe-cial workshop for junior high students atthe Carnegie Museum of Nøtural History.The course will be offered in conjunctionwith The Carnegie's Pittsburgh: Pieces ofthe Past exhibit, based on archaeologistVerna Cowin's recent excavations down-town. Students taking the course on Satur-day mornings, October 3 through 24, willlearn how to piece together clues fromprimøry sources to reconstruct the past likea puzzle, ønd will take walking tours of theGolden Triangle and Oakland to put theirnew detective skills to work. Call TheCornegie (622-3283) to regßter.

Other educational progrøms to beoffered this fall by l-andmørks include:. Exploring Your City, a teacher inseryice,October 6 through 27, from 4:45 to 8:30p.m. Cøll the Allegheny Intermediate Unit(394-5764 b registen

. Architecture Apprenticeship for high-school students. Coll the Gifted and Tal-ented Program of Allegheny IntermediateUnit (371-8484) to register.

Tlaveling ExhibitsAfter two years of extensive traveling,Inndmarks' educationøl exhibits øre stillvery much in demand. Architecture: TheBuilding Art, is scheduled now throughFebruary of 1988. Starting in late August,the exhibit will begin traveling to thefollowing schools for one-month visits:Centennial School, George WashingtonSchool, Poff Elementary, and Penn HillsSchool. The exhibit will be available againin February.

Landmark Survivors made its debut atPPG Place in August, beþre traveling toLaRoche Collegefor the month of Septem-ber. In October, the exhibit will be featuredøt the 1987 Artist Showcase for Education,to be held at Bidwell Training Center, onthe North S¡de. Landmark Survivors w¡l/ öeavailable again in Novemben Call Møry LuDenny, (412) 471-5808, for complete rentalinfo r mation regarding either exhibit.

Showcase for EducationSusan Donley, Director of Education, wiltbe a featured speaker at the PittsburghFund for Arts Education's firsl ArtistShowcase for Education, scheduled forOctober 9 through Il. Sue will be leading aworkshop on "Reading a Photograph,"demonstrating how art skills such øs obser-vation and visual thinking can be used inhistory classes and other disciplines.

TIvo New CurriculumsSusan Donley, director ofeducation, haswritten, designed, and illustrated two newcurriculums: /åe Pittsburgh Heritage Sup-plement (82.5 0) and Exploring Architecture(85.25). Members can purchase copies ofthe curriculums by calling Shirley Kemmler(47 I-5 808). Zåe Pittsburgh HeritageSupplement contains worksheets, exercises,and art activities, including directions foran architecture scavenger hunt, makinggargoyle masks, hometown T-shirts, andmainstreet murals. The worksheets andexercises rn Exploring Architecture provideinformation on space, structure, styles,land use patterns, and site planning. Bothcurriculums are excellent aids for teachersor parents wanting to explore the localenvironment with kids.

by T,me.cki.7

After conducting interuiews and browsinp t/troupl¡old school pictares, two tbird-graders drlu iltesãdiøgrams of how stadenx of Memorial Scbooldressed in the þørt. Students worâed uith saclt'ent/¡usiøsm t/¡øt tltey were encoarøged to spellpbonetically rather tbøn brea{ túelr tøin òftboagltt Corrections øoald be made løter-

Save Our School: A Student's Ambition

Ripples "from llands- On lfisto ryLøst yeør's lfønds-On History workshop continues to inspiregreøt work from øreø students. Many cløsses ønd indìviduals be-came so ínvolved with their projects thst they continued workingall year long, well past the deødlíne for pørticipøtíng ín theHqnds-On History Educøtion Faír in December 1986. Here is anupdote on some ol the worthwhile projects that have beenbrought to our øttention:

Memoriøl SchoolA letter from Nancy Dudley, third-gradeteacher at Memorial School, Bethel Park:

"I decided to save the project for the endof the year when a change of pace would beneeded. Since we are still in school (untilJuly l) in this unbearable heat, the projecthas been a life-saver.

"One of our first steps in uncovering ourschool's history was to list possible candi-dates for interviews. The kids felt sure oftheir abilities to interview because I hadtaken them through interviews of eachother and then of family members. It all felltogether beautifully! They trotted off withtheir pencils and clipboards with the con-fidence of a Mike Wallace or BarbaraWalters.

"Fortunately, we were able to come upwith family members, some quite extended,who were availablg along with present staffin the building who had experience andwere knowledgeable of the school's past. Itis difficult, though, to arrange permissionand transportation for a few students at atime to leave for out-of-school interviews.However, some were able to come to theschool and some were able to be taped.

"While all our collecting was going on itwas fun to watch the adults getting caughtup in the project. The principal wouldsometimes appear, trailing dust and cob-webs, with things out of forgotten trunks inthe boiler room (which was a favorite 'fieldtrip'). Since the display has been up, everyday someone will stop by - the night jani-tor, a cafeteria lady - with remembrancesand vows to go home and dig up 'stuff.'

"Some interesting sidelights developed. Agirl in class discovered that her aunt, who isa present member of the School Board, is adirect descendant of an original schooldirector from when the township wasfounded in 1886, and that her aunt's grand-father was president of the Board when ourschool was built in 1948!

"But, of coursg the biggest kick of allhas been the enthusiasm ofthe kids. Eachin their own way could now expound uponthe history of Memorial School - after all,they are now 'historians.'

'.As you may guess, the teacher hasenjoyed the project thoroughly. I'm full ofideas - things to add - how to do somethings differently - and am wonderingwhat to do for next year's project.

"Thank you so much for your inspiration."

Ç ting<

tsY

Heather Morgan, a Peters Township HighSchool sophomorq participated in Land-marks' Architecture Apprenticeship thisyear with an ambitious goal in mind: shewanted to save a school. When the oneroom Thompsonville Schoolhouse in PetersTownship went up for sale recently,Heather became concerned that the 1905landmark might be altered insensitively.She went to the Borough Council for helpand proposed to restore the building to itsoriginal state to serve as a communitycenter and a resource for teaching abouteducation at the turn of the century. TheCouncil has offered to help Heather raisefunds for her cause.

Heather's project has gained nationalattention through her prize-winning entryin the eighth annual National History Daycompetition at Washington D.C. Her slide-tape presentation chronicling her efforts toreclaim the school was entitled "S.O.S. SaveOur School." The presentation placed thirdin a competition with 1800 national final-ists, selected from state-wide competitionswhose participants are in turn chosen from

Woolsløir ElementøryFifth-grade students at Woolslair Elemen-tary Gifted Center in Lawrenceville pub-lished a literary magazine as a result oftheir local history research. Their teacher,Dee Weaver, chose the theme of communityhistory to provide a meaningful gôal for theresearch and writing skills she teaches. Deeteaches that writing is a process, not just afinished product. Four steps are involved inthis process,:

l. Draft (writing down what is known inprose format)

2. Revise (for form and content; at thispoint prose may change to poetry)

3. Edit (correct punctuation and spelling)4. Publish.

Throughout the year, students collectedschool photographs and history, inter-viewed senior citizens at Canterbury Place,explored the Arsenal and the AlleghenyCemetery. And they wrotg revised, edited,photographed, and drew. At the end of theyear, student editors compiled writtenpieces and illustrations into a beautifulmagazine that impressed Geyer PrintingCompany so much that Geyer printed it forthe school. The following excerpt is fromthe printed booklet :

"On Christmas Eve, my brother Joe wasborn. Back in those days, babies were bornat home. My dad went down to the winecellar and brought up a barrel of wine hemade for the blessed event. He tapped it,and then set it up on a wooden ice box. Hethen cooked homemade sausage in largefrying pans. Then, we went to ChristmasEve Mass. When we got back to our housgwe sang Christmas carols in ltalian. I sangalong with them, because I knew all thesongs my dad taught me. When we rethrough visiting our relatives' homes, wewent to our friends homes to get treats. Itwas the custom of the Italians."

Ben Gherman wrote the followingdescription of his tour to AlleghenyCemetery:

"On a snowy and cold November 13,1986, we explored the Atlegheny Cemetery.Our guide said that there were 167,000people buried there. I truly thought thecemetery was immense. Touring the ceme-tery, I could not believe that it took only anhour and thirty minutes. But we still gotmany rubbings, epitaphs, and black-and-white photographs.

Exploring the Allegheny Cemetery ourlittle guide sheet said to look for the earliestgrave and most recent grave. It also askedus to look for angels, hearts, and othersymbols.

There were many mausoleums, towersshaped like the Washington Monument,and thousands and thousands of graves.That is why I liked touring the AlleghenyCemetery."

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Fall 1987 PHLF News Page7

Explore P¡ttsburgh by takíng a

City SüariDo you yearn to adventure to

far-off places, to spy wìld crea-tures lurkíng overhead, seørch

for sígns of lost cívílizatíons, orcross a quíveríng brídge sus-pended hígh above the wøter?Forty grown-ups ønd chíldren ofvaríous sizes did just thøt onJune 6 wíthout leavíng Down-town Pittsburgh. They partícì-pated ín Løndmørks'fírst famílyoutíng, the Cìty Safarí. Led bySusan Donley, Director of Edu-cation, the explorers fearlessþlooked for hígh ødventure in thesteel and stone of our cìtY.

The ìntrepíd group begøn the søfarí by hikìng over the SmithfìeldStreet Brídgq whìch quivered underþot, searchìng for gørgoyles. Par'tìcípønts compíled ø list of gørgoyles staríng down from buildíngs onthe bridgg SmíthfìeW Street, and Fourth Avenue; they desígned gar-goyles of theír own; investígated clues to Píttsburgh's eørlìest settlersat the Thíníty Cøthedral buríal ground; and, made rubbíngs of thegravestones to bríng the evídence back home.

Actívítíes for the Cíty Saførí were based on møterìals recently de-v elop ed for Løndmarks "'Pìttsburgh H eritage Supplement. " Lønd-mørks plans to offer more famíly programs ìn the future sínce thìsevent was such ø success. Just ín cøse you and your famíly míssed outon the fune 6 Søfari" we høve reprìnted some activítíes below. TIythese out wíth your famíly when next wølking Píttsburgh's streets!

Return your gargoyle drawing to Susan Donley at landmarks and we will reprint it in o

future newsletter!

List all the gargoyles you find lurking on city streets:

What did you find

Now draw your favorite gargoyle from this expedition in the space

below . . . or invent one of your olvn.Spend æme quiet time uptoring theTrinity graveyard betwæn TrinityEpi*opal Cathednl and FintPrub¡'terian Church on Sixtl¡ Ave¡wDomt¡m This little patch of grouadis a¡l thqt ir left, of ¡ muh lar¡eremetery that had its begimings s eIndian buial mouò I¡t¿r it wswed u a emoÞry for mldien sewingst Fort DuqMns and Fort Pitt andlater gtill for Pittsburgh'e fwt citiæuMæt of the grave wcre Boved toAl¡eghcny Cemetery tìmugh tùeyean to maLe way for ¡ growing city,but tho tiny gnvoyard romsiru toremind u of the fìmt brave sttlcË ofPittsburgh, tho pio@r outpost

During your vielt flnd...

...the pemn who öed at tho oLlst ags

ulþwttni'E

-¿n¿.lid¡i -

Make a "rubbing'ofyour f¡@dt ¡nYG¡toû.. Atl¡cb ¡ pi*. of hing p¡D.r to th.¡to¡a wilh E¡¡Lia8 t¡0.. Rub ovc¡ th¡ bp oftho paper with thr rid. of ¡ efl q¡yoL Trh.cðyon will Dic¡ up t¡r ta¡tut a. .@.t¡Dúbsli¡t diltrolt cdín8. ü¡i.! to n¡d.

Page 8 PI{LF News Fall 1987

itrl'T'

. r, ":i,,:r''.,.| ' :.ll:l i;rd.'}íij

The Works of Frederick G. Scheíbler, Jnbuilder's houses with restricted budgets,and the consequent discipline combinedwith his own growing independence madehim a more original Modernist than hereto-fore. After l9l5 his clientele changed again;now he tended to design freestandinghouses, and his designs tended to be moreconventionally suburban: seldom withoutpersonal touches, but more concerned inthe 1920-period manner with roof composition and rustic wall materials than with artglass, bold fenestration, and small butstriking details as he had been before 1915.After 1930, he took anything he could get,and only a house of 1937 in Monongahelashowed what his last decade of practicemight have been like under better condi-tions as Modernism as a whole gainedrespectability in America.

rWe found that he was neither a restlessly-creative architect nor an infallible one. Thedesign of Vilsack Row, which we recom-mended for the Register, was re-used else-where. There is quite a bit of Meado'cots, ina different face brick, at Hamilton Cot-tages. One row-house design of 1910 is usedin four different developments. Even aprivate house of l9l5 has all the appear-ances of being executed from a design madeand never used, say, around 1907. We have,then, a pragmatist ready to accommodate athrifty client with a stock design as well asan artistic creator. He had his slackmoments, too, and his technical failings.There are one or two houses that seem posi-tively banal, a few roofs that do notlookwatertight, and a couple of fenestrationschemes that make for visual artistry butwere probably not appreciated by thoseinhabiting the rooms behind. At least onemodern owner, loving Scheibler neverthe-less, complains that his joinery tends tofall apart.

So we have a man whose ouevre, seenobjectively, goes along with his own non-interest in self-advertisement to keep himfrom becoming the basis of a heroic legend.

Regardless of which, there is nothingquite like him in this area. You have to fallin love with his tastes, much of the time.You have to like his art glass, and like wherehe puts it. If he sets a dinosaur in tile inlayover your fireplace, there it is. Ifyour idealof living space is a suite of neutral boxesand fate lands you in a Scheibler residencgyour choice is surrender or vandalism. He isapt to make his presence felt, if only in thepaneling of the doors. But the surrendermay not be an oppressive one at that: histouch is almost always delicate, intelligent,if sometimes a little pixyish. You are livingin something out of the ordinary, and youmay be rewarded by studying it and makingits acquaintance.

In bot/t suroeys ue bød tbe rnøndøte toinoestþøte our sabjects in suclt dctøil østlte l|-montb period øllowed, ønd it wøsø ltøþfu experience doing so, Wbile uedid not exltøast tltese sabjects by ønym!ø!q ue did compile øn excellent fileof p b o togrup lts, ltis toicøl /ørcltitectarølinformøtion, ønd døtø tbøt will øidfa-ture reseørcbers. Any mernbers interestedin tøåing ø closer looþ at oar findingsrnøy cøll Wøher Kidney (471- |.SÌB).-

Inu estigøting Two Fønziliør S u bJe cts

Surveys of Scheibler and Steel Industry Now CompledTbh!"n Eørllømes ønd vølter Kidney of l^øndrnørhs cornpleted two surùejsfunded tbroagb møtcbing grønts from iltà Pennsylaøniø Hiitoricøl ønd Musíamcommission. Tbe sarae_ys were titled "Tbe lyorhs of Fredericï G. Sclteibler, Jr.',ønd "Tbe steel sites of soatltuestern Pennsylmniø." In botlt sun,els, Iyølíeiø( Eørl bød tbe prioile_ge ofl-gohing into øføøiliør subject more ãeeply tltøn isgircn to most þeoþle. Tbe following ørticle by lyølter Kidncy describeitltesaroe! exþe,rience ønd sammørizes tbe findings.

The Steel Survey had us on the road muchof the time: two, sometimes three, non-experts looking at plants in a five-countyarea, deciding what to photograph, soliciting works plans and company histories.Sometimes getting insidg more oftengetting only as far as a guard by the gate.Then back to the officg and a hunt for oldphotographs, lithographs, engravings, asearch through old plat books and Sanborninsurance atlases for plans of a half-centuryor more ago. We had to work quickly, usewhatever was ready at hand, confine ourattention to plants that were still operativeat the end of World War II, and at that wehad 32 plants to document.

One discovery we made was that, in alarge plant at least, an ideal plan was likelyto become impossible early in the plant'shistory, if not be so from the very start.Once coke rather than charcoal became theblast-furnace fuel of choice in South-western Pennsylvania, the furnace movedout of the woods and down by the rivers aspart of an integrated operation - ore intoone end, I-beams and so on out the other.Such large complexes had to be fitted intoareas of river plain - iron- and steel-making is a thirsty affair - with railroadsand towns taking up part of such space aswas available. The organs of the plantmight be disarranged already by such cor-setting. Add to this increased customerdemand for extant products and customerdemand for new products; add to this newtechnologies such as those of by-productcoke ovens, seamless-tube making, andbasic oxygen furnaces, and you got a spec-tacle of new sheds inserted wherever theywould fit while leaving space for the raillines that had to go everywhere. Theremight also be a certain lack of coordinationfrom the beginning. On the one hand,Carnegie's Edgar Thomson Works openedin 1875 as a new installation on ample land,presumably with an ideal works plan. Onthe other hand, J&Ls Pittsburgh Workswas a combination of three geographicallyseparate companies: the American IronWorks on the South Side (itself a combina-tion of two plants that had acted in coor-dination) and the Eliza Furnaces and theSoho Furnace on the north shore of theMonongahela. Much the same at Home-stead: two original, interacting plants inHomestead and Munhall, and the CarrieFurnaces across the river in Rankin. AtJ&L, pig iron had to be ferried across theriver for some 30 years until a bridge wasbuilt.

A steel plant, then, was apt to be amixture of elements, some in the manifestlywrong but expedient places, with manage-ment weighing the costs of demolition and

reconstruction against the possible profits.A steel company faced the same problemthat the military does: today's state-of-the-art equipment is tomorrow's obsoleteequipment, and the more you buy today,the more you are stuck with tomorrow. Oneplant engineer told us that today, by thetime new equipment is installed, it isobsolete. The tendency, then, was to holdon to what you had. At the J&L AliquippaWorks the old, air-fouling beehive cokeovens were still at work in 1948, at theopposite end of the Works from the newerby-product ovens that spared the atmos-phere somewhat and recovered saleablechemicals: a mixture caused no doubt byeconomics and considerations of space. AtAliquippa, too, Bessemer converters werestill firing up the sky until 1968, longafter they were commonly assumed to havegone out ofexistence; in the latter daysthere was a process called duplexing, inwhich steel was begun in Bessemers, thenfinished in open-hearth furnaces. Nowneither is in use.

The attitude we sensed in the people wetalked with was revealing too. These weremostly middle and lower management, tobe surg beneficiaries of labor-savingdevices and safety campaigns, and some ofthem of unionization; still, we had no scentof the hellish quality in the work environ-ment that we might have expected, nooppressive feeling of disaster in ambush.These people were matter-of-fact, butseemed quietly fond and proud of theirplants. They admitted that accidents hap-pened, and we could see how they might:they spoke of spills of molten steel fromelectric furnaces, with water mains not farbelow the floor that the steel might reachand explode. But the main feeling was oforder and routine, imposed on places andobjects of colossal size. We remember oneplant where workmen, wearing no safetyclothing but heavy gloves, were casuallyfeeding red-hot metal into and pulling itfrom roll stands, dragging it around thefloor with tongs as it was reduced from athree-foot billet to a 20-foot rod-

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An ørtist\ rendering ofJeL's Pitxbørgh ll/orhs, C. 1876.èêa

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Steel Sítes of Southwestern Pennsylvaniø

The Scheibler Survey was conducted with athematic nomination for the National Reg-ister of Historic Places in mind, the themebeing "The Works of a Master" and themaster himself being Frederick GustavusScheibleç Jr. We documented some hun-dred Scheibler buildings, omitting threeoutside Pennsylvania but documenting onein the Philadelphia-area town of Wynne-wood; took some 400 photographs; andcommented on the present state andNational Register eligibility of each build-ing. Two Scheibler works, Old Heidelbergand Highland Towers, are already on theRegister, and we recommended 32 others.

The Survey will assist Scheibler research;give moral support to official and popularacts to preserve Scheibler buildings; andprovide a basis for National Registernomination. In the latter connection, weunderstand that the State's Bureau ofHistoric Preservation will make actualnominations next year.

Scheibler has a quiet, persistent reputa-tion. He never did a real glamour job; hispractice was very largely domestic, andincluded nothing that could quite be calleda mansion. His work centered on the EastEnd, and outside Pittsburgh hardly anyonehas ever heard of him. He wrote no booksor polemics, gave no lectures that we knowoi and got very little publicity. He seems tohave been content with obscurity. Yet localarchitects have a respectful awareness of hiswork, an occasional family is proud to livein a Scheibler building, and many, to judgefrom talks with residents, enjoy the ampli-tude of his floor plans and the spirit of hisdetailing and ornamentation.

Giving objectivity and factual detail tohis career was bound to dispel a few illu-sions as well as enrich the meager prevailingstate of Scheiblerian knowledge. We foundthat his career can be divided, rather neatly,into five phases, which we arbitrarilylabeled First, Early Modern, MatureModern, Picturesque, and Final. From thestart of his independent practice in the late1890s through 1904, his designs had nodistinction whatsoever. In 1905, with OldHeidelberg, he suddenly became a Modern-ist, under manifest influence from Seces-sion Austria, Jugendstil Germany, andvarious progressive trends in Great Britain.Between l9l0 and 1915 he found his ownexpression, with not much debt to others;by this timg with the notable exceptions ofHighland Towers and the Hellmuth housein Swissvale, he was designing speculative