Washington County History & Landmarks Foundation

Last updated
Washington County History & Landmarks Foundation
Formation1973 [1]
TypeNon-profit [1]
PurposeEncourage the preservation of buildings, landmarks and structures in Washington County, Pennsylvania [1]
Location
Region served
Washington County, Pennsylvania

Washington County History & Landmarks Foundation is a non-profit educational institution in Washington, Pennsylvania, United States. Its purpose is to encourage and assist the preservation of historic structures in Washington County, Pennsylvania. [1] The foundation operates its own landmark certification process, as well as working with the National Park Service to document and place landmarks on the National Register of Historic Places. [1] It also offers advice and assistance for historic building owners who wish to preserve their facilities. [1] Since its inception, the foundation has been successful in helping many historic building owners in the preservation of their structures. [1]

Contents

For a number of years, the foundation has been in conflict with Washington & Jefferson College. In 1968, the college's campus master plan called for the expansion of the campus eastward towards Wade Avenue in East Washington Borough, a plan that placed them in conflict with the residents of that area. [2] For the next 30 years, the college maintained a policy of purchasing any homes in that area as they became available. [3] In response, the Washington County History and Landmarks Foundation was able to get the East Washington Historic District, a collection of 120 Victorian homes in that area, added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1984. [4] The college opposed the designation but did not object in time to prevent it. [5] According to College President Howard J. Burnett, the district "was structured to prevent expansion of the college." [5]

In the 1990s, the hard feelings between some residents and the college came to a head, with residents trying to have the Borough enact anti-demolition laws to block expansion and a meeting of the Washington County History and Landmarks Foundation deteriorated into a shouting match between residents and college officials. [2] Burnett maintained that the expansion was beneficial to the community and that the opposition came from a small and non-representative group on Wade Avenue. [6] He also questioned the historic value of many of the designated homes, pointing out that many of them were in very poor shape and others were vacant. [6] As of 1995, the college owned about 30 properties listed in the historic district. [4] In the end, efforts to block the demolition of these buildings, including several which were part of the historic district, were unsuccessful. [6] [7] Notably, one 140-year-old farm house at 137 South Wade Street, which the college had acquired in 1977 after being vacant for several years, was moved to a new location outside of town. [4]

In 2009, the foundation sponsored an architectural survey of buildings in the African American areas of Washington. [8]

Bridges

Landmark nameImageArchitect/builder/
engineer/decorator
AddressLocationStatus
Bailey Covered Bridge Bailey Covered Bridge.jpg Spans Ten Mile Creek Amity Destroyed by fire in 1994; reconstructed
Scott Brownlee Covered Bridge Scott Brownlee Covered Bridge site.jpg TR 414 over Templeton Fork of Wheeling Creek East Finley Township
Brownsville Bridge Oldbrownsville.jpg LR 268 Over Monongahela River, between West Brownsville in Washington County and Brownsville in Fayette County West Brownsville
Charleroi-Monessen Bridge Charleroi-Monessen Bridge.jpg LR 247 over Monongahela River, between Charleroi in Washington County and Monessen in Westmoreland County Charleroi
Crawford Covered Bridge CRAWFORD COVERED BRIDGE.jpg TR 307, spanning Robinson Fork of Wheeling Creek West Finley Township
Danley Covered Bridge DANLEY COVERED BRIDGE.jpg On TR 379, spanning Robinson Fork of Wheeling Creek West Finley Township
Horn Davis Overholtzer Bridge HORN DAVIS OVERHOLTZER BRIDGE.jpg TR 838 over Ten Mile Creek West Bethlehem Township Collapsed on March 20, 1994
Day Covered Bridge Queens P2100020 Day Bridge off Prosperity Pike (SR 18) PA.jpg On TR 339 over Short Creek, Prosperity Morris Township
Ebenezer Covered Bridge EBENEZER COVERED BRIDGE.jpg In Mingo Creek Park, spanning Mingo Creek Nottingham Township
Erskine Covered Bridge ERSKINE COVERED BRIDGE.jpg TR 314 over Middle Wheeling Creek West Finley Township
Henry Covered Bridge HENRY COVERED BRIDGE.jpg Spans Mingo Creek in Mingo Creek County Park Nottingham Township
Jackson's Mill Covered Bridge Jackson's Mill Covered Bridge, eastern portal and southern side.jpg Northwest of Burgettstown on TR 853 crossing King's Creek Hanover Township
Krepps Covered Bridge KREPPS COVERED BRIDGE.jpg Southeast of Cherry Valley on TR 799 over Raccoon Creek Mount Pleasant Township
Letherman Covered Bridge LEATHERMAN COVERED BRIDGE.jpg On TR 449 spanning the South Branch of Pigeon Creek North Bethlehem Township
Longdon L. Miller Covered Bridge Longdon Covered Bridge.jpg TR 414 over Templeton Fork of Wheeling Creek West Finley Township
Lyle Covered Bridge LyleCoveredBridge.jpg North of Raccoon on TR 861 crossing Raccoon Creek Hanover Township
Martin's Mill Covered Bridge MARTIN'S MILL COVERED BRIDGE.jpg West of Marianna, crossing Ten Mile Creek West Bethlehem Township Disappeared
Blaney Mays Covered Bridge BLANEY MAYS COVERED BRIDGE.jpg TR 423, spanning Middle Wheeling Creek Donegal Township
Devil's Den, McClurg Covered Bridge DevilsDenMcClurgCoveredBridge.jpg Hanover Park Hanover Township
Pine Bank Covered Bridge PINE BANK COVERED BRIDGE.jpg Near SR 4018 at Meadowcroft Village, Avella Cross Creek Township
Plant's Covered Bridge Plant's Covered Bridge.jpg TR 408 over Templeton Fork of Wheeling Creek East Finley Township
Ralston Freeman Covered Bridge RalstonFreemanCoveredBridge.jpg on private property, TR 352 over Aunt Clara's Fork of Kings Creek Hanover Township
Claysville S Bridge Claysville S Bridge, eastern end.jpg 6 miles west of Washington on Old National Road (US 40), over Buffalo Creek Buffalo Township
Sawhill Covered Bridge Sawhill Covered Bridge.jpg TR 426 over Buffalo Creek, SR 221 Taylorstown Blaine Township
Sprowl's Covered Bridge Sprowl's Covered Bridge.jpg TR 450 over Rocky Run West Finley Township
Webster-Donora Bridge Webster-Donora Bridge.jpg SR 143 over the Monongahela River Donora
Wilson's Mill Covered Bridge WILSON'S MILL COVERED BRIDGE.jpg Cross Creek County Park Cross Creek Township
Cerl Wright Covered Bridge CERL WRIGHT COVERED BRIDGE.jpg TR 802 over the North Branch of Pigeon Creek Somerset Township
Wyit Sprowls Covered Bridge Wyit Sprowls Covered Bridge, western side.jpg TR 360 over Robinson Fork of Wheeling Creek West Finley Township

Historic districts

District nameImageLocationMunicipality
Beallsville Historic District Beallsville School Building.jpg National Road, from Oak Alley to West Alley and Sunset Drive to Sargent Alley Beallsville Borough
Cement City Historic District Cement City Historic District.jpg Chestnut and Walnut Streets from Modisette to Bertha Avenue and along Ida and Bertha Streets Donora Borough
Centerville Historic District Centerville Historic District.jpg Old National Pike spur, roughly from Linton Road to the junction of US 40 and PA 481 Centerville
East Washington Historic District EastWashingtonHistoricDistrict.jpg Intersected by Beau Street and Wade Avenue, includes North Avenue, Wheeling and Chestnut Streets East Washington, Pennsylvania
Marianna Historic District Marianna Historic District (PA) Beeson St near 71.jpg Roughly bounded by Ten Mile Creek, Beeson Avenue Hill, 6th and 7th Streets Marianna, Pennsylvania
Scenery Hill Historic District Scenery Hill Historic District.jpg National Road East (US 40), between Scenery Hill Cemetery and Kinder Road North Bethlehem Township
Taylorstown Historic District Taylorstown Historic District (Taylorstown, Pennsylvania) 26 Main St.jpg Main Street, Taylorstown Blaine Township
West Alexander Historic District West Alexander Historic District Christian Church Front Side and Rear.jpg Main Street, North Liberty to Mechanic Streets West Alexander
West Middletown Historic District West Middletown 56 and 60 E Main.jpg Main Street (Route 844) running east–west West Middleton

Public landmarks

Landmark nameImageLocationMunicipalityStatus
McMillan Hall McMillan Hall western front.jpg Campus of Washington and Jefferson College Washington
Bethel African American Episcopal Church of Monongahela City Bethel AME in Monongahela.jpg 7th and West Main Streets Monongahela
David Bradford House DavidBradfordHouse.jpg 175 South Main Street Washington
Canonsburg Armory CanonsburgArmory.jpg West College Street and North Central Avenue Canonsburg
Hawthorne School FormerSiteofHawthorneSchool.jpg Hawthorne and Bluff Streets Canonsburg
Hill's Tavern Hills Tavern.jpg US 40, Scenery Hill North Bethlehem Township
LeMoyne Crematory LeMoyneCrematory.jpg South Main Street at Hillsview Sanitarium North Franklin Township
F. Julius LeMoyne House LeMoyne House.jpg 49 East Maiden Street Washington
Meadowcroft Rock Shelter MeadowcroftRockshelter.jpg 401 Meadowcroft Road, west of Avella Cross Creek Township
Mingo Creek Presbyterian Church and Churchyard Mingo Creek Presbyterian Church.jpg Junction of SR 88 and Mingo Church Road Union Township
Old Main, California State College CalOldMain.JPG Campus of California University of Pennsylvania California
Pennsylvania Railroad Freight Station PennsylvaniaRailroadFreightStation.jpg 111 Washington Street Washington
Pennsylvania Railroad Passenger Station Calpubliclib.jpg Water and Wood Streets California
Trinity Hall Trinity High School (Washington, Pennsylvania).jpg On SR 18,1 mile south of Washington Washington
United States Post Office-Charleroi Charleroi former post office.jpg 638 Fallowfield Avenue Charleroi
Washington Armory WashingtonArmoryPA.jpg 76 West Maiden Street Washington
Washington County Courthouse WashingtonCountyCourthouse.JPG South Main Street between Beau Street and Cherry Street Washington
Washington County Jail WashingtonCountyJailPAFront.jpg Cherry Street, west of courthouse Washington

Residential landmarks and farmsteads

Property nameImageLocationMunicipality
Edward G. Acheson House Edward G. Acheson House.jpg 908 Main Street, Monongahela Monongahela
Samuel Brownlee House Samuel T Brownlee House left.jpg SR 519 in village of Wylandville South Strabane Township
Caldwell Tavern Caldwell Tavern.jpg Junction of US 40 and TR 474 east of Claysville Buffalo Township
Dager-Wonsettler Farmstead Dager-Wonsettler Farmstead.jpg On Old National Road (now SR 40) near Glyde Amwell Township
Margaret Derrow House Margaret Derrow House.jpg West Main Street, Claysville Donegal Township
Doak-Little House Doak-Little House.jpg US 40 South Strabane Township
Joseph Dorsey House Joseph Dorsey House.jpg 113 Cherry Avenue, Denbeau Heights (Denbo Heights) Centerville
Dusmal House Dusmal House.jpg East of Gastonville off Gilmore Road Union Township
Molly Fleming House Molly Fleming House.jpg 616 Wood Street California
Philip Friend House Philip Friend House barn.jpg 105 Little Daniels Run Road North Bethlehem Township
Harrison House Harrison House (Centerville, Pennsylvania) Lot.jpg Old National Pike, US 40, one mile east of Centerville Centerville
Huffman Distillery and Chopping Mill Huffman Distillery and Chopping Mill.jpg LR 62155, 2 miles North of Junction with PA 917 Somerset Township
Jennings-Gallagher House Jennings-Gallagher House front.jpg Wood Street, California California
Kinder's Mill Kinder's Mill north side.jpg LR 62194 at Piper Road, Deemston Deemston
Moses Little Tavern Moses Little Tavern-0690.jpg National Pike (US 40), 3/4 miles east of I-79 interchange Amwell Township
David Longwell House David Longwell House.jpg West Main Street, Monongahela City Monongahela
Malden Inn Malden Inn.jpg Off US 40 East, on Malden Place, spur of Old National Road Centerville
Isaac Manchester House Isaac Manchester House and Surroundings.jpg 2 miles south of Avella on SR 231 Independence Township
Martin Farmstead Martin Farmstead.jpg SR 136, 2 miles west of Eighty Four South Strabane Township
Dr. Joseph Maurer House Dr.JosephMaurerHouse.jpg 97 West Wheeling Street Washington
Montgomery House Montgomery House in Claysville.jpg West Main Street, Claysville Donegal Township
Thomas Munce House Thomas Munce House.jpg SR 136, 3 miles east of Washington South Strabane Township
John H. Nelson House John H. Nelson House front.jpg 104 Colvin Road Fallowfield Township
Robert Parkinson Farm Robert Parkinson Farm House.jpg SR 18, .4 miles north of Old Concord Village Morris Township
Regester Log House Regester Log House Front.jpg Deemston
Ringland Tavern Ringland Tavern.jpg On US 40 (Old National Road), Scenery Hill North Bethlehem Township
Roberts House RobertsHouseCanonsburgPA.jpg 225 North Central Avenue Canonsburg
Frank L. Ross Farm Frank L Ross Farm - Barn.jpg SR 519, .3 miles north of US 40 North Bethlehem Township
Sackville House Sackville House NRHP.jpg 309 East Wheeling Street Washington
Stephenson-Campbell House Stephenson-Campbell House log east and south.jpg On Tomahawk Claim Lane, off Reissing Road Cecil Township
James Thome Farm James Thome Farmhouse.jpg 213 Linnwood Road North Strabane Township
Ulery Mill Ulery Mill.jpg LR 62078, in Zollarsville West Bethlehem Township
Welsh-Emery House Welsh-Emery House.jpg 114 Emery Road, a spur of the Old National Road Centerville
John White House John White House.jpg 2151 North Main Street Ext. Chartiers Township
Levi Wilson Tavern Levi Wilson Tavern.jpg On National Road (US 40), 1.5 miles east of S-Bridge Buffalo Township

See also

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References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "Washington County History & Landmarks Foundation". Washington County History & Landmarks Foundation. 2008.
  2. 1 2 Templeton, David (August 14, 1994). "Group Seeks Anti-Demolition Law". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette .
  3. Taylor, Davison; Patti Murphy (March 31, 1991). "W&J's Building Plans Putting Residents on Guard". The Pittsburgh Press .
  4. 1 2 3 Fitch, Antoinnette (July 2, 1995). "Old House Starts Move Across Town/Study Washington Home from 1850s Disassembled and Braced for Its Move to New Site". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette .
  5. 1 2 Templeton, David (1994-07-24). "W&J President Answers Critics of Expansion". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette .
  6. 1 2 3 Robertson, Bob (August 21, 1994). "E. Washington Demolition Delayed". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette .
  7. Robertson, Bob (July 3, 1994). "Council Reconsiders W&J Demolition Permit". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette . p. W2.
  8. "The Black Experience". Observer-Reporter . Nov 15, 2009.