Life and Architecture in Pittsburgh

Life and Architecture in PittsburghJames D. Van Trump
Dedicated to the City and the People
Since Pittsburgh has always been my chief interest, anything which has been part of it may be considered worthy of being chronicled.
-James D. Van Trump
---- ~ --~~led.~\~
450 The Landmarks Building, One Station Square, Pittsburgh, Pa., 15219
Edited by Walter C. Kidney and Louise King Ferguson
Copyright © 1983, Pittsburgh History & Landmarks Foundation Second Edition 1985
Library of Congress Catalog Card Number: 83-62640 ISBN 0-916670-10-4
Illustration Sources The numbers given below refer to pages of this book on which illustrations from each source are found: Allegheny County Airport: 80 Art Work of Pittsburgh (1893 edition): 184 Art Work of Pittsburgh (1899 edition): xi Peter Berndtson Collection, Carnegie-Mellon University Libraries: 68, by permission
of Indira Berndtson and Anna Coor. Cardell Studio: ii Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh: cover, 7, 14, 38, 60, 74, 103, 106, 133, 188, 204,
205,208,218,223,227,230,234, 240,246,247,262,268,272,275,280, 303(both), 316, 318, 322, 340, 344, 347
Mike Crawmer, University of Pittsburgh: 256 Curtis Theatre Collection, University of Pittsburgh: 334 Sigo Falk: 153, 155, 157 Vernon Gay: 50, from Discovering Pittsburgh's Sculpture, photographs by Vernon Gay
and text by Marilyn Evert Gulf Oil Corporation: 76 Clyde Hare: xx, 308 Heinz Hall for the Performing Arts: 85 The Historical Society of Western Pennsylvania: 55 Dennis Marsico: 64 Museum of Art, Carnegie Institute, Pittsburgh (Museum purchase, 1942): 336 Randy Nelson, Invision: 20, 24, 28, 46, 78, 91, llO, 121, 124, 130, 147, 160, 166,
170, 198, 266, 282, 286 Pittsburgh & Lake Erie Railroad: 237 Pittsburgh History & Landmarks Foundation: xv, 4, 30, 36, 40, 49, 51, 72, 82, 87, 115,
175, 181, 191, 203, 210, 249, 259, 312 Bill Redic, Carnegie-Mellon University: 137, 140 Charles Morse Stotz, The Early Architecture of Western Pennsylvania (1936), reissued
as The Architectural Heritage of Early Western Pennsylvania (1966); courtesy of the University of Pittsburgh Press: 251
James D. Van Trump: x, xii, 94-95
Grateful acknowledgment is made to Carnegie Magazine, Chatham Associates, Inc., Metropolitan Pittsburgh Public Broadcasting, Inc. (licensee of WQED-FM), and the Tribune-Review Publishing Company for permission to reprint essays by James D. Van Trump in Life and Architecture in Pittsburgh. The three lines of poetry on page 228 are from "The Dry Salvages" in FOUR QUARTETS, copyright 1943 by T. S. Eliot; renewed 1971 by Esme Valerie Eliot. Reprinted by permission of Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, Inc.
Contributors Vicki Acklin Mr. & Mrs. Charles Covert
Arens berg Mr. & Mrs. Fred W. Bader Mr. & Mrs. James Bibro Gay M. Blair Mrs. Kenneth S. Boesel Mr. & Mrs. J. Judson Brooks Carl Wood Brown Mrs. Grace J. Burrell Burt Hill Kosar Rittelmann
Associates Celli-Flynn and Associates Mrs. George L. Craig, Jr. Mr. & Mrs. John P . Davis, Jr. Deeter Ritchey Sippel Mr. & Mrs. James O'Hara
Denny, III The Design Alliance, Architects Mary Lu Donnelly Mr. & Mrs. Richard Dilworth
Edwards Leonore R. Elkus Mr. & Mrs. Sanford B. Ferguson Mr. & Mrs. James A. Fisher Mrs. William A. Galbraith Mr. & Mrs. David L. Genter Mr. & Mrs. Richard E. Givens William T. Hillman Mr. & Mrs. Henry P. Hoffstot, Jr. Alfred M. Hunt Mr. & Mrs. Harry T.
Hutchinson, Jr. Interspace Incorporated William J. and Mildred M.
Johnston Mr. & Mrs. B. F. Jones, 3rd Genevieve Jones Elizabeth Kimberly Joel H. Kranich, Associates
Landmarks Design Associates Edward J. Lewis Arthur Lubetz Associates MacLachlan, Cornelius &
Filoni, Architects Shirley A. McMaster Merrick Art Gallery Mr. & Mrs. Robert S. Merrick Theodore C. Merrick Ruth Crawford Mitchell Mr. & Mrs. Edward A.
Montgomery, Jr. Neville Lewis Associates, Inc. William R. Oliver James S. Pedone Associates The Pittsburgh Foundation Alfred D. Reid, Jr. Mrs. Sidney Ruffin Richard M. Scaife Bill and Helen Schlenke Christina Schmidlapp G. Whitney Snyder Mr. & Mrs. Furman South, III Mrs. Rose S. Tarasi Mr. & Mrs. LeRoy Thompson Mimi Jones Timmons Professor Franklin K. Taker UDA Architects
David Lewis Raymond L. Gindroz James P. Goldman Donald K. Carter
V alentour English and Associates Congressman Doug Walgren Mrs. James M. Walton Brenda Oliver Whitehair Gilmore C. Williams Williams-Trebilcock-Whitehead Mr. & Mrs. Arthur P. Ziegler, Sr. Arthur P. Ziegler, Jr.
The printing of this second edition was made possible in part by the Revolv­ ing Fund for Education which was established in 1984 through a generous grant from the Claude Worthington Benedum Foundation.
Contents
The Author . .. ....... . . . . ..... ... ... ...... ...... .... .. . xi Introduction .. .. ... ... ... ... ....... . .. ........ ..... .. xvii Uphill and Downdale in Pittsburgh A Night Journey at the New Year . . . ... ... ................ . 1 The Hill .. .. ....... . . .... ..... , ...... ......... ... .. .... 5 Urbane, Cultivated, and Formerly "Gracious" ............... 9 An Antiphon of Stones Some Random Native Notes in Reply to a Visiting Architectural Critic in Pittsburgh .................. 13 Of Castles A Medley of Dream Towers in Miniature ........... ... ..... 21 Castles on the Allegheny An Architect's Fantastic Demesne near Pittsburgh . ..... . .. ... 25 1.
Mirror in the West The Work of Some Philadelphia Architects in Pittsburgh . ..... 31 The North Side Market House ............................ 37 The Old City Hall of Pittsburgh A Glimpse of Our Victorian Past .... . ........... .......... 41 The Ladies of the Post Office .... .... .... . ..... ........... 45 Lions in the Streets A Sculptural Hunting Party in Pittsburgh ... . ........ . .... .47 Temples of Finance Pittsburgh and a Praise of Pillars ... . . ....... ............. 53 Architecture and the Pittsburgh Land The Buildings of Peter Berndtson ...... ...... ...... ....... 65 Art Deco .............................................. 69 Autumn Wine and Preservation The Heinz Hall and the Old Post Office at Pittsburgh ........ 83 Fantasy on the Roof or, Architecture Overhead ...... ...... . 89 An Aerial View of Oakland in 1924 ........ .......... ..... 93 The Angelic Eye Bellefield from the Air . .................................. 99 The Duquesne Gardens . .. ......... ........... ......... . 105 "Yet Once More 0 Ye Laurels" .......................... 111 On the Terrace II The Roof of the University Club in Pittsburgh .. .... ....... 119 Terrace Life in Pittsburgh III The Cathedral of Learning from the University Club Roof ... 123
At the University Club: a View of Oakland in Winter ........ ... ... .. . .. .. ... .. . . 127 Henry Hornbostel (1867-1961) A Retrospect and a Tribute . ..... ... ... . . . ..... . . . . . . . ... 131 Of Temples and Technology The Drama of Henry Hornbostel's Buildings at Carnegie Institute of Technology, Pittsburgh ........... .. . . 135 Henry Hornbostel: the New Brutalism ........... .. ....... 143 Die Heimkehr aus dem Fremde A Return to the Home Place ... . ...... .. ....... . . ... .. .. 149 The Last of Webster Hall The Passing of a Famous Oakland Hotel ...... ..... .... . .. 153 The Church Beyond Fashion A Discussion of Henry Hobson Richardson's Emmanuel Episcopal Church, Pittsburgh, Pa. .... ... ... .. .. 159 Texas - Gargoyles and Preservation Calvary Methodist Church on Pittsburgh's North Side .... . .. 167 Pittsburgh's Church of the Ascension . ........ . .. ... .. .. .. 171 The Gothic Revival in Pittsburgh
The Picturesque and Romantic Phase . .. .. ... . ... .. .. 177 Evergreen Hamlet: the First American Romantic Suburb . . ........ ... .. . 186 The Archaeological Phase: Two Churches by John Notman ..................... 193 Modern Gothic in Pittsburgh ...... .. . .. ..... .. . ... . . 201
Pittsburgh Railroad Stations Past and Present An Architectural Excursion with Stopovers at Philadelphia ......... . ........... . . . . ... . .... ..... . . . . 211 East Liberty, East Liberty! ........ ..... . .. . ... . . .. .. .... 239 The Skyscraper as Monument A Field of Commemorative Buildings in Pittsburgh ... .. .. .. 243 An Early Tycoon Palace The Isaac Meason House at Mount Braddock . ........ . ..... 249 The Greek Revival Revived . . . .. ...... ... . ........ . ..... 255 Medieval Pittsburgh The Singer House, Wilkinsburg ..... . . .. .. ... . . .... .. .... 257 Disseminated Mansion .. . . .. . . . .... . . .... . ............. 263 The Last of "Greenlawn" My First Demolition in the Chateau Country . ......... .. .. . 267 Peacock's Pride An East Liberty Millionaire Mansion of the Early 1900s .. .. ........ ............... ... ...... . 273
Lovejoy's Folly A Vanished Pittsburgh Palace ................. . ......... 277 Frederick G. Scheibler, Jr. A Prophet of Modern Architecture in Pittsburgh ............ 283 East Liberty's Liberty Theatre .... .. ..................... 291 Denholm's Corner and Fred's Store ....................... 293 Terrace Life in Pittsburgh IV Schumann al Fresco ........ . .... . ....... . .. ........ ... 297 Memories of Highland Park .......... ..... ... .. ......... 301 In a Golden Garden A Small Suburban Station Garden of Sixty Years Ago ....... 305 Autumn Splendour Remembered The Indian Summer of 1977 .......... ....... ..... .. ..... 309 An Art Deco Garden in Pittsburgh The Perennial Garden of the Phipps Conservatory, Schenley Park . . ...... .... ........................ .. ... 313
Chronicles of Old Fifth Avenue I From Pittsburgh's Downtown to Oakland ................. 316 Chronicles of Old Fifth Avenue II Some Old Antique Shops ............................. .. 317 Light over Pittsburgh - 1982 ........................... 318 Downtown Restaurants of Yesterday The Dining Rooms at McCreery's and Kaufmann's ... ... .. .. 319 From the Hey-day of the Hat: Miss Rose Chapeaux ..... .. ... 323 On Women, Words, and Pittsburgh .. .... . . ...... ... . .. ... 327 Pittsburgh's Forgotten Toy Theatre: the Kilbuck Playhouse ...... ........................... 331 The World of David Gilmour Blythe The Spring Exhibition at the Museum of Art, Carnegie Institute ................... ............... .... 337 Luke Swank A Master Photographer Once More in the Public Eye ... .. ... 341 Memoirs of Old Sewickley A True Garden Spot of America .......................... 345 The Ghost of President Buchanan, and a Town . ..... . .. ... . 349 Of Christmas Past and Christmas Cards .................. 353 I Open My Windows to Summer Stars and Locust Blossoms in the Night ........................ 357 My Own Birthday Anniversary- Number 73 .............. 359 Bibliography ......... ... .. . .. ... ......... ..... ..... ... 363 Index .. ...... ..... ...... ... ...................... .... 393
James D. Van Trump (left) at age eight, with his mother and his brother Sherrard.
X
The Author
James Denholm Van Trump was born on July 20, 1908, on Thomas Boulevard in the Point Breeze section of Pittsburgh's East End. His father was James Coleman Van Trump, who had recently moved to Pittsburgh from Wilmington, Delaware, and was a salesman. His mother, Jeanne Denholm Van Trump, was of an old Scotch-Irish Westmoreland County family.
The family moved several times in Jamie's youth; in 1914 to the Denholm apartment building, at Lincoln and Frankstown Avenues in the East End; in 1916 to South 56th Street in West Philadelphia; back to Pittsburgh in 1921; to Oakmont for 1921-22; then, in 1922, to Thomas Boulevard again, where Jamie lived for the next 44 years. All this time, there were summer trips to Ocean City, New Jersey, and later journeys to other cities in North America and Europe.
Jamie attended public schools, then entered Carnegie Tech (now Carnegie-Mellon University) in 1926, studying painting, decoration, and singing. In 1927, he transferred to the University of Pittsburgh, with a dual major in fine arts and English literature. He received ;
Thomas Boulevard at the end of the nineteenth century.
Xl
xii
his M.A. in 1932, at the very worst time of the Depression. The next 24 years were a period of intermittent job activity against a background of intensive study of Pittsburgh history and architecture, mostly in the Pennsylvania and Fine Arts rooms at the Carnegie Library in Oakland. In 1934-36 Jamie was architectural historian for a WPA museum-extension project whose purpose was to draw plates for a "History of the House," never published. He worked as a bookstore clerk. In 1942-45 he was a clerk with the War Produc­ tion Board. He wrote short stories, only one of which ("When Y ester­ day Returns," Woman's Home Companion, September, 1947) was ever published.
The Jamie who has become familiar to thousands of Pitts­ burghers emerged suddenly in 1956, when The Charette, journal of the Pittsburgh Architectural Club, published "Pittsburgh's Church of the Ascension" (included in this collection). From then on, Jamie's pent-up knowledge flowed massively and inexhaustibly. The sheer quantity of his writing- in The Charette, Carnegie Magazine, Western Pennsylvania Historical Magazine, The Pittsburgher, less frequently in other publications, and in script form for WQED-FM -is obvious from a mere glance at the bibliography at the end of this book. And this is to say nothing of the private journals he has kept year after year.
In 1961, he joined the staff of The Charette, first as assistant editor, then as full editor. By that time, he had become active in other ways as well: assistant bibliographer at the Hunt Botanical Library from 1958 to 1962; advisor to the Historic American Buildings Survey between 1957 and 1960; and a steady contributor to Carnegie Magazine from 1956 on.
In 1957, Jamie met a young student of English literature, Arthur Ziegler, who became an increasingly close associate in the next few years. First Arthur, who was teaching at Carnegie Tech, joined the staff of The Charette; then, in 1964, the two broke away from the current management of the magazine to form Van Trump, Ziegler & Shane, with Charles Shane and Albert Kiefer as partners. The new firm offered advertising and public-relations services, historic-preservation consultation, and publishing, and soon became itself the publisher of The Charette. It remained so until1971, when the magazine was sold to a Philadelphia company that entirely changed its content. Van Trump, Ziegler & Shane was dissolved in 1973, and Landmarks Planning, Inc. was formed to continue the preservation consulting practice. Jamie retired from this nine years later.
Xlll
Meanwhile, in 1964, another organization was formed . Jamie and Arthur recount that, one winter afternoon in the late 1950s, they were in Liverpool Street in Pittsburgh's Manchester district, look­ ing at a handsome but decayed row of Victorian houses. This was still the time when conventional urban renewal was triumphant: the City went into a neighborhood, destroyed almost everything, and rebuilt. The new neighborhood had no past, and therefore very little character, and much that was beautiful or still useful was gone. Manchester itself was populated in part by refugees from the near-total destruc­ tion of the Lower Hill in the 1950s, in preparation for a showy cultural acropolis that materialized only in fragments. Jamie and Arthur determined, then and there on that sad street, that something effec­ tive should be done about saving historic architecture. They organized the Pittsburgh History & Landmarks Foundation, found sponsors, and set to work. Jamie was the scholar, Arthur the businessman; both were important to an organization with the authoritative character needed to succeed in saving buildings and, indeed, whole neighborhoods.
Jamie, until then, was a shy, retiring person, but this new work forced him into the open. He spoke, met people, gave information and advice, and became a personality. Between 1975 and early 1983, he had a regular program on WQED-FM, and in 1975 he even ventured into television: his brief weekly news feature with Al Julius on KDKA-TV lasted until 1978. In 1979 he began a television program on WTAE. Always interested in the theatre, he appeared as Mark Twain in The Iron Clad Agreement in ·1976. Deprived of a regular writing outlet in The Charette in 1971, he found another in The Pittsburgher between March, 1978 and January, 1981; when that city magazine ceased publication, he went on to write for Focus, a supplement of the Greensburg Tribune-Review. Since 1981, Jamie has served at the Hunt Institute for Botanical Documentation as the honorary curator of a collection of "old Pittsburgh formal gardens."
On Election Day, 1978, Jamie was crossing Forbes Avenue on his way to the Carnegie Library in Oakland when a speeding car struck him. In recent years he had had two other hospital experiences and had recovered from them, but this time he was in danger of his life; the next few months found him recovering, but slowly and never fully. He now uses a wheelchair. In 1979 the presentation of the Jef­ ferson Award from the American Institute for Public Service stressed Jamie's determination to get well again; on this occasion, he also was named an Outstanding Citizen by the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Early in 1978 he had moved to the Fairfax, in Oakland, from the nearby
XIV
Cathedral Mansions, where he had been since 1966. In 1979, he finally returned to the Fairfax- with what feelings "Die Heimkehr aus dem Fremde," included in this book, tells - and went on with his work.
In the last decade, his personality has emerged increasingly as he has become a public figure. His first Charette article was basical­ ly the work of a scholar, primarily presenting facts though already with a slight injection of himself and his own attitudes into the text. As he continued to write in the next few years, he retained scholarly objectivity about facts but eschewed the sort of scholarly caution that has given the world so much worthy but dull prose. Jamie writes floridly, impressionistically. Expressing his feelings is a natural characteristic, and addressing the public has allowed him to express his enthusiasm, his nostalgia, his upper-middle-class youth, his Anglo­ Catholicism of more recent years. In this way, such a large audience is all to the good; yet Jamie wonders, too, if he really likes being such a public figure: whether the quiet communication with his journals was not, at least, a little less harrowing to his retiring nature.
Walter C. Kidney
Viewing a public clock near Market Square after a street accident, late 1960s.
XV
Introduction
Nostalgia is perennial, and for those of us who are aging, its bitter-sweet presence is often experienced, often felt, with various degrees of poignancy as more years accrue to our calendars. A chance word, a fugitive view, a rose, a smile, a certain touch, on a fine morn­ ing or a dull afternoon, arouses some sleeping memory, and we are off down the misty corridors of our minds in pursuit of the long-past complete experience, of which the small signal light in the present day illumined some minute facet. The process by which we travel from the moment of recognition to the event now embedded in the far reaches of our minds resembles one of those camera feats by which in a few seconds we are given the visual record of a passage through many years ... 1
These lines are pure Van Trump: recollections of the past as interpreted by time and emotions, and seasoned by tranquillity. Only Marcel Proust could remember as infallibly those passing moments of experience; only Henry James could restate them as subtly.
But Jamie Van Trump, as he has been known to his beloved city for three-quarters of a century, is a unique writer, for he alone can pass our architecture and our history through a fine sieve, refin­ ing and restating them as his sensitivity plays over them. Whether the subject is dining al fresco on a club roof terrace looking out…