2024 Tour
The 7th annual tour takes place on Saturday, October 19, 2024, to feature homes in a variety of unique styles as well as a showing of local artists’ work and local business specials.
House Histories
Bellevue United Presbyterian Church
Bellevue United Presbyterian Church was organized in February, 1872. Its Sabbath School had been meeting since 1869 in a room in the public school and prayer meetings were being held in various homes. The first church services were held in the afternoons in the church that later became Central Methodist Church (and is now The Center of Bellevue). This continued until February, 1873 when the congregation built its first building on South Howard Avenue. As the congregation grew, a larger church was commissioned.
The cornerstone of the current church was laid on November 10, 1900, and the building was dedicated on November 1, 1901. A stone located in the front left of the church building is etched with the name of the church and the year 1901. The church is constructed of Beaver gray stone and the stained glass windows in the Sanctuary are the original windows. The architect, J. Lewis Beatty, was also the architect for West Penn Hospital.
The lot cost $7,500 and the building cost $29,999. In 1903, the Estey Organ Company installed the pipe organ at a total cost of $4,000, $2,000 of which was donated as a gift from Andrew Carnegie. The sanctuary was built to seat 675 people, but a few of the pews in front and in back were removed to make more space.
Alterations to the front patio and steps were made in 2002 to include a handicap- accessible ramp, stone pavers, and additional landscaping.
The Stained-Glass Windows
The sanctuary of Bellevue United Presbyterian Church is graced by large stained glass windows on three of its walls. These are the original windows made by the Willet Stained Glass Company in 1900. William Willet (1867-1921) was born in New York City. He studied at the Mechanics and Tradesmen’s Institute (now Cooper Union) and then worked with various glass firms, including Tidden & Arnold, and Heuser & Hausleiter. In 1896 he married Anne Lee (the daughter of the Rev. Henry F. Lee) who had attended the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts.
William Willet moved to Pittsburgh in 1897 as art director of Ludwig Grosse Art Glass Company. In 1899 he established the Willet Stained Glass Company which was reorganized in 1909 as the Willet Stained Glass & Decorating Company. Anne Lee Willett also worked with the company. William Willet wrote that “Mrs. Willet does not merely advise or assist but does much of the work and in all our commissions we find each others help invaluable and in many instances divide the important features.
At the time of his death in 1921, William Willet was considered one of the most important stained glass artists in America. Other commissions for which he is known include Great West Window depicting the Seven Liberal Arts, Procter Hall, at Princeton University and the Chancel Window, Cadet Chapel, West Point Military Academy. In Pittsburgh, windows designed by Willet can also be found in the Cathedral of Saint Paul, the First Presbyterian Church, and Calvary Episcopal Church.
To the right of the pulpit (if you are facing the pulpit) is a trio of windows. The middle window has three sections. On the left is the verse “Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin; and yet I say unto you, that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed as one of these.” Matthew 6:28-29. The middle section portrays Jesus knocking at the door with the verse “Behold I stand at the door, and knock; if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and sup with him, and he with me.” Revelation 3:20. The section on the right has the verse “The wilderness and the solitary place shall be glad for them; and the desert shall rejoice, and blossom as the rose.” Isaiah 35:1.
The large stained glass window in the rear of the sanctuary was dedicated to the memory of William and Sarah Shaw; William was an elder and Sarah a Sunday School Superintendent.
To the left of the pulpit is another trio of stained glass windows, the middle of which also has three sections. The middle section portrays Job with the verse “I know that my Redeemer liveth.” Job 19:25. The left and right sections state “Worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness” and “Praise Him all angels of His.” Under these can be found the names of Hugh and Mary Bole who were among the original 21 members of the church.
85 Crawford Avenue
Who knew that at the end of this humble street in Bellevue there would be a small, beautiful gem? Walt and Jen have transformed this little cottage-in-the-woods into the perfect short term rental.
While the indoor space is perfectly equipped to entertain its tenants, including a game room, the outdoor space is the WoW! Factor! The front porch is welcoming, and the back yard and adjacent patio, surrounded by woods, is the place for parties, gatherings, and all things that speak to outdoor relaxation. And the fenced-in yard is perfect for your pets!
The one-story brick cottage owned by Walter Daughenbaugh and Jennifer McIntyre occupies a large lot at the end of Crawford Avenue. Dating to the late 1920s, its present address is 85 Crawford Avenue but for most of its history it was designated 85 Hilke Street, the only house on a paper street that was laid out but never fully constructed. It lies at the edge of a now-vanished neighborhood with a rich history that distinguishes it from the rest of Bellevue. Until the very end of the 19th century, this hillside area was unusable and vacant due to the steep slopes. In fact, there were very few houses anywhere south of California Avenue (formerly Beaver Road) and east of Grant Avenue (Figure 1). That would change rapidly and dramatically during Bellevue’s turn-of-the-century building boom.
In 1867, James Graham acquired much of the area east of Kendall Avenue and laid out a dozen large lots in what he called “Grahamville” (Allegheny County Plan Book 3, p. 190). By the late 1890s Dr. J.S. Rankin optimistically sought to develop part of this very steep hillside, subdividing it into small building lots and laying out paper streets: Hilke Street, Staunton Avenue, Watson Street, Frank Street, Melrose Street, and Shady Street. Of these, only part of Staunton and Hilke streets were ever actually constructed (Figure 2). Most of those lots were undevelopable due to slope; only lots along Staunton Avenue and Jacks Run Road (now Farragut Street) could be developed, and by 1906 there were a number of small frame houses along both streets (Figure 3). Federal census records shed light on the identities of the residents of those houses.
Today, Bellevue is a very ethnically diverse community, so we sometimes forget that through much of its history it exhibited a high degree of residential and social segregation based on race, just as in most other towns and cities throughout the United States. Until the late 19th century, Bellevue had only a very small African American community, most of whom were employed as servants in private homes. The 1880 federal census lists only 23 African American residents in 7 different households. By 1900, their numbers had increased to over 100, and they were concentrated overwhelmingly in two sections of town: the blocks around the intersections of Madison, Meade, and Monroe avenues; and the east end of town around Staunton, Roseridge, Center, and Farragut avenues/streets. The latter would have been considered an undesirable neighborhood due to the steep slopes and lack of utilities. As African Americans sought to escape repression and poor living conditions in the South during the 1900-1930s period, they moved North and settled in cities and small towns, including Bellevue. Bellevue’s African American population increased substantially through the 1910s, 1920s, and 1930s, with the newcomers squeezed into the same two neighborhoods already established. Most of their homes were clustered along Staunton Avenue and Farragut Street, at the top and bottom of the steep hillside overlooking Jacks Run (Figure 4). Very few of those small frame homes still survive today.
As early as 1876, Louis Hilke owned a block of lots and 5 houses on Center Street (Gay Alley) between what are now Woodlawn and Crawford (Figure 1). In 1897, the 85 Crawford/Hilke lot was vacant and part of a large tract owned by Dr. J.S. Rankin (Figure 2). In 1900, Hilke purchased the vacant lot from A.S. Martin for $300 (Pittsburgh Press, April 11, 1900), and he is depicted as the owner on the 1906 map (Figure 3). Hilke apparently never developed the lot. After his death in 1907, the property passed to his widow Charlotte and daughter Annie. In 1925, they sold the vacant parcel to William and Edna Sloan (Allegheny County Deeds 2265-510, 2218-711).
The 1920 federal census lists William and Edna Sloan as living at 189 Kendall Avenue in Bellevue, with their young sons William and Grant; an infant daughter died that year. William Sr., age 33, worked in the structural iron industry while Edna, age 31, was a sales clerk for ladies’ suits. William previously had been a street railway conductor. They rented their home (U.S. Census 1910, 1920). The Sloans owned the property on Hilke Avenue for a little more than one year before selling it to Alois L. Kropf for $1.00 in July 1926 (Allegheny County Deed 2306-30). We do not know whether it was Sloan or Kropf who built the house. Although the property was at the edge of an exclusively African American neighborhood, both Sloan and Kropf were white.
Alois Kropf (1883-1972) was an interesting character. He was a diminutive man, only 5 feet 3 inches in height and weighing 140 pounds. Born in Austria on June 14, 1883, he emigrated to the United States in 1909 when he was 26 years old, arriving at Ellis Island in New York City. His first wife was Louise Miller, who died in 1913; the couple had two sons, Louis and Edward, who were born in 1910 and 1911. Alois’ 1918 draft card reveals that he was then living at 531 East Ohio Street on the North Side, and he listed his occupation as “Spiritualist,” working at the Spiritualist Church of Truth at 202 Federal Street. He became a naturalized American citizen the following year (1918 draft card and naturalization papers, ancestry.com). In 1921, he and 9 other “alleged fortune tellers” were arrested by Pittsburgh police and indicted: the newspapers reported that “the indictments charge that the defendants for a fee endeavored to predict future events. Most of them, it is said, were holding themselves out as spiritualists when arrested” (Pittsburgh Post, December 1, 1921). Alois Kropf, described as a “Spiritualist preacher,” was acquitted due to insufficient evidence, but other defendants were convicted for “hiding their fortune telling behind an alleged church service.” Spiritualist churches were not illegal, but fortune telling was (Pittsburgh Post, February 10, 1922). Kropf was not deterred by the indictment and trial, for he continued to be listed in city directories as “Rev. A.L. Kropf, Church of Truth” located on Union Avenue in 1931 and 1933 (ancestry.com). However, the 1930 federal census lists the 46-year old Alois as a “physician.” He lived at 607 East Ohio Street with his son Edward, sister Caroline Vlay, and several boarders (U.S. Census 1930).
By 1940, Alois Kropf had given up spiritualism as a career and was working as a chiropractor. By this time, he had remarried, and he now headed a household consisting of his wife Margaret (or Marguerite), age 32, and their son Ronald, age 7. The family resided at 607 Union Avenue on the North Side. His 1942 draft card also lists him as a chiropractor (U.S. Census 1940; 1942 draft card, ancestry.com). The same three individuals are listed in the 1950 census, but they were now living at 7135 Thomas Street on the North Side (U.S. Census 1950).
Alois Kropf owned the house at 85 Hilke/Crawford Avenue from 1926 to 1957, but he never lived there. The house appears on the 1940 Hopkins map, with Kropf listed as the owner (Figure 4). He rented out the house to a succession of tenants, most of them unknown. The 1940 census lists the residents as Irving W. Huch, the 31-year old owner of a gas station, and his wide Janice. All that we know about the Huch family is that Irving and Janice were married in January 1936 and Irving was inducted into the Army in 1944; the little house at 85 Hilke Avenue may have been a starter home for them. Like Kropf, Huch was white (U.S. Census 1940; Pittsburgh Sun-Telegraph, March 10, 1936; Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, January 11, 1944).
In 1950, the tenants were Frances A. McKrell, age 43, and her daughters Arlene and Sally; no occupation is listed for Frances, but Arlene worked as a stenographer for a collection agency (U.S. Census 1950). Frances had married her husband, Avalon chiropractor Dr. Harvey H. McKrell, in 1925. They were separated in 1942. In 1944, the State Superior Court awarded Harvey a “bill of rights” divorce from Frances after “he claimed that his wife nagged him over his professional association with women.” The specific issue was Harvey’s association with his young female assistant, with whom he kept “unnecessarily late hours,” including on walks and in taxis.” The salacious story kept the public’s attention for over a year. In awarding the divorce, one of the Superior Court judges agreed that Mrs. McKrell was “a jealous, nagging wife, telling the plaintiff’s counsel that “You wouldn’t come home either if you had a wife who was constantly nagging. I don’t blame Mr. McKrell” (Pittsburgh Press, September 27, 1944 and March 21, 1945; Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, August 29, 1944). Interestingly, Dr. McKrell’s address in 1943, after the separation, was given as 607 Union Avenue on the North Side, the same address as Alois Kropf. Both men were chiropractors. Ultimately the State Supreme Court reversed the Superior Court’s decision, and the McKrells remained legally married (Pittsburgh Sun-Telegraph, May 22, 1945).
In June 1957, Alois and Margaret Kropf conveyed the property to Carl F. and Anna C. Kress for $8,650 (Allegheny County Deed 3611-615). Alois Kropf died in 1972, reportedly after 55 years as a chiropractor on the North Side (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, June 30, 1972). That would put the start of his practice in the year 1917, so perhaps he provided chiropractic services as part of his “spiritualist ministry” in the 1920s and 1930s.
In 1950, the Carl and Anna Kress were living at 1105 Jonesta Street on the North Side. The household consisted of Carl, age 51; Anna, age 43; and daughters Lorraine and Delores, ages 18 and 14. Carl worked as a truck driver for a retail auto parts company (U.S. Census 1950). His 1942 draft card notes that he worked for Genuine Auto Parts on Baum Boulevard, Oakland (1942 draft card, ancestry.com). The Kresses would own the property for the next 41 years, though we do not know if they lived there or rented it out. After Carl died in 1975, Anna continued to own it until August 1998 when she conveyed the property to Andrea R. Rebholz for $54,000 (Allegheny County Deed 10267-16).
Andrea Rebholz was the owner until April 2005 when she sold it to Elaine R. Imhoff (Allegheny County Deed 12398-412). In February 2007, Imhoff conveyed it to Walter L. Daughenbaugh, the present owner (Allegheny County Deeds 13148-151, 14749-100). Walter rented it to long-term tenants until 2021 when he began spending more time there himself. He and Jennifer, both retired military veterans, have been working very hard on renovating the house and creating a pleasing landscaping plan.
Figure 1: 1876 Hopkins Map.
Figure 2: 1897 Hopkins Map.
Figure 3: 1906 Hopkins Map.
Figure 4: 1940 Hopkins Map.
108 S. Euclid Avenue
Todd and Kelley moved into a duplex and now the home is a beautiful single-family Queen Anne/Colonial Revival, complete with gardens in both the front and back yards. As with other old homes in Pittsburgh, this one has its story. “We were told the owners of the Bell-View pickle company lived here at some point, and the woman of the house had the nickname, Pickles.”
The front window is one of the stars of this home — the large window, front door, side lights and transom have multiple panes, and every single one is beveled glass. The windows are all original, most still have the wavy glass, and they were meticulously restored by Todd.
Removing a wall and doorway to convert the home back to a single family, removing carpet, refinishing floors and stairs, restoring the windows, adding a patio and concrete parking pad, painting interior walls, and creating gardens have kept the couple busy for the last four years. Still on the list: remodel the kitchen and add a garage – but not before the tour!
Todd and Kelly like living in the walkable neighborhood of Bellevue, enjoying looking at all of the beautiful houses.
The frame Queen Anne/Colonial Revival-style home owned by Todd and Kelley Ann Warner is located at 108 South Euclid Avenue, one of three adjacent nearly-identical houses built at the same time by the same developer. Architecturally, it is an early Foursquare house with Queen Anne stylistic elements (and a few Colonial Revival), most clearly expressed in the prominent front-facing cross-gable with its large rounded-arch window and shingled wall, asymmetrical massing and fenestration, large first-story cottage window, one-story side bay, and full-width one-story front porch. The exterior of the house is almost completely intact, with no significant alterations. The window and gable details, original slate roof, and well-preserved front porch with its full-height square columns are especially noteworthy.
The 1876 and 1886 Hopkins atlases show that this was part of a large vacant tract belonging to O. Phillips, while the east side of South Euclid Avenue was part of the Hugh Boles estate (G.M. Hopkins & Co. 1876, 1886). In the early 1890s, the O. Phillips property was acquired by John A. Caughey, who owned everything between South Euclid, South Fremont, Jefferson, and Caughey avenues; the 1880 census lists Caughey as an iron broker who lived in the City of Allegheny, now Pittsburgh’s North Side (G.M. Hopkins & Co. 1897; U.S. Census 1880). At that time there were few houses in this part of Bellevue, a situation that was about to change as Bellevue was beginning to experience a rapid building boom following the extension of streetcar lines from the North Side. Many landowners subdivided their properties in anticipation of the coming building boom.
Caughey died in 1893, and his heirs soon divided his 6 acres of Bellevue real estate into 40-ft x 130-ft building lots. The Warner property at 108 South Euclid was Lot 8 in “Plan of Lots for Heirs of John A. Caughey.” By 1897, about half the Caughey lots on the west side of South Euclid Avenue had been developed, including Lots 6, 7, and 8 which contained the three identical frame houses noted above (G.M. Hopkins & Co. 1897). The east side of the street was mostly vacant, still part of the Bole estate. By 1906, most lots on the west side of the street contained houses, while the Bole estate on the east side of the street had only recently been subdivided (G.M. Hopkins & Co. 1906).
The precise construction date, builder, and first occupants of 108 South Euclid are unknown, but we do know that the house was built between 1893 and 1897 since it appears in the 1897 Hopkins Atlas. The 1900 construction date listed in the county tax records is not accurate. A local builder/developer probably constructed the three adjacent frame houses as speculative housing, a common pattern during Bellevue’s building boom.
Although the identity of the initial owners(s) is uncertain, in December 1905 Philip E. and Else M. Roos conveyed Lot 8 to Magdalena (Lena) Becker (Allegheny County Deed 1418-552). Lena Becker apparently never lived at 108 South Euclid, but instead rented it to tenants. In 1900, Lena was living in Sewickley with her husband Christopher, a butcher, and by 1910 she was at 89 South Harrison Avenue in Bellevue with her daughter Lillian and son-in-law Harry Parker (U.S. Census 1900, 1910). She died in 1923 while still residing at 89 South Harrison Avenue (death certificate, ancestry.com). Shortly before her death, she conveyed Lot 8 (containing a frame dwelling house) to Christian G. and Anna M. Thumm for $6,700 in March 1922 (Allegheny County Deed 2125-307).
The Thumm family would own 108 South Euclid for the next 23 years. Christian Thumm, a German immigrant, was employed by the National Casket Company for over 40 years, ultimately becoming superintendent of its Allegheny branch before retiring in 1945 (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, March 24, 1947). In 1930, the 62-year old Christian headed a household that included wife Anna (age 46), son George (age 19), and mother-in-law Anna Wise (age 69); two other children had already left home. The house was valued at $10,000 in 1930. Three of the four, except George, were still there in 1940 (U.S. Census 1930, 1940).
In October 1945, Christian and Anna Thumm sold 108 South Euclid to Robert E. and Helen M. Lee for $1.00 (Allegheny County Deed 2862-193). Robert E. Lee was a Bellevue native and president of the Bellview Corp., a producer of pickles, relishes, and preserves. After moving to Westmoreland County, he later served as a member of the board of directors of the Irwin Bank and Trust Company (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, March 8, 1968). Robert, Helen, and their two children, Carolyn and Robert Jr., lived at 108 South Euclid for 19 years. In 1950, the household also included Helen’s sister, Esther Anerk, who worked as a tea room hostess (U.S. Census 1950).
The Lees conveyed the property to A. Dale and Mildred P. Pinkerton in August 1964 for $15,000, initiating a period of rapid turnover. The Pinkertons owned it for only three years before selling it to Joseph A. and Joyce K. Sham, and three years later the Shams conveyed it to John R. and Judy Ann Kolarik for $17,000 (Allegheny County Deeds 4133-214, 4480-164, 4812-397). No information is available regarding any of the owners during this period, but we believe this was when it was converted to a two-apartment rental property.
The Kolariks experienced financial difficulties and lost the property through foreclosure. In January 1979, Ronald F. and Linda A. Woshner acquired it at a sheriff’s sale (Allegheny County Deed 4882-567). The Woshners owned numerous other properties in the neighborhood, including 62 South Harrison Avenue which was featured on the 2019 Live Worship Shop House Tour. Linda would be a longtime member of Bellevue Borough Council, serving as its president and vice-president. She also owned the Linda Woshner Insurance Agency and was co-owner of Woshner Properties, a property management company.
In June 1986, the Woshners conveyed 108 South Euclid to Mark F. and Rochelle F. McKibben, and in 1998 it became vested in Rochelle McKibben individually. She owned it until 2009 when she sold it back to Ronald and Linda Woshner. In October 2020, they conveyed it to the present owners, Todd Steven Warner and Kelley Ann Warner, who eliminated the two apartments and converted it back to a single-family home (Allegheny County Deeds 7332-551, 10292-629, 14139-339, 18219-592). The Warners have worked very hard at restoring the home to its former glory and surrounding it with beautiful gardens and landscaping that have made it a showplace on South Euclid Avenue.
100 Watkins Avenue
The Marius Rousseau House was constructed in 1906 by French-born architect Marius Rousseau, who designed the home for himself and his family. It is situated on four lots in the “Bellevue Park Plan” laid out by the Allegheny Real Estate Improvement Company in the 1890s. Rousseau designed numerous churches, banks, hotels, social clubs and other buildings in Pittsburgh and western Pennsylvania, and later Cleveland, Ohio. His wife had lived on Bayne Avenue and they were married in the Church of the Assumption. Unfortunately the couple was only able to live in their home for only three years. Rousseau relocated to Cleveland after losing the home to foreclosure in 1909. Following the 1909 foreclosure, the house was acquired by Margaret J. McKallip. In later years she rented the house to tenants, including the family of Thomas E. Wilson, and it was the childhood home of Charles Wilson, CEO of General Motors and U.S. Secretary of State under President Dwight D. Eisenhower. In 1950, it was rented by salesman Edward L. Miller and his family (U.S. Census 1950).
Every room in this home showcases the talents of the architect—from the tiled, terrazzo, and hard wood floors to the spectacular domed bathroom ceiling, this gilded-age home is a dream in any era. Current owners Thurman Gardner and Shelley Kobuck see themselves as stewards of this impressive property and have furnished it with their large collection of antiques. They intend to restore or rebuild different features of the house that have been lost over the decades.
Shelley and Thurman’s son, Sasha, an artist in his own right, has staged mannequins dressed in vintage clothing throughout the home. There are dressing rooms for the man and woman of the home, and in them, Sasha has positioned mannequins and accoutrement, recreating the ambiance of a bygone era.
The massive Colonial Revival style home incorporates aspects of various architectural styles and exhibits unique features such as poured concrete construction and a central ventilation and light portal. Concrete walls and floors run the length of the house on each floor, all the way from the foundation and sub-basement through to the upper floors: a rare construction method in the early 1900s. Extensive original woodwork, marble, terrazzo, hardwood floors and stained glass can be found throughout the first two of five floors. The floor plan remains unaltered from the original design and over 65 original doors and doorknobs have survived, along with a number of original lighting fixtures and 9 gas fireplaces, all in original condition. Over 90 percent of the original wood windows remain and are functional. The entry vestibule features a terrazzo tile floor, walls covered in large marble panels, and a dozen Ionic columns painted a faux marble green in the scagliola technique. The kitchen has an unusual original glass tile ceiling as well as a built-in ice box/refrigerator, farmhouse sink, tile walls, and terrazzo tile floor. A central second floor bathroom contains a domed stained glass ceiling with natural illumination from a skylight two stories above. Another bathroom contains a star design tile floor that originally was heated by embedded radiator pipes, possibly one of the first installations of residential radiant heat in the country. The house has 8-10 bedrooms and encompasses 5,788 square feet, but the interior living space totals over 9,100 square feet when including the unheated sunrooms and heated basement. Sixteen call buttons are scattered throughout the house, located in the doorway trim molding in almost every room, connecting back to an annunciator in the foyer.
Although Marius Rousseau was not a wealthy man, the craftsmanship and detail throughout the house is equivalent to that of contemporary Pittsburgh mansions and estate homes such as the Henry Frick Mansion. Rousseau, with the opportunity of designing his personal dream home, probably called on many of the skilled craftsmen he worked with on other commissioned projects. The house had only two owners for 90 years after Rousseau and they left it essentially unchanged except for the removal of a solarium.
Beginning in 1996 the Marius Rousseau House underwent an extensive restoration, and it was recognized as an historic landmark by Pittsburgh History & Landmarks Foundation in July 2016. The current owners, Thurman Gardner and Dr. Shelley Kobuck, acquired the property in 2023. They, along with their son, Sasha Gardner, are committed to responsible stewardship of their landmark home.
89 N. Euclid Avenue
Owner, Justin might just as well be called the House Whisperer, as, by his own admission, “If you listen, the house will tell you what it wants.” Now two years into the restoration of this 1919 bungalow-style home, named the Menezmer Grey house for two previous owners, Justin has meticulously restored much of the character and ambiance of the home.
Encouraged by his husband, Chris, Justin has rebuilt window sashes, re-shingled the house’s cedar shake siding, replaced the quarter-sewn oak flooring in the living room, and completed many other daring acts that might scare off the typical lover of old houses.
Justin’s career as an architectural historian didn’t exactly prepare him for this type of work, but his love of adventure, architecture, and old homes gave him the courage to try. No risk is too great to rescue treasures from the past that might otherwise be demolished. From removing Standard brand urinals from a church scheduled for the wrecking ball, to picking up 1920s toilets from the curbside, to driving to Ohio and elsewhere to rescue other gems, Justin and Chris are willing to do what it takes to save and rehome early 20th century fixtures and old-growth trim, mantles, flooring, and whatever else has a life not fully lived.
Layers of paint? No problem. Too big or too small to fit the space? No problem. Ghosts and unfriendly spirits? No problem. Justin and Chris have tackled them all and come out on the winning side.
Upon completion, Justin’s hope for the home is for it to be a complete immersive experience as a rental for those who appreciate fine craftsmanship and the charm only a 100 year old home can offer. “In the end, even with the enormous investment of time and financial finagling, a house like this is far superior than anything in plastic. I’m happy to have been able to add a chapter in its history.”
“Other house tours attract visitors because they give people a view into what they can’t have; the Bellevue House Tours shows them what they can have.
The brick and frame bungalow-style home at 89 North Euclid Avenue (formerly Myrtle Avenue) occupies Lot 38 in the “Roseburg Revised Plan of Lots,” a tract of 13 acres between North Fremont and North Bryant Avenues that was acquired by real estate dealer J. I. McClurg in 1905 and subdivided into 94 building lots. In the last quarter of the 19th century, the 13-acre tract was owned by William Roseburg, whose house faced Lincoln Avenue. The town’s centennial history Bellevue: The First One Hundred Years (Bellevue Centennial Committee 1967:10) recounts that “William Roseburg had a pretentious home, a really fine manor consisting of a brick house, ample lawn, orchards, stables, and outbuildings. William Roseburg was a real character and there are many interesting incidents about him.” Roseburg’s house was one of a number of stately homes lining the north side of Lincoln Avenue when that street was still known as the Beaver Road (the main route between Pittsburgh and Beaver) and Bellevue was a rural enclave of country estates. Nearly all of these estates were subdivided at the turn-of-the-century after streetcar service was extended to Bellevue.
Lots in the Roseburg Plan were in high demand, and 75 houses already had been built by 1912. On March 1, 1908, the Pittsburgh Press noted that “the Roseburg plan especially has developed into one of the most popular residence sections [of Bellevue], and there is a good demand for property there. The lots are level, with paved streets, building restrictions, sewers, sidewalks, electric lights and all modern improvements. Ten room houses are to be had at exceptionally reasonable prices, and these homes are fitted up in an elegant manner and with all conveniences. The location can be easily and expeditiously reached by three car lines, . . . all the cars running by the Roseburg lots.” Lots in the Roseburg Plan were subject to building restrictions designed to discourage rental units and cheap construction: all houses had to be set back 20 feet from the street; they had to be built of brick, stone or cement, with no frame houses permitted; and the construction cost had to be at least $5,000.
89 North Euclid is representative of the substantial single-family homes envisioned by the Roseburg Land Company for its building lots, which were intended to attract “the leading business and professional men of Pittsburgh” (Pittsburgh Gazette Times, February 15, 1911). On January 9, 1909, J.I. McClurg conveyed Lot 38 to Annie Stone for $2,000, a typical amount for homes in the Roseburg Plan, but Annie and her husband George did not build on it (Allegheny County Land Records, Deed Book 1611, page 580; Pittsburgh Press, August 9, 1914). A decade later, on March 17, 1919, they sold Lot 38 to Lydia L. Fladd Menzemer for $2,000, the same amount they had paid for it (Allegheny County Land Records: Deed Book 1968, p. 65). Lydia and her husband Charles probably built the house soon afterward. It was one of the last homes to be constructed in the Roseburg Plan.
Prior to their move to North Euclid Avenue, the Menzemers lived on Orchard Avenue in Bellevue, where they are listed in the 1900 and 1910 federal censuses. Charles Menzemer was employed by the Enterprise National Bank of Allegheny as the receiving teller, a position of considerable responsibility. In October 1905 the Enterprise National Bank and Charles Menzemer were at the center of a well-publicized scandal involving alleged conspiracy and bank fraud, sending the institution into insolvency and receivership. When the crime was discovered, cashier T. Lee Clark committed suicide and several officers including Menzemer were convicted and sent to prison. After repeated entreaties by Lydia L. Menzemer and others, President Theodore Roosevelt commuted the 6 ½ year sentence to 2 ½ years and Charles was released in July 1909. There were other consequences however; the property of the bank and all of the convicted officers was liquidated in early 1907 in order to return money to depositors who had suffered sizeable losses from the bank’s collapse (Pittsburgh Daily Post, October 19, 1905; April 17, 1907; July 9, 1909). Interestingly, one of the houses on the 2019 Bellevue House Tour, 62 South Harrison Avenue, was owned by another of the convicted bank officers, Edward P. McMillan, whose sentence also was commuted by President Roosevelt. We can only speculate whether the two men may have hatched the plot in their Bellevue homes.
At any rate, the Menzemer family was renting a house at a different address on Orchard Avenue at the time of the 1910 census. The household consisted of Charles (age 47), Lydia (age 44), and their three children: Charles (age 18), Arthur (age 11), and Lydia (age 7). After his release from prison, Charles became a real estate agent which gave him a good knowledge of the local real estate market.
The 1920 census places the Menzemer family at 89 North Euclid Avenue, which provides a solid date for construction of the house. By that time eldest son Charles Jr. had left home and moved to Erie where he worked as a foundry manager, so that the household consisted of only Charles Sr. (age 56), Lydia L. (age 54), Arthur F. (Age 21), and Lydia S. (age 17). Charles Sr., still listed as a real estate agent, would die of pneumonia in November of that year. His widow Lydia would continue living there for another 36 years.
Arthur, a chemist at the Duquesne Steel Works (World War I draft registration card, anecestry.com), soon married and moved to Quail Avenue in Bellevue, then to 173 North Fremont Avenue, then to Chicago, and ultimately to Portage, Michigan. By 1930 it was only Lydia (age 64) and her daughter Lydia S. (age 27) in the house at 89 North Euclid, then valued at $11,000. The younger Lydia, who never married, worked as a music teacher in a private studio. In 1938 a deed was executed to make the younger Lydia co-owner of the home (Allegheny County Land Records: Deed Book 2589, p. 307). In 1940 and 1950 the mother and daughter were still there, and daughter Lydia was still a music teacher. In 1950 the elder Lydia was 84 years old, and the younger Lydia was 47. A 1953 feature column in the Pittsburgh Press titled “Who’s Who in Pittsburgh Music Circles” described her 32 year career as a piano teacher and noted that her hobbies included “making fancy salads and pastries,” and she was “a devotee of swimming and outdoor life in summer,” adding that she lived with her mother at 89 North Euclid Avenue, Bellevue (Pittsburgh Press, August 9, 1953).
Tragedy struck on May 10, 1955 when the younger Lydia Menzemer died of breast cancer (death certificate, ancestry.com). Three days later, the elder Lydia conveyed 89 North Euclid Avenue to herself and son Arthur for $1.00 (Allegheny County Land Records: Deed Book 3413, p. 55). A year later they sold the property to Ronald L. and Jean W, Minnick for $12,500, and Lydia moved to Portage, Michigan to live with her son Arthur (Allegheny County Land Records: Deed Book 3577, p. 321). She died there the following year.
Ronald E. “Pie” Minnick grew up in Sharpsville, Pennsylvania, and his wife Jean Wilson Minnick was from Sharon, Pennsylvania, but the couple moved to Coraopolis with their two in 1943 (U.S. Bureau of the Census 1950; Pittsburgh Sun-Telegraph, February 7, 1960). In 1945 they lost their son Tommy but subsequently had two daughters, Gayle and Polly Ann. Ronald worked as a rigger foreman at the Pittsburgh Coke and Chemical Company on Neville Island, and eventually was made superintendent of basic maintenance. Jean worked in the purchasing department of Shenango Steel on Neville Island. The Minnicks purchased the home at 89 North Euclid Avenue from the Menzemers in April 1956, and Ronald was active in the local Odd Fellows Lodge, Masonic Lodge, Ephiphany Episcopal Church, and Little League baseball. Only four years later, Ronald died in a tragic accident at the coke and chemical plant when he was overcome by carbon monoxide fumes while attempting to rescue several co-workers and he fell to his death from a ladder. He was only 44 years old. Jean continued to live at 89 North Euclid until 1965 when she sold the property to Edmund D. and Madelyn Grey for $11,500. She ultimately moved to Rehoboth Beach, Delaware to live with her daughter Polly, and she died there in 2010 at the age of 95 (Pittsburgh Post Gazette, February 27, 1960 and January 9, 2010; Pittsburgh Sun-Telegraph, February 7, 1960; Allegheny County Land Records: Deed Book 4178, p. 300).
Edmund D. and Madelyn A. “Madge” Grey were natives of Pittsburgh’s North Side but after buying the home at 89 North Euclid in 1965 they resided there for the rest of their lives. They raised five children in the house: Denise, Edmund, Diane, Renee, and Dawn (Pittsburgh Post Gazette, October 24, 2005). Madelyn died in 2005 and Edmund in 2020, and the Grey heirs sold the property to Justin P. Greenawalt and Christopher Eddie on August 8, 2022 (Allegheny County Land Records: Deed Book 19016, p. 142). Justin and Chris have been working hard on its complete and architecturally accurate restoration ever since.
45 N. Euclid Avenue
The stone ranch-style home owned by Ameesh K. and Caitlyn L. Kapoor is located at 45 North Euclid Avenue. It probably was built about 1950 by Antonio (Anthony) and Ingnazia (Nancy) DiGirolano and was the last house to be erected on North Euclid Avenue. Its mid-20th century style–with the characteristic linear form, one-story height, and integral garage–is dramatically different from the early 20th century Four-Square and Colonial Revival homes that are so ubiquitous on this street and throughout the rest of the neighborhood.
That’s the official word! The unofficial word is that “Joey Bananas” with connections to bootlegging through Pittsburgh built the house. This version is much more interesting and lends itself well to Bellevue’s colorful past, diverse present, and promising future.
Caitlyn is a boomerang – having been born here and returned here after living in New York where she met her husband. The couple wanted affordable, comfortable living, and Bellevue is certainly the place to be for that.
The living room boasts an Italian marble fireplace and a movie screen for family movie nights. Notice the sculptured iron gate that separates the kitchen from the basement steps. Kaitlyn’s dad, an ironwork artist and painter, created it specifically for this space; his artwork also adorns the walls in the dining room.
The basement once held a “cookie” kitchen, but now has family space as well as a full bath and space for Kaitlyn’s massage therapy patients.
The Kapoors’ favorite spot is the lovely side porch. Katilyn says, “It is a perfect spot for morning coffee during a light rain.”
The backyard is the perfect place for a party. With a covered patio, a grill equipped to feed a crowd, and an inground pool that is guaranteed to keep the kids and all their friends entertained all summer, this home complements the family’s lifestyle.
The house at 45 North Euclid Avenue occupies Lot 48 and part of Lot 49 in the “Roseburg Revised Plan of Lots,” a tract of 13 acres between North Fremont and North Bryant Avenues which was acquired by J. I. McClurg in 1905 and subdivided into 94 building lots. When first laid out, North Euclid was known as Hastings Avenue.
In the last quarter of the 19th century, the 13-acre tract was owned by William Roseburg, whose house faced Lincoln Avenue (see Figures 1 and 2). The town’s centennial history Bellevue: The First One Hundred Years (Bellevue Centennial Committee 1967:10) recounts that “William Roseburg had a pretentious home, a really fine manor consisting of a brick house, ample lawn, orchards, stables, and outbuildings. William Roseburg was a real character and there are many interesting incidents about him.” Roseburg’s house was one of a number of stately homes lining the north side of Lincoln Avenue when that street was still known as the Beaver Road (the main route between Pittsburgh and Beaver) and Bellevue was a rural enclave of country estates. Nearly all of these estates were subdivided at the turn-of-the-century after streetcar service was extended to Bellevue (Figures 3 and 4).
Lots in the Roseburg Plan were in high demand, and 75 houses already had been built by 1912 (Figure 5). On March 1, 1908, the Pittsburgh Press noted that “the Roseburg plan especially has developed into one of the most popular residence sections [of Bellevue], and there is a good demand for property there. The lots are level, with paved streets, building restrictions, sewers, sidewalks, electric lights and all modern improvements. Ten room houses are to be had at exceptionally reasonable prices, and these homes are fitted up in an elegant manner and with all conveniences. The location can be easily and expeditiously reached by three car lines, . . . all the cars running by the Roseburg lots.” Lots in the Roseburg Plan were subject to building restrictions designed to discourage rental units and cheap construction: all houses had to be set back 20 feet from the street; they had to be built of brick, stone or cement, with no frame houses permitted; and the construction cost had to be at least $5,000.
On March 27, 1907 J.I. McClurg conveyed Lots 48 and 49 to Homer J. McBride, but McBride never developed the lots (Allegheny County Deed 1541-88). The 1940 map of Bellevue by G.M. Hopkins indicates that the lots remained vacant even after nearly every other lot on the street had been developed (see Figure 6). Homer McBride died in 1945 and his wife Victoria in 1948. Lots 48 and 49 passed to their daughters, Alice E. Hansen and Grace F. McBride, who conveyed them to Antonio (Anthony) and Ingnazia (Nancy) DiGirolamo in March 1950 for $1.00 (Allegheny County Deed 3086-645). It is likely that the DiGirolamos constructed the house. The present owners recount an intriguing story that the house was built in the 1950s by a mobster named “Joey Bananas;” while we found no evidence to directly corroborate this story, DiGirolamo’s 1986 obituary does note that Anthony was a native of Palermo, Sicily, and president of the City Banana Company in the Strip District, retiring in 1973. He was a member of the Italian Sons and Daughters of America, and was an active fundraiser for the Italian Relief Fund (North Hills News Record, July 22, 1986). Anthony and Nancy both were known as gourmet cooks (North Hills News Record, April 16, 1977).
In July 1956, Antonio and Ingnazia DiGirolamo conveyed the property—now containing a dwelling—to Percy E. and Lorena E. Fisher for $45,000 (Allegheny County Deed 3520-609). The 1950 federal census had placed the Fishers at 34 North Euclid Avenue, only a few doors down the street. At the time, 59-year old Percy was the proprietor of a pattern shop (U.S. Census 1950). The couple transferred the property to Lorena individually in April 1957, shortly before Percy’s death on January 11, 1958 at the age of 67 (death certificate, ancestry.com; Allegheny County Deed 3597-596). His obituary noted that he was the owner of the Advanced Pattern Company and past president of the Pittsburgh Pattern Manufacturers Association, as well as a member of the Bellevue Methodist Church, the local Masonic Lodge, the Elks, and the Pittsburgh Chamber of Commerce (Pittsburgh Press, January 11, 1958).
Lorena Fisher continued living at 45 North Euclid for another decade following her husband’s death. In October 1967, she sold the property (which contained a “1-story stone dwelling with garage”) to Frank and Rose M. Bilotta for $40,000 (Allegheny County Deed 4485-633). Frank Bilotta worked as a construction laborer. In 2007 Frank and Rose M. Bilotta transferred it to Rose M. Bilotta, Trustee of the Rose M. Bilotta Living Trust (Allegheny County Deeds 4485-633 and 16046-301). Frank died in 2012 and Rose in June 2015. Nancy M. Feely, Rose’s daughter and executrix, conveyed the property to the present owners, Ameesh K. and Caitlyn L. Kapoor, in March 2021 (Allegheny County Deed 17481-540).
Figure 1: 1876 G.M. Hopkins & Co. Map.
Beaver Road later was renamed Lincoln Avenue.
Figure 2: 1897 G.M. Hopkins & Co. Map
Figure 3: 1906 G.M. Hopkins & Co. Map. Hastings Avenue later was renamed North Euclid Avenue.
Figure 4: 1906 Sanborn Map Co. Map
Figure 5: 1908 Newspaper Ad
Figure 6: 1940 G.M. Hopkins & Co. Map
Figure 7: Anthony and Nancy DiGirolamo (North Hills News
Record, April 16, 1967).
Figure 8: Anthony DiGirolamo (Pittsburgh Press, October 3, 1949
200-202 Teece Avenue
The 2-story brick duplex owned and occupied by Anne Fleming and Danielle Polinski is located on the northwest corner of Teece and North Bryant avenues. Anne rented half the duplex from a friend from 2009 to 2019, then purchased it outright when it became available five years ago.
Architecturally, the building can be considered a vernacular expression of the early 20th century Prairie style, popular between 1900 and 1920. Hallmarks of the style include: a low-pitched hipped roof with wide overhanging eaves; an emphasis on horizontal lines; a facade dominated by horizontal rows of casement windows with sharply-defined vertical detailing; frequently an inconspicuous off-center entry; massive square masonry piers used to support porch roofs; and contrasting wall materials or trim providing emphasis to the second-story. The duplex at 200-202 Teece Avenue possesses many of these characteristics.
The first floor of this two-story duplex is where Anne and Dani call home. The space is warm and welcoming with Dani’s furniture restoration greeting visitors in the entranceway and a picture of Anne’s grandparents’ farm hung proudly above the fireplace.
Just like most people have showcase mementos in their homes, so do Anne and Dani. Be sure to ask about the saddle perched upon its stand and the collection of typewriters in the study. And there are even long-gone reminders of children who once lived in the home. The hidden closet under the steps was the perfect place for a secret candy stash!
The home’s interior is not the only welcoming space! The large deck and back yard are framed in lush foliage thanks to Dani’s green thumb, and there is space for dining and a cup of early morning tea or coffee and quiet conversation.
One of this year’s taglines for the tour is “Six Degrees of Bellevue.” Our theory is that everyone is connected to Bellevue is some way. Anne knows that first-hand. She was shipping for a new pair of eyeglasses placed her order with the sales associate. Upon providing her address, the young man laughed and replied that, “In 2007, I proposed to my wife in the upstairs apartment.”
Most of the past owners of this property were absentee landlords, as they do not appear in census or city directories at this address. This makes it difficult to learn anything about the tenants, and only a few tenants at this address appear in newspapers, directories, or census. However, we do have some information about the owners.
The building occupies Lots 50-52 in the “Stackhouse Plan of Lots” which included all of the land on both sides of North Bryant Avenue (then known as Ellsworth Avenue). Peter Stackhouse, a Civil War veteran and member of the Bellevue Borough Council, subdivided his property in the 1890s and began selling off several dozen 37.5-ft wide building lots at the beginning of the borough’s turn of the century building boom; nearly all of the lots on the west side of the street remained vacant in 1906 and Teece Avenue (then known as Bayne Avenue) had not yet been extended through the Stackhouse Plan. Stackhouse’s own home was at 56 North Bryant and no longer survives (Pittsburgh Post, February 10, 1908).
Peter Stackhouse died in 1908 and his remaining real estate holdings passed to his wife Elizabeth, who sold Lots 50-52 (still vacant) to Andrew J. and Edna S. Bergman in August 1924 (Allegheny County Deed 2227-270). Almost immediately the property was acquired by Mollie B. Gaus, who conveyed it to Thomas E. Whitten the same day in August 1924. Whitten conveyed it back to Gaus in July 1931 (Allegheny County Deeds 2448-335 and 2448-337).
The county tax records list a construction date of 1926 which is fairly accurate. It appears that either Whitten or Gaus built the duplex at 200-202 Teece Avenue. Clearly it was intended to be a rental property since neither of them ever lived there. Thomas E. Whitten (owner from 1924 to 1931) was a lawyer who was active in Wilkinsburg politics, where he lived; he later would be county sheriff and chairman of the county Republican Party in the 1950s. In 1937, he married Mildred Buckley, also a lawyer and said to be one of first women to be admitted to Allegheny County Bar Association (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, December 7, 1997). Mollie Sotter Gaus (owner from 1931 to 1940) died in 1948 at the age of 63 (Pittsburgh Sun-Telegraph, October 23, 1948). She was married to John C. Gaus and they lived in Allentown. John Gaus is listed in the 1930 census as a steel mill clerk, and his 1951 obituary says that he was an employee of the Rust Engineering Company and previously the Carnegie-Illinois Steel Company. He was a member of the 18th Ward Board of Trade and Knights of St. George (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, February 6, 1951). There is no indication that either Whitten or Gaus ever lived in Bellevue.
We do know the identity of one tenant from the early years: the 1930 federal census lists Victor K. and Alice Stalford, both 40 years old, as the tenants of 202 Teece, paying $90 in monthly rent. Victor, who was born in Canada, worked as a salesman for the General Electric Company (U.S. Census 1930). City directories still place him at 202 Teece in 1932 but by 1940 the Stalfords had moved to Detroit (U.S. Census 1940). The 1940 federal census lists the tenants of 200 Teece as Edward and Martha Elstad and their two young sons; Edward’s occupation was “blueprints salesman.” Leonard and Mildred Finch rented 202 Teece; Leonard also was a salesman. Both halves of the duplex rented for $50 (U.S. Census 1940).
In December 1940, Mollie B. Gaus, Mathilda G. Gaus, and Eleanor K. Gaus (probably Mollie’s daughters) conveyed the property to Edward Erdenricher, another absentee owner who lived at 1201 Goe Street on the North Side (Allegheny County Deed 2674-73). Erdenricher had been a traveling superintendent for the Armstrong Cork Company until retiring in 1933. Before living on the North Side, he was a longtime resident of Emsworth and was a past noble grand of the Odd Fellows Lodge there. In 1953 he died at his home at 1201 Goe St., at the age of 84. At his death the property passed to his sister, Minnie McCredie, who apparently continued to rent out the duplex at 200-202 Teece Avenue. Minnie was the widow of W.A. McCredie, longtime night captain at the Western Penitentiary on the North Side. They also lived at 1201 Goe St.—apparently Edward moved in with Minnie after her husband’s death (U.S. Census 1950). W.A. McCredie was a native of Sewickley but lived on the North Side for 30 years. He died in 1927 (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, February 22, 1927).
In 1950, the tenants of 200 Teece were Robert F. and Gladys Jordan and their two children. Robert was a high school principal, employed at West View High School. Clinton and Elizabeth Baun lived at 202 Teece with their four children. Clinton was a real estate salesman (U.S. Census 1950).
Minnie McCredie died at her Goe Street home in 1961 and the property passed to her daughter Bertha the following year (Allegheny County Deeds 3342-249 and 3970-616). Bertha owned it until her own death in 1972.
No information is available for any of the owners or tenants after 1972. Most individuals owned the property for a decade or less.
Owners:
2019-present Anne C. Fleming
2009-2019 Jennifer L. Ernsthausen
1999-2009 Michael A. and Michelle Delio
1994-1999 Harriet Jane Brickell and Debra Jean Ryan
1986-1994 Thomas O. and Sharon R. Meyer
1978-1986 Thomas P. Moraver, Peggy Mulcrone Moraver, Michael Mulcrone
1978 Margaret A. Mulcrone
1975-1978 Thomas P. Moraver and Peggy Mulcrone (both unmarried)
1972-1975 John T. Flaherty
1962-1972 Bertha W. McCredie
1954-1962 Minnie McCredie (sister of Edward Erdenricher), died 1961
1940-1954 Edward Erdenricher, died 1953
1931-1940 Mollie B. Gaus, Mathilda G. Gaus, Eleanor K. Gaus
1924-1931 Thomas E. Whitten
????-1924 Mollie B. Gaus
1924 Andrew J. and Edna S. Bergman
????-1924 Peter and Elizabeth Stackhouse
1896 G.M. Hopkins Map of Bellevue (Ellsworth Avenue later was renamed N.Bryant Ave., Bayne Avenue became Teece Ave, Hastings Avenue became N. Euclid Ave.).
1940 G.M. Hopkins Map of Bellevue
238 Lincoln Avenue
The handsome stone and frame Dutch Colonial home owned by Tiffany Smith is located at the intersection of Lincoln Avenue, North Bryant Avenue, and Brighton Road. It is a small but rather elaborate and well-crafted example of the Dutch Colonial style, a subtype of the Colonial Revival style which was popular from 1900 through the 1930s. The style’s distinguishing characteristic is the steeply pitched gambrel roof typically containing a nearly full second story and featuring a continuous shed dormer or multiple individual dormers. Like the Colonial Revival style, it is quite different from the historic form which inspired it. This example features a stone-veneered first story and shingled second story, an integral basement garage, a centered entrance highlighted by decorative stonework, and an external stone chimney and one-story porch with tapered stone columns at the west end.
This four bedroom, two bath, stone house has had five previous owners and several delectable secrets. Build in 1929, Sam Salvatorre and Mary Collura, the fourth owners added the fabulous stone fountain in the front yard as well as secret #1 — a chapel and water feature in the basement.
Tiffany, Lacey and their five children inherited the house from Tiffany’s Aunt Peggy who lived in the house for many years. The house was in disrepair, but Tiffany and Lacey, with help from Tiffany’s dad, repaired and renovated the home, replacing only when necessary – notice the upstairs banister and spindles, but never remodeling. Secret #2 – the hardwood floors are center-cut white oak, a top-tier choice for the era. The floors have been refinished, and here’s a challenge: See if you can see the flooring transition from the dining room to the kitchen. The kitchen flooring was originally tile, but Tiffany and Lacey used salvaged wood to complete the look throughout the downstairs. Can you even tell where the original wood stops and the salvaged wood begins?
All the internal doors are original to the home as is much of the lighting. Notice the foyer fixture. It originally hung in the dining room, but now lights the entrance.
The house originally had two stained glass windows. Both are now gone, but with a nod to what was, Tiffany and Lacey had art glass designed and installed by a local artisan.
The house even has an integral garage, not a common amenity in the early 20th century. And the garage boasts Secret #3 – a radiator. There is speculation that the radiator was really heat for the kitchen floor above, but who knows. Maybe the original owners just wanted their Model T to be in a climate-controlled space.
Another unusual feature of the home is that it has steel beam construction. “Solidly built,” says Tiffany, “unless you want to install an HVAC system.” Then you have to get creative.
The house occupies Lot 1 in the “Stackhouse Plan of Lots” which included all of the land on both sides of North Bryant Avenue (then known as Ellsworth Avenue). Peter Stackhouse, a Civil War veteran and member of the Bellevue Borough Council, subdivided his property in the 1890s and began selling off several dozen 37.5-ft wide building lots at the beginning of the borough’s turn of the century building boom; nearly all of the lots on the west side of the street remained vacant in 1906 while half of those on the east side had been developed. Lot 1 was one of the vacant parcels. Stackhouse’s own home was at 56 North Bryant and no longer survives (Pittsburgh Post, February 10, 1908).
Peter Stackhouse died in 1908 and his remaining real estate holdings passed to his wife Elizabeth. In 1929 Lot 1 was acquired by Sam F. and Victoria Putch, both native Italians who had immigrated in 1902 and were living at 522 California Avenue in nearby Avalon (Allegheny County Deed 2339-610). Sam was a stone mason and building contractor who very likely built the house as a speculative venture (U.S. Census 1920 and 1930).
In March 1929, Putch conveyed the property, presumably with the new house, to 55-year old William J. Patterson for $1.00 (Allegheny County Deed 2387-324). For decades, Patterson held an upper management position in the Atlantic Refining Company, and during World War I he served in the war effort as vice-chairman of the Appalachian Division, Petroleum Coordinating Committee. He also was a member of the United Presbyterian Church, the Duquesne Club, the local Masonic Lodge, and the Syria Temple (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, April 2, 1943). His father, William J. Patterson Sr., had been Commander-in-Chief of the Grand Army of the Republic (G.A.R), the national Union Army veterans’ organization (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, September 4, 1916). The 1930 federal census indicates that he headed a household that included his wife May (age 41), daughters Mary and Dorothy (ages 22 and 20), and son William (age 18). His home at 238 Lincoln Avenue was valued at $20,000, quite a large amount for 1930 (U.S. Census 1930). In 1940, William and May Patterson were living alone in the house, now valued at $10,000 (U.S. Census 1940). William died in March 1943 while on a visit to New York City, and the property passed to his widow May, who in 1950 was living there with her 92-year old mother, Agnes Daryman (U.S. Census 1950).
May Daryman Patterson died in Jume 1953, and the property passed to her sister, Isabelle Scott Daryman, who conveyed it to Salvatore and Mary Collura on November 11, 1955 for $18,700 (Allegheny County Deed 3415-740). The deed to the Colluras noted that the lot included a 2-story stone veneer dwelling house with integral garage.” They would own the property until 1972. Current owner Tiffany Smith notes that Salvatore “Sam” Collura was a skilled stone mason and contractor who constructed a fountain in the front yard, and a chapel and water feature in the basement. Clearly, he possessed many of the same skills as the original builder of the house, Sam Putch. Like Putch, Collura was an Italian immigrant. He served in the Italian army during World War I, and after coming to this country he was a member of the Italian Sons and Daughters of America (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, July 25, 1978).
In April 1972, Salvatore and Mary Collura conveyed the property at 238 Lincoln Avenue to E.M. Hamilton for $28,500, and in April 1985, E.M. Hamilton and Frank M. Leiterman sold it to Carl Birmingham and Margaret Puglin for $54,000 (Allegheny County Deeds 4643-358 and 7073-582). Margaret Puglin (who would become Margaret Birmingham) owned it for the next 37 years until her death on August 3, 2022. The property then passed to Tiffany Smith, Margaret’s niece and present owner (Allegheny County Deed 19071-143). In 2023, Tiffany and Lacey Smith completed a massive restoration of the house that included returning the front yard fountain to working order. It is a beautiful showplace worthy of its prominent location on Bellevue’s main street.
Owners:
2022-present Tiffany Smith
1985-2022 Margaret E. Puglin AKA Margaret E. Birmingham
1972-1985 E.M. Hamilton
1955-1972 Salvatore and Mary Collura
1953-1955 Isabelle Scott Daryman
1929-1953 William J. Patterson and May Daryman Patterson
1928-1929 S.F. and Victoria Putch
1896 G.M. Hopkins Map of Bellevue (Ellsworth Avenue later was renamed N.Bryant Ave., Beaver Road became Brighton Road.).
1940 G.M. Hopkins Map of Bellevue
344 Lincoln Avenue
The circa 1922 home of David Bollenbacher and Mary Holleran stands on the north side of Lincoln Avenue between North Harrison and North Fremont avenues, at the edge of Bellevue’s business district. It occupies Lot 1 and part of Lot 2 in the “Roseburg Revised Plan of Lots,” a tract of 13 acres between North Fremont and North Bryant Avenues, acquired by J. I. McClurg in 1905 and subdivided into 94 building lots. When first laid out, North Harrison was known as Seville or Clark Avenue and North Fremont was known as Thomas Avenue.
This once major fixer-upper home is now gorgeous thanks to Mary and David who moved to Bellevue from just down the road. Its official owners since 2016, Mary and David have been working tirelessly to restore this home.
They have removed wallpaper, replaced ceilings, moved radiators, widened door openings, expanded the kitchen, replaced all 38 windows in the house, removed outside overgrowth in order to build a patio, and expanded the gardens, AND MORE.
In addition to other owners, the house has also been home to two doctors, and Mary and David are fortunate to have many items left in the home by previous owners including two exam tables and the handwritten record of all the babies delivered by Dr. Metzger. You can see some of the memorabilia on display in the dining room. Two very unique aspects of this home are its elevator and a 4” concrete floor, once the doctor’s office and now the primary bedroom.
In the last quarter of the 19th century, the 13-acre tract was owned by William Roseburg, whose house faced Lincoln Avenue. The town’s centennial history Bellevue: The First One Hundred Years (Bellevue Centennial Committee 1967:10) recounts that “William Roseburg had a pretentious home, a really fine manor consisting of a brick house, ample lawn, orchards, stables, and outbuildings. William Roseburg was a real character and there are many interesting incidents about him.” Roseburg’s house was one of a number of stately homes lining the north side of Lincoln Avenue when that street was still known as the Beaver Road (the main route between Pittsburgh and Beaver) and Bellevue was a rural enclave of country estates. Nearly all of these estates were subdivided at the turn-of-the-century after streetcar service was extended to Bellevue.
Lots in the Roseburg Plan were in high demand, and 75 houses already had been built by 1912. On March 1, 1908, the Pittsburgh Press noted that “the Roseburg plan especially has developed into one of the most popular residence sections [of Bellevue], and there is a good demand for property there. The lots are level, with paved streets, building restrictions, sewers, sidewalks, electric lights and all modern improvements. Ten room houses are to be had at exceptionally reasonable prices, and these homes are fitted up in an elegant manner and with all conveniences. The location can be easily and expeditiously reached by three car lines, . . . all the cars running by the Roseburg lots.” Lots in the Roseburg Plan were subject to building restrictions designed to discourage rental units and cheap construction: all houses had to be set back 20 feet from the street; they had to be built of brick, stone or cement, with no frame houses permitted; and the construction cost had to be at least $5,000.
The Bollenbacher/Holleran house is typical of the substantial single-family homes envisioned by the Roseburg Land Company, which promoted its property to attract “the leading business and professional men of Pittsburgh” (Pittsburgh Gazette Times, February 15, 1911). The Bollenbacher/Holleran house was built in the Georgian Colonial Revival style and exhibits many of the distinguishing characteristics of that style: a symmetrical façade, often with a centered palladian window; a hipped roof with dormers; an accentuated centered entrance, typically featuring a decorative pediment supported by pilasters and slender columns which form an entry porch or portico; symmetrically placed double-hung sash windows, often arranged in pairs; and often a side wing or open porch, usually with a flat roof. The Colonial Revival style was extremely popular in the first decades of the 20th century when Bellevue was experiencing a transformative building boom.
Lots 1 and 2 were part of a larger parcel of land conveyed by Catherine and George Zortman to Emilie M.F. Linke in June 1913 (Allegheny County Deed 1787-106). A newspaper notice stated that “Nixon & Eaton, Bellevue, sold for George Zortman to Mrs. Emilie Linke, 76 x 120 feet, vacant, in Lincoln Avenue, Bellevue, for $125 a front foot. Mr. Zortman owned this lot but a few days, having accepted it in part payment for two duplex houses in Bayne [Teece] avenue, Bellevue, valued at $18,000 in exchange” (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, June 25, 1913). Linke died at her home at 345 Lincoln Avenue in October 1916, leaving an estate valued at $270,000 (Pittsburgh Post, February 28, 1918). The administrators of her estate sold Lots 1 and 2 to Arthur H.D. Gross on July 11, 1921 for $8,000 (Allegheny County Deed 2072-198).
Dr. Arthur Gross was born on the North Side in 1884 and attended the Pittsburgh Academy and Western Pennsylvania Medical College, now the University of Pittsburgh, graduating in 1906. He did graduate work at Harvard and London universities. Dr. Gross was on the staff of Suburban General Hospital in Bellevue and also had a private practice in his home. He was a member of the Pennsylvania and Allegheny County Medical Societies, serving as president of the latter, and was also a member of the local Masonic Lodge, the Syria Shrine, and the United Presbyterian Church. In World War I he served as a Navy officer and in World War II on the Bellevue draft board (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, June 9, 1948). He married Adele Ferner on May 14, 1914, and the couple lived at 688 Forest Avenue before purchasing the Lincoln Avenue property from Emilie Linke’s estate in 1921 (U.S. Census 1920). They lived at 344 Lincoln Avenue for 28 years, from 1921 to 1949. The 1930 federal census indicates that the household then consisted of Arthur, Adele, and a 19-year old nephew, Brainerd Revert. In 1940 it included Arthur, Adele, and 20-year old maid Elizabeth Pawlowski (U.S. Census 1930, 1940). The present owners of 344 Lincoln Avenue report that Dr. Gross used half of the first floor of his home as a waiting room and office for his medical practice. They note that Adele Gross used a wheelchair so the house was built with an elevator using a pulley system, and it also incorporated many other accommodations for her convenience.
Dr. Gross died of stomach and pancreatic cancer on June 7, 1948 at the age of 64 (death certificate, ancestry.com). His obituary states that he had surgery at Suburban General Hospital two months prior to his death, but then “insisted that he be brought home where his friends and patients could visit him freely. Hundreds of well-wishers, rich and poor, of every religion and race, visited him in his last few months. He received them in his reception room where a bed had been installed. And he remained cheerful and encouraging in the face of certain death” (Pittsburgh Sun-Telegraph, June 8, 1948). A few months later, on February 17, 1949, Adele Gross sold the property to Charles W. and Frances D. Metzger for $1.00 (Allegheny County Deed 3033-236).
Like Arthur Gross, Charles W. Metzger was a medical doctor. In fact, this block of Lincoln Avenue was favored by doctors, as the neighbors in 1940 included a handful of other doctors and dentists (U.S. Census 1940). Since the house at 344 Lincoln already had been adapted by Gross for a home medical office, it was a perfect fit for Metzger. Charles and his wife Frances were both Bellevue natives, graduating from Bellevue High School in 1938 and 1932. They married on November 18, 1944. Charles had grown up at 256 Lincoln Avenue, only a block away from his future home; his father, also named Charles and a Bellevue surgeon, died in a tragic automobile accident in 1943 (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, February 4, 1943). Toward the end of World War II, the younger Charles Metzger became a captain in the U.S. Army Medical Corps and was stationed in Okinawa for a time. After returning home, he became a general practitioner and staff member at Suburban General Hospital, just like his father (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, March 13, 2008). The present owners of 344 Lincoln note that “Frances Metzger was a registered nurse, avid golfer, and social butterfly. She hosted numerous card and tea parties and was involved in local charities. She was a member of the North Boros Women’s Club and served as committee chair at a Christmas event held at Shannopin Country Club with proceeds going to a new hospital wing.” The 1950 federal census indicates that the Metzger household then consisted of Charles (age 29), Frances (age 25), daughter Kathryn (age 2), and infant son Charles (U.S. Census 1950). A third child, Kenneth, would come later.
The Metzgers lived at 344 Lincoln Avenue for 63 years, from 1949 to 2012. Charles W. Metzger died from pneumonia and coronary artery disease on March 12, 2008, and Frances passed away at home on December 30, 2012. They left behind a home that was fully furnished, including a great deal of family memorabilia as well as physicians’ equipment such as two exam tables.
In June 2015, Kenneth Metzger, administrator of his mother’s estate, conveyed 344 Lincoln Avenue to the present owners, David B. Bollenbacher and Mary E. Holleran (Allegheny County Deed 16007-304). They have invested much time and energy into adapting the home to suit their tastes and needs, observing: “We appreciate the craftsmanship of our home. We try to incorporate necessary upgrades that bring technology and conveniences up to today’s standards all while respecting and maintaining the original character and architecture of a century-old house. We also have strived to make it welcoming and comfortable to meet our needs.”
Owners:
2015-present David B. Bollenbacher and Mary E. Holleran
1949-2015 Charles W. and Frances D. Metzger
1921-1949 Arthur H.D. and Martha Adele Gross
1913-1921 Emilie M.F. Linke
1940 G.M. Hopkins & Co. Map
454 Teece Avenue
The home of Herbert and Becky Rawlings is located on the north side of Teece Avenue across from Bayne Park. The house is a great example of one of the early 20th century’s most popular residential building forms, the American Foursquare, found in large numbers throughout Bellevue, Avalon, and Brighton Heights. Foursquare is a house form rather than a style, and different styles of stylistic ornamentation could be (and were) applied to houses of this type. Most local examples display Craftsman, Colonial Revival, Prairie, and Queen Anne decorative elements, often mixed together in the same structure. The Foursquare was descended from vernacular Classical Revival forms of the mid-19th century, and since the simple form was ideally suited to mass-production, it was a popular mail-order offering of the 1900-1930 period.
This home is the epitome of a grandchild’s dream! What is more inviting than a secret closet beneath the main staircase accessed from the basement? And Becky has created a creative space in the kitchen in the form of a magnetic and blackboard painted wall – perfect for the creation and display of children’s artwork.
While the home is perfect for its owners and many guests, its one car garage was not ideal for the 21st century. Becky and Herb build a new garage with a breezeway to the old garage and also added a patio and garden space for the perfect outdoor complement to the interior space.
The hallmarks of the Foursquare are its cube-like shape and interior plan of four rooms per floor plus a side stairway. It was ideally suited to the typical long and narrow house lot found in streetcar suburbs during the 1900-1930 period. Nearly all examples feature a pyramidal roof with one or more dormers, and a full-width or half-width porch across the facade. According to historian Alan Gowans, “despite commonly having only three instead of four columns across the front, asymmetrical placement of porches, irregular fenestration (window arrangement), and side bay windows breaking up boxy outlines, the fundamental visual effect is balanced and symmetrical.” Despite their inherent similarity of form, Foursquare houses exhibit an almost infinite variety of wall treatments, porch designs, and fenestration.
The Rawlings home exhibits Prairie Style influences, most notably its low-pitched hipped roof with wide overhanging eaves, and a prominent hipped dormer. The Prairie Style, popular between 1900 and 1920, was a purely American style of architecture developed by a group of innovative Chicago architects at the turn-of-the-century. It quickly spread throughout the country via published pattern books and popular magazines as well as the work of local architects.
The property is Lot 23 in the Bellevue Land Company’s “Sunnyside Plan of Lots,” a division of the old Bayne Farm. The land was laid out into building lots in July 1890. Like many of the subdivisions in Bellevue there were deed restrictions to encourage the construction of substantial single-family homes rather than apartments and flats. Robert J. Gibson acquired Lot 23 from the Bellevue Land Company in 1897 (Allegheny County Deed 964-113). The house at 454 does not appear on an 1897 map of Bellevue, although many other lots on the north side of Teece already contained houses by that time, illustrating the dramatic building boom that swept through Bellevue at the turn-of-the-century (G.M. Hopkins 1897). Although the county tax records indicate that the house was built in 1908, it is shown on 1906 maps so it is likely that it was built soon after Gibson acquired the land in 1897 (G.M. Hopkins 1906; Sanborn Map Co. 1906). Robert J. and Florence Walker Gibson would live there until 1946.
For over 30 years, Robert J. Gibson was ruling elder and clerk of session of the First Presbyterian Church of Pittsburgh, and he was manager of the Presbyterian Book Store for even longer. He also served as a trustee of Presbyterian Hospital in Pittsburgh; of Beaver College in Jenkintown; and of Johnston C. Smith University in Charlotte, N.C. Born near Beaver, he was educated in the Bellevue schools and attended Emsworth Academy before becoming a messenger for the Presbyterian Book Store in 1884 and eventually rising to the position of manager (Pittsburgh Sun-Telegraph, March 9, 1943). He married Florence Walker on August 6, 1904. In 1920, the couple was living at 454 Teece Avenue with son Richard (age 11 and daughter Marjorie (age 6). They are also listed at that address in the 1930 and 1940 federal censuses. In 1940, the household consisted of Robert (age 72), Florence (age 66), Marjorie (age 27, working as a clerk in the book store), and servant William Baker (age 29); the house was valued at $6,500 (U.S. Census 1920-1940). Florence was active in a number of local social organizations, including the Bellevue Women’s Club and the Literary Club of Bellevue (Pittsburgh Post, February 15, 1923; Pittsburgh Press, March 8, 1938).
Robert J. Gibson died on March 9, 1942, with the cause attributed to stroke and “exhaustion from senility” (death certificate, ancestry.com). Florence continued living at 454 Teece for a few more years, but in August 1946 she sold the property to William B. and Olive K. Hanson for $1.00 (Allegheny County Deed 2903-632). They lived quietly at 454 Teece until William’s death in June 1960. Olive then conveyed the property to Harold C. Dunn in February 1962 for $17,000 (Allegheny County Deed 3981-154). Dunn was a member of the Calvary United Methodist Church and a longtime Bellevue resident. He died at his home on May 12, 1971 (North Hills News Record, May 19, 1971). His estate conveyed the property to Paul Farine Jr., his good friend and executor who had been living with Dunn prior to his death. Farine then sold it to George E. and Martha R. Latta in August 1973 for $31,000 (Allegheny County Deeds 5060-22 and 5265-413).
George Latta worked as a health physical education teacher at Northgate High School, and also head track coach and assistant football coach for 10 years (North Hills News Record, February 24, 1971; May 26, 1986; August 27, 1986). Following their 1977 divorce, George and Martha Latta sold 454 Teece to Donald E. and Nancy A. Budd in August 1977 for $46,700 (Allegheny County Deed 5819-743). The Budds lost the property through foreclosure in 1991 and it was sold at sheriff’s sale to Larry W. Budd, Donald’s brother. Larry conveyed it to Francis R. and Jill R. Juracko in February 2000, and the Jurackos sold it to Mark Steven Rawlings, son of the present owners, in July 2021 (Allegheny County Deeds 8562-518, 8700-478, 10703-622, 18509-211).
Herbert and Becky Rawlings, the present owners, report that their son bought the house to renovate and flip it. They were living in Indiana at the time and desired to move back to Pittsburgh, so they ended up buying the house from Mark in 2023.
Owners
2023-present Becky L. and Herbert S. Rawlings
2021-2023 Mark Steven Rawlings
2000-2021 Francis R. and Jill Juracko
1992-2000 Larry W. Budd
1977-1992 Donald E. and Nancy A. Budd
1973-1977 George E. and Martha R. Latta
1972-1973 Paul Farine Jr.
1962-1972 Harold C. Dunn
1946-1962 William B. and Olive K. Hanson
1897-1946 Robert J. and Florence Walker Gibson
??-1897 Bellevue Land Company
1906 Map of Bellevue (G.M. Hopkins 1906)
1906 Map of Bellevue (Sanborn Map Co. 1906)
1940 Map of Bellevue (G.M. Hopkins 1940)