Greensburg Downtown Historic District (Greensburg, Pennsylvania) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
|
|
Greensburg Downtown Historic District
|
|
Street scene on South Pennsylvania Avenue
|
|
 Location in Pennsylvania
Location in the United States
|
|
| Location | Roughly bounded by Tunnel St., Main St., Third St. and Harrison Ave., Greensburg, Pennsylvania |
|---|---|
| Area | 21.8 acres (8.8 ha) |
| Architect | Cram, Ralph Adams; Cookman, William H., et al. |
| Architectural style | Italianate, Romanesque, Classical Revival |
| NRHP reference No. | 95000884 |
| Added to NRHP | July 21, 1995 |
The Greensburg Downtown Historic District is a special area in Greensburg, Pennsylvania. It's like a time capsule showing how the city used to be. This district includes 62 important buildings. These buildings are mostly from the years 1872 to 1930.
The oldest building in the district is the former Masonic Temple. It was built in 1872. The district is roughly bordered by Tunnel Street, Main Street, Third Street, and Harrison Avenue. It covers about 21.8 acres.
Two very important buildings are inside this district. They are the Westmoreland County Courthouse and the Greensburg Railroad Station. The courthouse is considered the most important building in the whole district.
Greensburg's downtown used to be a very busy shopping area. It served many smaller towns nearby. It was also a key stop on the Pennsylvania Railroad. Plus, it was the main office for West Penn Railways. This company ran long-distance trolleys, called interurbans. These trolleys connected Greensburg to many small towns.
All these train and trolley lines helped Greensburg grow a lot. This happened before cars became popular. The old West Penn Railways office building is still standing. It is now Greensburg's City Hall.
Greensburg had several big department stores. Troutman's was the largest. It was the only downtown building with escalators. Other stores included Royer's, Sears, and J. C. Penney. All these old store buildings are still there. They are now used for other things.
In 1965, a new shopping center called Greengate Mall opened. This really hurt the downtown stores. Many towns saw this happen. But the courthouse still brings people downtown. And many historic buildings are still standing.
Contents
Cool Buildings to See
Ehalt Street: The Train Station
Ehalt Street is named after Jacob Ehalt. He was a German immigrant who owned a hotel.
Greensburg Train Station
The Greensburg Train Station is at 101 Ehalt Street. It was built in 1911. The station was designed for the Pennsylvania Railroad. Its style is called Jacobean Revival.
Trains first came to Greensburg in 1852. A small station was built in 1860. Later, the railroad added more tracks. They also raised the tracks to make them flatter. This meant a new station was needed.
When the current station opened, four tracks passed by it. There were two platforms for passengers. One platform was for eastbound trains. The other was for westbound trains. The station is below the tracks. Passengers walked through a tunnel. Then they went up stairs to reach their train.
Today, there are only two tracks. Each track has its own platform. Amtrak still offers regular train service here. The old waiting room is now a restaurant. The old baggage area is used for offices.
Harrison Avenue: A Tall Hotel
Harrison Avenue is named after William Henry Harrison.
Penn Towers (Old Penn-Albert Hotel)
Penn Towers is at 137 Harrison Avenue. It opened in 1923 as the Penn-Albert Hotel. It is one of the tallest buildings in Greensburg. Today, it provides homes for senior citizens.
The building has a red brick outside. It shows Georgian Revival style details. It has 8 to 11 floors, depending on how you count them. When it was a hotel, guests would walk through a small shopping area. Then they would go up a few stairs to the lobby. The lobby was next to a restaurant.
There was a ballroom called the "Crystal Room." It was on a middle floor. At the very top, there was a roof garden. People could dance and have events there. It was first open to the air. Later, it was fully enclosed. The top two floors were for fancy suites. These were for people staying a long time.
The hotel's name "Penn" came from William Penn. "Albert" came from the first owner, John Albert Sheetz.
Main Street: Historic Buildings from North to South
Christ Episcopal Church
Christ Episcopal Church is at 145 North Main Street. It is a sandstone church. It was built in 1889. The church is in a Gothic Revival style.
Union Trust Building
The Union Trust Building is at 102 North Main Street. It is a two-story red brick building. It was built in 1921. It used to be a bank and office building. The Westmoreland Cultural Trust bought it in 2004. Now, it has shops and offices. It also has a conference center.
Sears Department Store
The old Sears Department Store is at 101 North Main Street. It is now used as offices. This two-story brick building was built around 1930. It has a Classical Revival style.
Bank and Trust Building
The Bank and Trust Building is at 41 North Main Street. It is a four-story building. It was built in 1896. It shows a Romanesque Revival style.
Westmoreland County Courthouse
The Westmoreland County Courthouse is at 2 North Main Street. It is the fourth courthouse for the county. It was built between 1906 and 1908. It has a beautiful dome. This dome looks a lot like the U.S. Capitol building. Inside, there is a grand staircase.
The architect, William Kauffman, designed it. The outside is made of granite. The inside has 15 wall and ceiling paintings. These were done by artist Maurice Ingres.
1 North Main Street
This building was built in 1928. It was first a bank. It has a limestone front. It is in a Classical Revival style. It was first the Barclay-Westmoreland Trust. Then it became Mellon Bank, and later Citizens' Bank.
First Commonwealth Bank
First Commonwealth Bank is at 111 South Main Street. It was originally First National Bank. This is a seven-story red brick building. It was built in 1924. It is in a Classical Revival style. Paul Bartholomew was the architect. He also designed Troutman's and the YMCA.
St. Vincent de Paul
St. Vincent de Paul is at 126 South Main Street. This building was once McCrory's. McCrory's was a "5 and 10" or variety store. This building from the 1920s is now a thrift shop. It is run by the Society of St. Vincent de Paul. The inside and outside still look much like they did when it was a "5 and 10" store.
Masonic Temple Building
The Masonic Temple Building is at 132 South Main Street. It is a four-story building. It has a special front made of cast iron in an Italianate style. It was built in 1872. This makes it the oldest building in the historic district. It is now used for law offices.
Troutman's Department Store
Troutman's Department Store is at 202-226 South Main Street. It was once the biggest department store in the city. Now, it has offices and homes for seniors. It has six stories. The outside is made of limestone and terracotta. It is in an Italianate style. The main part was built in 1923. An addition was built in the 1960s.
First Presbyterian Church of Greensburg
First Presbyterian Church of Greensburg is at 300 South Main Street. It is an English Gothic style church. It was built in 1917. The famous architect Ralph Adams Cram designed it. He also designed parts of the Cathedral of Saint John the Divine in New York. He also designed many buildings at Princeton University.
Otterman Street: Entertainment and History
This street is named after Ludwig Otterman. He was an early settler.
Palace Theatre
The Palace Theatre is at 21 West Otterman Street. It used to be called the Manos Theater. It is a three-story red brick building. It has some Art Deco features. It has been fixed up and is now a place for live shows.
It was built in 1926. It first had offices and apartments on the upper floors. Shops and the theater lobby were on the first floor. There was a billiard hall and bowling alleys in the basement. Renovations in 2004 added a new suite for guests.
Stark / James Building
The Stark / James Building is a three-story brick building. It is at the corner of West Otterman Street and Harrison Avenue. The older part is the Stark Hotel. It was built in 1889. It was also known as the Merchants Hotel.
A small part of the building might be even older. It is believed to include parts of a structure from 1796. A stone on the east wall says "Rebuilt 1888 1796." The hotel used to be for traveling salespeople. Later, it offered cheap rooms for older people.
The Westmoreland Cultural Trust bought the building in 2001. They fixed it up nicely for shops and offices. The James Building next door was also bought by the Trust. Both buildings are now managed as one.
Pittsburgh Street: Old Hotel Turned Apartments
It's interesting that Pittsburgh Street is not called First Street. There is no First Street in Greensburg.
Cope Hotel
The Cope Hotel is at 22 West Pittsburgh Street. It was one of Greensburg's oldest hotels. It was built in 1893. It is a three-story red brick building. It has a Romanesque Revival style. It also has an attic and a basement with shops.
It is named after Cyrus P. Cope. He ran a tavern on this spot. He also owned the hotel when it was built. From 2009 to 2010, the upper floors were renovated. They are now used as student apartments. They are called the Felice Building Apartments.
