John Woods House (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania) facts for kids
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John Woods House
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 Location in Pittsburgh
Location in Pennsylvania
Location in the United States
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| Location | 4604 Monongahela Street (Hazelwood), Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA |
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| Built | 1792 |
| Architectural style | Vernacular |
| NRHP reference No. | 93000353 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | April 29, 1993 |
The John Woods House is a very old stone house located at 4604 Monongahela Street in the Hazelwood neighborhood of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It was built way back in 1792! This special house was added to Pittsburgh's list of historic places in 1977. Later, on April 29, 1993, it was also added to the National Register of Historic Places, which means it's recognized as important to the history of the entire country.
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Discovering the Historic John Woods House
The John Woods House is a great example of a "vernacular" house. This means it was built using local styles and materials, without a famous architect. It shows us how people built homes in the late 1700s.
Who Was John Woods?
John Woods (1761–1816) was an important person in early Pittsburgh. He came from a well-known family that helped found the city. His father, Colonel George Woods, actually planned out the city of Pittsburgh in 1784. John Woods helped by doing the actual drawings for this plan, which is why it's often called the "John Woods plan of Pittsburgh."
John Woods was also a political leader. He was part of the Federalist Party. In 1797, he was elected to the Pennsylvania State Senate. Later, he became a Representative in the 14th United States Congress. He held this job from March 4, 1815, to March 3, 1817. Sadly, he was ill and never got to attend the meetings. The house stayed in the Woods family for a very long time, until 1885.
A Song Inspired Here
Did you know a famous song was inspired at the John Woods House? The famous composer Stephen Foster was friends with the Woods family. His song "Nelly Bly," written around 1849 and published in 1850, was inspired by a servant girl who worked at the Woods house.
Stephen Foster even composed this song on Rachel Keller Woods' piano! People say he wrote other famous songs on this same piano, like "Jeanie with the Light Brown Hair." Today, this historic piano is kept safe at the Stephen Foster Memorial in Pittsburgh.
What's Happening Now?
The John Woods House is currently owned by the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) of Pittsburgh. There are plans to develop the house, possibly turning it into a Scottish pub. This would give the old house a new purpose while preserving its history.
