Pennsalt Historic District facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Pennsalt Historic District
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 Location in Pennsylvania
Location in the United States
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| Location | Roughly bounded by Federal, Penn, and Pond Streets, and Philadelphia and Blue Ridge Avenues, in Natrona, Pennsylvania |
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| Built | 1850–1924 |
| Architect | Pennsalt Co. |
| Architectural style | Gothic Revival, Greek Revival |
| NRHP reference No. | 85001571 |
| Added to NRHP | July 18, 1985 |
The Pennsalt Historic District is a special area in Natrona, Pennsylvania. It's also known as the Pennsalt Company Houses. This district is a collection of old homes built by a company long ago. It shows what a "company town" looked like in western Pennsylvania during the mid-to-late 1800s. These buildings are still mostly in their original condition.
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A Look Back: The Pennsalt Historic District
What is a Company Town?
Imagine a town where one big company built everything. That's a company town. The company would build homes, stores, and other buildings for its workers. This way, employees lived close to where they worked. The Pennsylvania Salt Manufacturing Company created the Pennsalt Historic District as its own company town.
Building Homes for Workers
The Pennsylvania Salt Manufacturing Company started building this area in the 1850s. They built many homes for their employees. Between 1850 and 1880, about 150 houses were built. Some were small, one-story cottages made of wood. Others were two-story brick rowhouses, which are houses joined together in a row. This area was a company town for about 100 years. It covers about six blocks next to the Allegheny River.
Becoming a Historic Landmark
Because of its unique history, the Pennsalt Historic District was added to the National Register of Historic Places on July 18, 1985. This means it's recognized as an important historical site.
Saving History: The Old Natrona Store
In 2001, there was a discussion about one of the old buildings in the district. This building was called the Old Natrona Store. Local leaders thought it was unsafe and too expensive to fix. They wanted to tear it down.
However, officials from the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission (PHMC) disagreed. They felt the store should be saved. They said it was one of the few remaining buildings from the town's early days. It was important to the history of the salt industry in the area.
The store was in bad shape. Its roof had fallen in, and parts of the building were loose. But some parts of the brick building were still strong. After much discussion, an agreement was reached. The Old Natrona Store could be torn down. But first, it had to be photographed and its history officially recorded. This way, its story would not be lost.
