Heller–Wagner Grist Mill

Posted by on Aug 13, 2026 in | Comments Off on Heller–Wagner Grist Mill   It’s a common misconception that all places in the National Register are of national significance; however, many sites and buildings have been listed for their local importance as well. The Heller–Wagner Grist Mill, listed in August 2025, is an example of one such place. The mill was built around 1764 by Simon Heller, whose family named the town where the mill still stands today,...
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Clayton-Frick Art Museum

Posted by on Apr 17, 2026 in | Comments Off on Clayton-Frick Art Museum   In 1882, Henry Clay Frick (1849–1919), the wealthy industrialist famed for his patronage of the arts and violent opposition to organized labor, purchased an Italianate-style house on Pittsburgh’s “Millionaire’s Row.” He christened the property “Clayton” and hired prominent Pittsburgh architect Frederick J. Osterling (1865–1934) to expand the building, converting it into a grand French...
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Bath Crossroads Historic District

Posted by on Jan 14, 2026 in | Comments Off on Bath Crossroads Historic District Nearly 40 years before the United States declared its independence from Great Britain, the quaint village of Bath began to emerge in Northampton County, just 8 miles north of Bethlehem. Thanks to recent local preservation efforts by the Bath Borough’s Historic Architectural Review Board, approximately 34 acres of the original crossroads village is now listed in the National Register of Historic...
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Philadelphia Cream Cheese: The Pennsylvania Story

Posted by on Dec 1, 2025 in | Comments Off on Philadelphia Cream Cheese: The Pennsylvania Story Whether smeared on a bagel, baked into cheesecake, or stuffed in peppers, Philadelphia Cream Cheese is a popular dairy product found in kitchens across the United States and throughout the world. Various sources note that the origin of cream cheese is not in Philadelphia but in New York State. Yet, its history is more nuanced than those common fast facts. The product has a complex history that...
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Hanauer Rosenberg Residence

Posted by on Dec 1, 2025 in | Comments Off on Hanauer Rosenberg Residence Nestled in Pittsburgh’s Deutschtown neighborhood, an unassuming rowhouse was once the home of Pauline Hanauer Rosenberg (1863–1940), a leader of Progressive Era reform movements and founding member of the National Council of Jewish Women (NCJW), the first nationwide Jewish women’s organization. Rosenberg was born into a German Jewish family in Allegheny City (now part of Pittsburgh). She and her...
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The Continental Building

Posted by on Aug 29, 2025 in | Comments Off on The Continental Building As Pennsylvania prepares for the 250th anniversary of the nation’s founding, much attention will be given to Independence Hall and the surrounding mall in Philadelphia. But it’s not only these colonial buildings that deserve our attention. In the adjacent blocks stand several significant modernist structures worth noting, too. One such example, the Continental Building, was listed in the...
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Irish-Townsend House

Posted by on Jun 11, 2025 in | Comments Off on Irish-Townsend House In 2021, members of the New Brighton Historical Society (NBHS) learned that the asking price on the Irish-Townsend House had been slashed by 50 percent. The historic building had been sitting empty and deteriorating for years, and its out-of-state owner wanted to sell. Mike Spratt, president of NBHS, took the walkthrough with the realtor. “The [NBHS] leadership team was amazed how much of the...
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From the Executive Director

Posted by on Jun 11, 2025 in | Comments Off on From the Executive Director History is all around us. When you drive through one of the more than 2,500 cities, boroughs and townships across the commonwealth, history informs the character of each place. The local traditions, the appearance of the buildings, and the planned open space all reflect the people, their responses to the environment, and their choices — both conscious and unconscious. Pennsylvania bank barns,...
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Margaret Esherick House

Posted by on Feb 24, 2025 in | Comments Off on Margaret Esherick House Nestled to the east of Chestnut Hill’s Pastouris Park in Philadelphia, along a quiet cul-de-sac, sits an architectural masterpiece that exudes the International style, popular in the mid-20th century. Completed in 1962 by prolific architect Louis Kahn (1901–74), best known for his institutional works, in collaboration with prominent artist Wharton Esherick (1887–1970), this one-bedroom,...
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The Seventh Annual Community Initiative Awards

Posted by on Nov 18, 2024 in | Comments Off on The Seventh Annual Community Initiative Awards Each May, to celebrate National Historic Preservation Month, the Pennsylvania State Historic Preservation Office (PA SHPO) announces the winners of its annual Community Initiative Awards. PA SHPO started the awards program in 2016 to recognize the hard work and dedication of outstanding organizations, municipalities, agencies and individuals that advance and expand the definition of historic...
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