Cranberry to demolish 162-year-old one-room schoolhouse (Pittsburgh, Chambersburg: sale, how much, neighborhood)

[MathmanMathman]

Originally Posted by UKyank

As far as 1 room school houses go and historical properties in general this one is pretty plain and uninspiring & has no historical significance. Just because its old doesn't mean it needs to be saved. I likewise don't understand why it being in Cranberry makes it any different; Pittsburgh demolishes much nicer historical buildings on a regular basis without any attempt to save them.

But from an American perspective, a building 162 years old, dating back to 1850, is pretty amazing.

I don't know how many are around still but you'd think it'd be pretty cool to be able to show what an actual old one-room-school-house was like. But it would have to be moved to someplace better suited as a small attraction.

[NewJerseyMemories]

Originally Posted by Tallysmom

I just WISH I could find out if it's true..... I mean -- it would have to have been in the newspapers, but I don't have a time frame. I would think that house would have been from the 20's or 30's. The house I grew up in was built in 1949, if I remember correctly, and at that time the great details I love about older architecture has was waning -- for instance, we didn't have wide baseboards, we had the more fashionable inch and a half. Our hardwood floors were a lighter oak. We didn't have carved detailed doors, they were slab doors. Our front door had three windows.

And I don't think I can access Pittsburgh papers out here on Microfilm...

I only found these articles:

Charleroi Mail, Wednesday, May 13, 1953, Page 14

North Hills Flashback: Cranberry Hall - Pine-Richland, PA Patch
(In the comments are statements about the murder).

[Tallysmom]

Originally Posted by NewJerseyMemories

I only found these articles:

Charleroi Mail, Wednesday, May 13, 1953, Page 14

North Hills Flashback: Cranberry Hall - Pine-Richland, PA Patch
(In the comments are statements about the murder).

that is SO cool you found those... I had thought the guys name was Storch, but I figured with all my tv watching I mixed him up Corporal Agarn from F-Troop.... Larry Storch....

Thank you so much. I'll put this in my genealogical binder, even though I'm not related to him.

[greg42]

I went by this red-painted schoolhouse today. A few thoughts:

What is missing when you look on the satellite view is that between it and the rear access of the shopping center is a drainage retention pond. The ground drops off as a steep cliff just a few feet behind the building. Indeed there is a chain link fence there. There isn't even really enough space to landscape this for a screen against that stuff behind it.

On either side of it there is some space, long and narrow between that fence and the road. The road gets a fair bit of traffic. The front of the building is only a few feet from the road.

I don't really know a lot about moving buildings, but my hunch is that a 162-year-old brick building would crumble if you tried to move it. I don't know. I think a frame building would be easier. Just a hunch.

I took some pics; once I get more situated I can probably post them, though I may have to sort out a few things first.

[greg42]

So here's a bit more description, including saying the weakened structure means that moving the building isn't possible: Cranberry Township - Official Website

And if you really want to go in depth, try the Historical Society's Facebook Page (more active than their web site): https://www.facebook.com/groups/explorecranberry/ The current main pic on there is of the school, complete with dirt road. The chimney is gone now it seems, although I would have to guess in their picture the road is behind the school for some reason, as that looks like the bare rear wall. (EDIT: Actually, the location of the doorway was swapped at some point; it used to be on the side facing away from the road. There are 4 pics if you click on the main one.) If you go back through the posts there is quite a lot of detail about the whole thing.

[NewJerseyMemories]

Originally Posted by Tallysmom

that is SO cool you found those... I had thought the guys name was Storch, but I figured with all my tv watching I mixed him up Corporal Agarn from F-Troop.... Larry Storch....

Thank you so much. I'll put this in my genealogical binder, even though I'm not related to him.

You are very welcome!

[gg]

Originally Posted by greg42

I went by this red-painted schoolhouse today. A few thoughts:

What is missing when you look on the satellite view is that between it and the rear access of the shopping center is a drainage retention pond. The ground drops off as a steep cliff just a few feet behind the building. Indeed there is a chain link fence there. There isn't even really enough space to landscape this for a screen against that stuff behind it.

So they slapped the retention pond right next to it. Guess that sealed the cool schoolhouse's fate right there. I would expect nothing less from planners of such places. Giant parking lots with run off where ever they can get away with at the least cost, without regard for anything.

[SteelCityRising]

Originally Posted by UKyank

As far as 1 room school houses go and historical properties in general this one is pretty plain and uninspiring & has no historical significance. Just because its old doesn't mean it needs to be saved. I likewise don't understand why it being in Cranberry makes it any different; Pittsburgh demolishes much nicer historical buildings on a regular basis without any attempt to save them.

Pittsburgh has thousands of historic structures, and while we do lose some to the wrecking ball we've managed to preserve the majority of them. The ones that do perish are mourned by those of us who cherish them. AlleghenyAngel has a blog dedicated to saving our history. My neighborhood association has been fighting a rogue suburban developer who has been destroying historic edifices on the Iron City Brewery site without having a permit to do so. When you have a place like Cranberry Township where you can seemingly count the number of historic structures on two hands, it's disheartening that so few in the community care about preserving them. You can find a two-story home built in 2008 and clad with beige vinyl siding in every suburb in the U.S. On the other hand, not every suburb can claim to have a one-room schoolhouse dating back to the 1800s.

[PreservationPioneer]

Originally Posted by SteelCityRising

Pittsburgh has thousands of historic structures, and while we do lose some to the wrecking ball we've managed to preserve the majority of them.

We lose much more than we preserve, in terms of historic residential buildings. Check the City of Pittsburgh demolition lists to see what I mean. Aside from the residential buildings, we have recently lost: St. Nicholas Church, Des Places Hall, the Lamar Building, 121 University Place, some buildings in the Iron City complex, and at least a few more historic churches (Spring Hill Church, Esplen Church). Recent preservation success stories I can think of: the Highland Building, Fifth Avenue School lofts, South Side School lofts, the McCook Mansion..

It seems to be mostly the historic residential architecture of Pittsburgh that is endangered, although there are occasionally some larger historic buildings that are threatened.

[greg42]

Originally Posted by h_curtis

So they slapped the retention pond right next to it. Guess that sealed the cool schoolhouse's fate right there. I would expect nothing less from planners of such places. Giant parking lots with run off where ever they can get away with at the least cost, without regard for anything.

Actually if you read through the details, the thing that most sealed its fate is much simpler: paving the road. Nobody ever dealt properly with the drainage. Keep in mind the building is just a few feet from the road. So presumably the process that ultimately wrecked the foundation started some decades before the shopping center. The condition of the building is killing the preservation far more than its proximity to the rear of the big box stores.