A new edition of this long unavailable classic reproduces photographic prints made from original negatives and features an extensive analytical introduction by the noted architectural historian Dell Upton.Before the 1936 publication of The Early Architecture of Western Pennsylvania, the architectual heritage of a region prominent in the history of early America had been almost totally neglected. Based on a four-year survey conducted by the Pittsburgh chapter of the American Istitute of Architects, Charles Morse Stotz's book provides the definitive description and analysis of structures ranging from log houses to colonial and Georgian structures to examples of the pre-Civil War Gothic revival. The volume defines the local architectural idiom as an expression of the frontier and early industrial societies that played such an important part in the history of nineteenth century America.This oversized volume of 416 black-and-white photographs, 81 measured drawings and an extensive text presents a splendid array of early dwellings, barns, and other outbuildings, churches, arsenals, banks, inns, commercial buildings, tollhouses, mills, and even tombstones. Time has proved this work to be the definitive record of an architectural heritage that was fast disappearing with the economic boom of World War II and the postwar years.The Early Architecture of Western Pennsylvania is also a work of precision, beauty, and integrity. The drawings ignore alterations made after 960 and shoe the buildings in their original condition, giving special attention to details such as window sashes, shutters, cornices, and roofs. The floor plan of each structure is included, and line drawings display the profiles of moldings and ornamentation. Signature stones and hardware convey the quality of the early craftsmen's work. In all cases, stone joining has been faithfully drawn, joint for joint, to record the charm of old wall patterns.This new edition makes a landmark book available to a new generation of readers - one especially aware of the importance of architectural preservation and guarding the history of the Western Pennsylvania region.

This volume describes buildings in an area central to the development of the US. It shows the diverse styles of the Commonwealth State that has its hybrid regional architectural roots in both Britain and the new experiment in democracy. Following an overview of Pennsylvania's historical and cultural geography, sections organized by region, then county, present descriptions of the homes, commercial buildings, and public spaces of Philadelphia to the resort country of the Pocono Mountains.

A definitive account of nearly every aspect of Western Pennsylvanian life and development up until the War of 1812. The book opens with a narrative of the formative years of the region. Succeeding chapters deal with the development of agriculture, industry, education, religion, social customs, and law and order --all based upon the results of the work of the Western Pennsylvania Historical Survey. Among the more than one hundred illustrations are contemporary pictures, maps, plans of forts, portraits, architectural photographs and more.

Originally known as Ruthenians, Ukrainians began to immigrate to western Pennsylvania in the late 1800s. Attracted by the region's growing importance as an industrial center, they settled in cities and towns close to their work. Like other immigrants, they faced many economic and social hardships, but they were proud to call themselves Americans as they firmly preserved and celebrated their ethnic heritage. Their dispersion among the hills and valleys of western Pennsylvania prevented the development of a highly centralized community, but it also preserved many of the unique aspects of a diverse people. Ukrainians of Western Pennsylvania chronicles where these hardworking people settled, the ways they organized community and personal life, the venues through which they presented their heritage, their contributions to the general community, and how their community has grown with the times.

West of the Schuylkill River, what was once Blockley and Kingsessing Townships is now West Philadelphia. Here is a comprehensive look at the rich architectural history of neighborhoods in and around University City and biographies of the architects who made it possible. In more than 500 images, see this area of the "City of Brotherly Love" transition from humble beginnings as a collection of sprawling farms and dusty hamlets to a streetcar suburb for upwardly mobile types looking to escape the old city and a haven for esteemed educational institutions. Packed with archival images, maps, and color photos, the book covers Cedar Park to Powelton Village, chronicling the charm and elegance found in West Philadelphia's architecture, much of which is still on public display. Examples include Second Empire, Victorian, Queen Anne, Collegiate Gothic, and Italianate styles. This is a global and historic review ideal for architects, urban planners, historians, and of course residents of Blockley and Kingsessing.

Pennsylvania has one of the largest and oldest organized Jewish Communities communities in the United States. Jews of Sephardic origin settled in what was to become the "Keystone State" in the early eighteenth century, though there were some Jewish traders in the area during the latter part of the seventeenth century. Jews began trading and residing in the areas of Central and Western Pennsylvania in the early years of the nineteenth century, and as their numbers increased, they began establishing burial societies and synagogues. The early Jewish settlers were mostly of German origin and were joined later by Jews of Central and Eastern European background. Chambersburg, Danville, Hanover, Harrisburg, Pittsburgh and Uniontown were among the early areas of Jewish settlement. In 1840, a Jewish burial society was established in Chambersburg in Central Pennsylvania, making it the first official Jewish organization established outside of Philadelphia. Congregation Rodef Shalom in Pittsburgh traces its initial beginnings to a Jewish burial society established there in 1847. There is a wealth of history and an extensive physical record of Jewish settlement throughout Central and Western Pennsylvania. Growing Jewish Communities established congregations, cemeteries, and social organizations, building their synagogues as a testament to their faith and community. Take a visual journey and discover a unique portion of Pennsylvania's ethnic and religious history.