Chatham Village
Encyclopedia
Chatham Village is a community within the larger Mount Washington
neighborhood of the City of Pittsburgh, and an internationally acclaimed model of community design. Chatham Village Historic District, is a historic district
in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
, USA
. It is roughly bounded by Virginia Ave., Bigham St., Woodruff St., Saw Mill Run Blvd., and Olympia Rd. It was declared a National Historic Landmark
in 2005.
and Henry Wright on the principles of the Garden City Movement
of the early 20th century. It is in the Georgian
Colonial Revival
style. It was built to show that affordable housing for the working class
could be attractive and safe, however it quickly became a middle- and upper-class neighborhood because it was so attractive. The funding was provided by Pittsburgh's Buhl Foundation.
's list of Great Neighborhoods as part of its Great Places in America program, which recognized 10 neighborhoods from across the nation for good design, function, sustainability, and community involvement.
The homes are red-brick-and-slate-roof townhomes. They are situated in clusters toward interior courtyards with their rears facing the loop roads around the property. The homes do have rear-access integral garages in the basements but these are recessed several feet to greatly reduce the visual impact.
The community is regarded as one of the best-preserved examples of the Garden City
concept by city planners, architects, and landscape architects. It is also a National Historic Landmark
, on the National Register of Historic Places
, and is on the List of Pittsburgh History and Landmarks Foundation Historic Landmarks.
".
Mount Washington (Pittsburgh)
Mount Washington is a neighborhood in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania's south city area. It has a zip code of 15211 and has representation on Pittsburgh City Council by both the council members for District 3 and District 2 .It is known for its steep hill overlooking the Pittsburgh skyline, which was...
neighborhood of the City of Pittsburgh, and an internationally acclaimed model of community design. Chatham Village Historic District, is a historic district
Historic district
A historic district or heritage district is a section of a city which contains older buildings considered valuable for historical or architectural reasons. In some countries, historic districts receive legal protection from development....
in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
, USA
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It is roughly bounded by Virginia Ave., Bigham St., Woodruff St., Saw Mill Run Blvd., and Olympia Rd. It was declared a National Historic Landmark
National Historic Landmark
A National Historic Landmark is a building, site, structure, object, or district, that is officially recognized by the United States government for its historical significance...
in 2005.
History
Chatham Village was built 1932-1936, and was designed by Clarence SteinClarence Stein
Clarence Samuel Stein was an American urban planner, architect, and writer, a major proponent of the "Garden City" movement in the United States.- Biography :...
and Henry Wright on the principles of the Garden City Movement
Garden city movement
The garden city movement is a method of urban planning that was initiated in 1898 by Sir Ebenezer Howard in the United Kingdom. Garden cities were intended to be planned, self-contained communities surrounded by "greenbelts" , containing proportionate areas of residences, industry and...
of the early 20th century. It is in the Georgian
Georgian architecture
Georgian architecture is the name given in most English-speaking countries to the set of architectural styles current between 1720 and 1840. It is eponymous for the first four British monarchs of the House of Hanover—George I of Great Britain, George II of Great Britain, George III of the United...
Colonial Revival
Colonial Revival Movement
The Colonial Revival movement was a national expression of early North American culture, primarily the built and artistic environments of the east coast colonies. The Colonial Revival is generally associated with the eighteenth-century provincial fashion for the Georgian and Neoclassical styles...
style. It was built to show that affordable housing for the working class
Working class
Working class is a term used in the social sciences and in ordinary conversation to describe those employed in lower tier jobs , often extending to those in unemployment or otherwise possessing below-average incomes...
could be attractive and safe, however it quickly became a middle- and upper-class neighborhood because it was so attractive. The funding was provided by Pittsburgh's Buhl Foundation.
Relevance
In 2007, Chatham Village was included in the American Planning AssociationAmerican Planning Association
The American Planning Association is a professional organization representing the field of city and regional planning in the United States. The APA was formed in 1978 when two separate professional planning organizations, the American Institute of Planners and the American Society of Planning...
's list of Great Neighborhoods as part of its Great Places in America program, which recognized 10 neighborhoods from across the nation for good design, function, sustainability, and community involvement.
The Homes
The community is regarded as one of the best-preserved examples of the Garden City
Garden city movement
The garden city movement is a method of urban planning that was initiated in 1898 by Sir Ebenezer Howard in the United Kingdom. Garden cities were intended to be planned, self-contained communities surrounded by "greenbelts" , containing proportionate areas of residences, industry and...
concept by city planners, architects, and landscape architects. It is also a National Historic Landmark
National Historic Landmark
A National Historic Landmark is a building, site, structure, object, or district, that is officially recognized by the United States government for its historical significance...
, on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places listings in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
This is a list of the National Register of Historic Places listings in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.This is intended to be a complete list of the properties and districts on National Register of Historic Places in the city of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States...
, and is on the List of Pittsburgh History and Landmarks Foundation Historic Landmarks.
Chatham Hall
The complex includes the former home of Thomas Bigham, originally built in 1844, and renovated for use as a community clubhouse, known as Chatham Hall. Thomas James Bigham (1810-1884) was an abolitionist lawyer, and his house was "purportedly a station on the Underground RailroadUnderground Railroad
The Underground Railroad was an informal network of secret routes and safe houses used by 19th-century black slaves in the United States to escape to free states and Canada with the aid of abolitionists and allies who were sympathetic to their cause. The term is also applied to the abolitionists,...
".
External links
- Chatham Village Website http://www.chathamvillage.coop
- 2005 Pittsburgh Post-Gazette article on the community