Notes on Selected Resources

Allegheny County Historic Sites Survey data

• records of survey conducted by Pittsburgh History & Landmarks Foundation in 1979-1984 to document historic buildings and sites in Allegheny County

architectural brochures

• printed materials produced by architects, developers, and realty companies to promote and market architectural services and architectural space
• see Martin Aurand, Architectural Brochures: History, Hype & Graphic Design (Carnegie Mellon University Architecture Archives, 1990)

atlases, plat books and fire insurance maps

• maps published in book format since the 1870's, most by G. M. Hopkins and the Sanborn Map Company
• usually show name of property owner, street addresses, and dimensions for individual properties; and show footprints, building materials, and number of stories for buildings
• published periodically; thus a comparison of volumes for the same area shows development over time
• volumes are usually designated by ward or vicinity
• some volumes have updated information pasted onto original pages, so check dates carefully
• University of Pittsburgh's Archives of Industrial Society collection has the most complete collection of original maps; many copies are on microfilm at Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh Main (Oakland); Carnegie Mellon University Hunt Library copies include Sanborn Fire Insurance Maps on microfilm
• many G. M. Hopkins maps owned by the University of Pittsburgh and Historical Society of Western Pennsylvania are available on the web at Historic Pittsburgh .

biographies, pictures and portraits card indexes / Business and Biography Card Index

• indexes to selected library materials at Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh Main (Oakland) - Pennsylvania Department, and the Western Pennsylvania Historical Society
• a good place to start for biographical and historical information on architects, builders, clients, businesses,etc.

block and lot card file

• Allegheny County Board of Property Assessment card file provides partial information about selected property transactions
• can provide a shortcut to deed research

block and lot maps

• Allegheny County Board of Property Assessment maps provide current information about block and lot numbers and property lines

Builder (Pittsburgh)

• monthly journal, vols. 20-34:3 (some issues missing), 1904-1919, at Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh Main (Oakland) on paper and microfilm
• articles and illustrations on regional architecture

Builders Bulletin

• weekly newsletter of Pittsburgh Builders Exchange, vols. 1-89:13 , 1916-2005. Weekly. Continued online for members of the Pittsburgh Builders Exchange.
• lists regional building projects, including architect's name, in Building Operations column
• 1916-1926 at Carnegie Mellon University Architecture Archives; 1921--2005 at Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh Main (Oakland)

building permits

• each permit gives information such as date, name of property owner, name of builder, address (often imprecise), cost, building type, building size, and building materials; does not give name of architect
• City of Pittsburgh building permits dated 1877-1916 and City of Allegheny building permits dated 1894-1908 are at University of Pittsburgh's Archives of Industrial Society in paper dockets and on microfilm
• University of Pittsburgh's Archives of Industrial Society collection also includes permits for additions, alterations and repairs, and permits for electrical wiring, for various dates between 1890-1916
• City of Pittsburgh building permits dated 1917-1947 are missing and presumably destroyed
• City of Pittsburgh building permits dated 1948-present are at City of Pittsburgh's Bureau of Building Inspection
• see also permanent plans card file

Charette

• monthly journal of Pittsburgh Architectural Club; later, also journal of the Pittsburgh Chapter of the American Institute of Architects, and the Pennsylvania Society of Architects, vols. 1-54, 1920-1974
• tremendous source for information on the Pittsburgh architectural scene
• the 1926-1929 issues list regional building projects, with names of architects, in "Architects' Building Bulletin" column
• the 1948-1949 issues feature member profiles
• the 1956-1971 issues feature articles by James D. Van Trump
• Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh Main (Oakland) has a partial index to vols. 3-20, 1922-1940
• View online at Charette.

city directories

• annual volumes similar to telephone directories, published since the early nineteenth-century for Pittsburgh and vicinity, most by R. L. Polk
• organized by name, with address, and, in most volumes, occupation; also organized by address from 1929-present
• Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh Main (Oakland) copies are on microfilm; Historical Society of Western Pennsylvania copies are on paper

Columns

• monthly journal of the Pittsburgh Chapter of the American Institute of Architects, vols. 1- , 1987-

Construction

• weekly journal, vols. 1-3, 1905-1906 (continuation of The Municipal Record.)
• articles on Pittsburgh-area architecture
• lists regional building projects, with names of architects
• Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh Main (Oakland) has microfilm copy, and only known paper copy in off-site storage

deeds

• records of property transactions, filed at Allegheny County Recorder of Deeds
• each deed givse name of property owner, and may give clues to building construction date; does not give name of architect
• the Russell System of indexing in Direct (grantor) and Adsectum (grantee) indexes is used in Allegheny County
• deeds 1986-present are online
• see also block and lot card file

drawings

• Carnegie Mellon University Architecture Archives has major collection and is a clearinghouse for information
• blueprints submitted with building permit applications have been selectively retained by the City of Pittsburgh's Bureau of Building Inspection since 1915, and have been transferred to microforms; these can be viewed, but no copies can be made

Historic American Buildings Survey / Historic American Engineering Record data

• records of federal programs to document historic sites in measured drawings, photographs, and information sheets
• see Historic American Buildings Survey / Historic American Engineering Record

Inland Architect and News Record / Inland Architect and Builder

• monthly journal of architecture in the American Midwest, vols. 1-52, 1883-1909
• the cs. 1885-1897 issues list regional building projects, with names of architects, in a "Synopsis of Building News" column
• Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh Main (Oakland) copy is microfilm; Carnegie Mellon University's Hunt Library copy is paper

Interstate Architect and Builder / Ohio Architect & Builder

• the most useful years for Pittsburgh are 1903 - 1907
• includes profiles of architectural firms located or working in Western Pennsylvania
• on microfilm at the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh

local newspapers and magazines

• especially useful for prominent buildings if a key date is known
• useful city-wide and regional publications include daily newspapers and additional titles including The Pittsburgh Bulletin (partial index 1887-1928 available at Pittsburgh History & Landmarks Foundation), The Index, The Bulletin-Index, Pittsburgh First, Greater Pittsburgh, The Pittsburgh Catholic, The Presbyterian Banner, The Pittsburgher, Carnegie Magazine, Executive Report, The Pittsburgh Business Times, In Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh City Paper, etc.
• useful neighborhood and community publications incluce Allegheny, the Oaklander, The Point, Market Square, etc.
• numerous local newspapers and magazines are on microfilm at the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh Main (Oakland) and at other local libraries

National Register of Historic Places data

• records of national landmarking program
• Pittsburgh Hitory & Landmarks Foundation has a selection of locally produced nominations
• all nominations are accessible through the National Register of Historic Places

Pittsburgh Architects and Architecture card index

• partial index to Builder (Pittsburgh), Inland Architect, and other resources at Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh Main (Oakland)

permanent plans card file

• City of Pittsburgh's Bureau of Building Inspection card file gives much the same information as building permits for selected Pittsburgh building projects dated ca. 1890-1960
• includes years for which building permits are missing
• see also building permits

Pittsburgh Architectural Club Exhibition Catalogues

• catalogues of Pittsburgh Architectural Club exhibitions, vols. 1-11, 1900-1916
• include work of member architects, local architectural students, and out-of-town architects
• consists of lists of exhibits, photographs of selected exhibits, and advertisements for the building industry
• lists of exhibits, with names of architects and projects, may or may not be bound into a given volume
• Carnegie Mellon University Architecture Archives has a photocopy of the similar publication Catalogue of the Annual Architectural Exhibition by the Pittsburgh Chapter American Institute of Architects (1898)

Pittsburgh City Photographer's Collection

• University of Pittsburgh's Archives of Industrial Society collection of photographs of civic facilities and other public projects taken by the official city photographer, dated 1905-1950

Pittsburgh Photographic Library

• Carnegie Library of PittsburghMain (Oakland) - Pennsylvania Department collection includes miscellaneous photographs of architectural subjects, and the City of Pittsburgh Department of Public Works Collection

plan maps

• records of land subdivisions, filed at Allegheny County Recorder of Deeds Plan Department

Van Trump Papers

• collection of publications, unpublished manuscripts, notes, etc. of James D. Van Trump, Pittsburgh's most noted architectural historian

Western Pennsylvania Architectural Survey Collection

• records of project conducted by the Pittsburgh Chapter A.I.A. in 1932-1936 to document early buildings throughout Western Pennsylvania in measured drawings and photographs, archived at Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh Main (Oakland)
• much of this data was published as The Early Architecture of Western Pennsylvania; and reprinted as The Architectural Heritage of Western Pennsylvania.

Works Progress Administration Property Survey data

• records of building-by-building survey in Allegheny County conducted in 1936-1937, archived at Allegheny County Records Center
• gives basic descriptive information, and sometimes schematic plans and elevations

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