While researching for my recent talk on the early history of Upper St. Clair and Bethel Townships, I came across a map of Upper St. Clair in 1851, a print of which was for sale on the Internet. I immediately ordered it and have been quite pleased with what I received. Turns out it was a small portion of a map of Allegheny County “with the Names of Property Holders from actual surveys by Sidney S. Neff and S. McRea”. It does indeed have sufficient detail in the area that would eventually become Bridgeville to be of considerable interest.
Like most old maps, this one reinforces some information we already have, disagrees with some, and introduces a handful of brand new questions. In this one, Washington Avenue follows the same general route as today, except for a short (100 feet) acute dogleg to the west roughly where Sarasnick’s is today. We know that Robert Johnson purchased a narrow right-of-way in the early 1800s for a mill race serving the grist mill he was building, where (probably) Triangle Park is today. Perhaps this dogleg is the memory of the spot where the mill race crossed the Washington Pike.
Three roads are shown intersecting what is now Washington Avenue – today they are Chartiers Street, Bower Hill Road, and Presley Road. Eight buildings are shown on the east side of the Pike between Chartiers and Bower Hill Road. The first one is identified as “Dr. G. S. Hayes”. This, of course, is the house at 745 Washington Road that was torn down in the 1990s to permit an extension of the Fryer Funeral Home. Built by John McDowell around 1820, it is featured on page 15 of the Bridgeville Area Historical Society book “Bridgeville”. Dr. David Donaldson took over Dr. Hayes’ practice, residence, and office in the late 1850s.
The map shows an unidentified building between the Hayes residence and “H. Morgan’s Store”. Hugh Morgan’s Store was located at what is now the southern corner of the intersection of James Street and Washington Avenue. It was a significant Bridgeville landmark and general gathering spot in those days. In 1863 Morgan’s Store became the location of a post office, initially called Moorhead.
The next identified building on the map is “A. Shaffer & Co. Woolen Facl”. Located at about 565 Washington Avenue (today), this was the well-documented fulling mill operated by the Shaffer family in the mid-1800s. The mill converted wool sheared from sheep into yarn, which was then used to weave flannel, broadcloth, and blankets. According to John Poellott (page 21 in Bridgeville), the unidentified building shown on the map between Morgan’s Store and the fulling mill was the residence of the Thomas Roach family.
Today’s Station Street is not shown on this map; from other sources we know that “Foster’s Lane” followed that route to Judge Henry Baldwin’s beautiful old home, “Recreation”, in Greenwood Place. On this map that residence is identified as “W. Foster”. By 1851 the home had been acquired by W. E. Foster and was home to his large family.
Back on Washington Pike, an unidentified house is shown on the southwest corner of Foster’s Lane as well as one on the northeast corner. Thanks to John Poellott, we know that the first one was the residence of Mrs. Harriott, and the second one the home of Dr. W. J. Gilmore. Directly across the Pike from Gilmore’s is one of the few houses on its west side in 1851, designated “J. Middleswarth”. This, of course, is the famous “Jonathan’s Folly”, 450 Washington Avenue, described on page 18 in Bridgeville. Like far too many local landmarks, this handsome mansion was demolished in the late 1900s to provide space for a parking lot.
Two more buildings are shown on the east side of the Pike between Dr. Gilmore’s home and Bower Hill Road. According to John Poellott, the one at 423 Washington Avenue was occupied by the Alan Aiken family in the 1850s. Currently the location of “Antiques on Washington”, it is easily the oldest surviving building in Bridgeville. The building between it and Bower Hill Road is described as housing a cabinet-maker/undertaker.
The 1851 map has no buildings on the east side of the Pike between Bower Hill Road and the north end bridge over Chartiers Creek. Surprisingly, John Poellott’s 1859 sketch populates that stretch with five houses – Poellotts’, Isaac Rankin’s, Bridges’, Dr. Calahan’s, and Logans’. There must have been a flurry of construction activity in the 1850s in that neighborhood. Back from the Pike, close to where the Wheeling and Lake Erie Railroad crosses Chartiers Creek is a building with the name, “Curry”. We have no knowledge of this family.
Two buildings are shown on the west side of the Pike between Presley Road and Chartiers Creek, with the designation “Bridgeville Hotel”. John Poellott describes them as a hotel and stable operated by Mr. and Mrs. G. W. Boyd. The 1851 map has an unusual topographic symbol on the west side of the Pike south of Presley Road, suggesting the presence of a small hill or cliff. Close to the current location of Murray Avenue is an unidentified building that Poellott’s description suggests is the home of the Agger family.
The biggest puzzle presented by this map is McLaughlin Run. Instead of flowing downstream along its current route, it follows Bower Hill Road uphill to the northeast before tunneling through Cook’s Hill to Chartiers Creek. Let’s chalk that one up to cartographic errors.
Old maps are treasures for old cartographers; we hope some of the rest of you find them interesting as well. It is remarkable that this sleepy collection of buildings scattered along the Washington Pike in 1851 evolved into the bustling Borough that Bridgeville became fifty years later.