Allegheny County Courthouse and Jail

Allegheny County Courthouse and Jail, a photo by sportsedit15224 on Flickr.

Hello out there!

My blog has been inactive for quite some time, but since I've joined some Flickr groups that deal with historic places, especially the National Register of Historic Places and the Pittsburgh History and Landmarks Foundation placque program, I've decided to post some of my entries here on Above Bellefonte.

I love the history of Pittsburgh and its great treasure trove of architecture and places. I also love sharing it with those Flickr groups and those who happen to stumble across this blolg.

I welcome you go share any thoughts you might have or requests for any featured places you might want to see here in the commets section.

"If they honor me for the pigmy things I have already done, what will they say when they see Pittsburgh finished?" -- H.H. Richardson

Richardson, who also designed Trinity Church in Boston, the Marshall Field Warehouse Store in Chicago and created his own style, Richardsonian Romanesque, considered this the crowning achievement of a notable career that was cut short by his death at age 47.

In the 1880s, Allegheny County and Pittsburgh were emerging as industrial and financial powers, and the county government turned to Richardson in 1884 to create a courthouse and jail complex that would reflect that power.

The architect certainly met and exceeded that desire with a pair of massive buildings that dominated the center of the growing city at the time of their construction.

The jail was completed in 1886, the year of Richardson's death. Under the supervision of Richardson's successor firm, Shepley, Rutan and Coolidge, the courthouse was completed in 1888.

The Allegheny County Courthouse and Jail were added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1973.

For more on H.H. Richardson: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_Hobson_Richardson

For more on the courthouse and jail: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allegheny_County_Courthouse