King Estate
Cbaile19, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons
Description:
King Estate, also known as Baywood or the Alexander King Estate, is a grand historic mansion located at 5501 Elgin Street in Pittsburgh’s Highland Park neighborhood. Built in 1880 by Irish immigrant and glass baron Alexander King, the 22-room home is a striking example of Second Empire architecture, complete with a mansard roof, ornate detailing, and richly appointed interiors. The estate replaced an earlier house built by James Scott Negley in 1869, which was destroyed by fire. King and his wife, Cordelia, constructed Baywood as a symbol of their success and taste, and it remained in the family until their son Robert’s death in 1954.
Robert King took special care to preserve the property’s character, placing deed restrictions on the 1.8-acre estate and surrounding parkland to protect it from encroaching development. After his death, the City of Pittsburgh acquired the home and repurposed it as a public museum. Unfortunately, decades of poor maintenance and misguided renovations left the mansion in serious disrepair. Interior murals were painted over, walls were partitioned, and original features were neglected or destroyed.
In 1994, Dr. Frank Brown and his wife Maura purchased the estate and began an extraordinary restoration effort. They uncovered and restored original hand-painted ceiling murals, parquet floors, walnut wainscoting, stained-glass windows, and English tile work. With the help of skilled local artisans, they returned the home to its Gilded Age splendor, recreating lost elements and reviving the home’s historic integrity in every room.
Today, the King Estate stands as one of Pittsburgh’s finest examples of preserved 19th-century residential architecture. It was designated a City Historic Landmark in 1992 and a Pittsburgh History & Landmarks Foundation Historic Landmark in 2000. Occasionally placed on the market, Baywood is not just a home but a rare piece of the city’s architectural and cultural legacy, restored with immense care and passion.
