Cement City Historic District
Courtesy of Generic1139
14 September 2013, 16:17:52
Location:
Description:
The Cement City Historic District, located in Donora, Pennsylvania, is a recognized historic area comprising 80 Prairie School concrete residences constructed during 1916–17. These homes were originally built to accommodate employees of the American Steel and Wire Company. The popularity of poured-in-place concrete houses in large-scale housing developments during this period was partly due to promotion by Thomas Edison. The homes in Donora utilized a newly patented construction method developed by the Lambie Concrete House Corporation, requiring a total of 10,000 barrels of Portland cement for their construction.
Designated as a historic district by the Washington County History & Landmarks Foundation, the Cement City Historic District was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1996. In 1997, the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission installed a historical marker on McKean Ave. (Pa. 837) in South Donora, recognizing the community's historical significance. Today, many of the original cement homes still stand and are utilized as private residences.
