Greensburg Downtown Historic District
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Tunnel St., Main St., Third St., and Harrison Ave., Greensburg, Pennsylvania 15601
Description:
The Greensburg Downtown Historic District in Greensburg, Pennsylvania, spans an area roughly outlined by Tunnel Street, Main Street, Third Street, and Harrison Avenue. Covering 21.8 acres (8.8 ha), it comprises 62 buildings primarily dating from 1872 to 1930. Notable among them is the former Masonic Temple at 132 South Main Street, the district's oldest structure. Adjacent to downtown Greensburg lies the Academy Hill Historic District to the north. Within the Greensburg Downtown Historic District are two sites individually listed on the National Register: the Westmoreland County Courthouse and the Greensburg Railroad Station, with the courthouse being the prominent structure.
Historically, downtown Greensburg was a bustling retail hub catering to various small communities in central Westmoreland County. Besides serving as a vital stop on the Pennsylvania Railroad, it housed the headquarters of West Penn Railways, an interurban company connecting numerous small communities to the east and south. Although the former headquarters building of West Penn Railways, now serving as City Hall, lies outside the district boundaries, it stands as a testament to Greensburg's pre-automobile growth facilitated by rail transportation.
Troutman's, the largest department store on 202-226 South Main Street, boasted the distinction of being the only downtown building with escalators. Other department stores included Royer's, Sears, and J. C. Penney, the latter housed in a building previously occupied by Pollins' Grand Depot department store. While the former three department stores have been repurposed, the J. C. Penney building was demolished in 2022. The advent of Greengate Mall in 1965, although now demolished, dealt a severe blow to downtown retailing. However, the continued presence of the courthouse lends vitality to downtown Greensburg, with many historic properties still standing.
