John F. Singer House

Courtesy of Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division, PA,2-PITBU,23-3

Location:
1318 Singer Pl, Pittsburgh, PA 15221

Description:

The John F. Singer House, situated in Wilkinsburg, Pennsylvania, an eastern suburb of Pittsburgh, stands as a testament to the wealth amassed by its namesake during the American Civil War through iron and steel provision to the Union Army. This grand estate, heralded as "one of the most elaborate mansions built" in the nineteenth century, earned its place on the National Register of Historic Places in 1974.

Crafted in the Gothic Revival style, the John F. Singer House embodies opulence and sophistication. Its construction, initiated in 1863 and completed in 1869 at a cost of approximately $65,000, was overseen by architect Joseph W. Kerr. Uncharacteristically extravagant for Kerr's portfolio, the house boasts thirty-five rooms adorned with exquisite details meticulously crafted by artisans imported from Austria, Germany, and England.

With a cruciform layout featuring four gables and ornate dormers, the mansion boasts two mahogany porches, Mexican slate steps, and an Italianate-tiled foyer. Inside, each of the eighteen rooms on the first floor boasts unique marble mantels and mahogany accents. The estate, initially sprawling across thirty-five acres, included a gatehouse, carriage house, private chapel, and artificial lake, complemented by landscaped gardens, an orchard, and a vineyard.

Following John F. Singer's death in 1872, his widow and children resided in the mansion until his passing. Subsequent to his widow's demise in 1893, the property underwent various transformations, serving as a boarding house for Westinghouse executives before being subdivided into apartments.

Throughout the decades, the historic home underwent restoration efforts led by individuals like John Bos, Sally Lindsay-Bos, Steven Saling, and Michele Saling, preserving its architectural splendor and historical significance for generations to come.