The Mason R. Welty House

431 East Pittsburgh Street

Greensburg, Pennsylvania 15601

Industrialist and entrepreneur, Mason Welty built this house at 431 East Pittsburgh Street for himself and his wife Amelia in 1907 from the architectural plans of Truxell & Kline.  This local architectural firm designed many of the buildings in Greensburg in the first decade of the twentieth century. For comparison, these men were designing in Greensburg about the same time that Alden & Harlow were designing private homes, banks, libraries and office towers in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

 George Henry Truxell and Harry S. Kline were very significant architects in the generation before Paul A. Bartholomew (1883-1973) came on the scene.  Today, few recognize their names, but you will recognize their accomplishments: the St. Clair Theatre, Pollins Department Store and the Coulter Building on Main Street; a bank and the old armory on Harrison Avenue; several apartment buildings, the Cope Hotel and the Hotel Rappe (General Greene Hotel) on South Pennsylvania Avenue; and the building on Broad Street in South Greensburg that is now the Spitfire Grille.  In addition, there are some twenty homes that follow the Truxell & Kline styling.

 The house is characteristic of the Colonial Revival style in architecture that was a fresh look on the American landscape from any of the Victorian or Craftsman designs of the day.  Key design elements are a broad, smooth-columned front porch, large rooms on each floor with wide central halls and joined by a sweeping staircase. The roofline is set off by symmetric dormers and the entire house is fitted with large sash windows on every floor which let in plenty of light and fresh air. The whole house sits on a very subtantial quarried stone foundation—from Welty’s own quarry—that holds the house well above ground level. Notice the stone water table and the Roman brick that sets this house apart.

 These homes were built with high quality craftsmanship and great attention to detail.  Beautiful woodwork, stained glass windows and built-in bookcases and china cabinets are also signature elements. These were homes for raising families and for grand entertaining!

Welcome to our home, everyone!