Historical Places in Irwin, Pennsylvania

<< Visit any of the categories to the left for links to Irwin based Web sites.

Brush Hill
Also known as Old Scull House
651 Brush Hill Rd., Irwin

• Historic Significance: Architecture/Engineering, Person
• Architect, builder, or engineer: Irwin,Col. John
• Architectural Style: Federal
• Historic Person: Skull,John
• Significant Year: 1798
• Area of Significance: Transportation, Architecture, Communications
• Period of Significance: 1750-1799
• Owner: Private
• Historic Function: Domestic
• Historic Sub-function: Single Dwelling
• Current Function: Domestic, Recreation And Culture
• Current Sub-function: Museum, Single Dwelling2

Description

Source - National Register of Historic Places Inventory Nomination Form, dated 1975.

The Brush Hill mansion was constructed by Col. John Irwin in 1798. The Federal style home is a two story fieldstone structure. A program has been underway to restore Brush Hill to its original appearance. The removal of the Victorian front porch, restoration of white paint to the cornice and woodwork, and the loss of the rear wing (added in 1886, removed in 1955) have all contributed to this recent similarity to the original appearance.

The mansion has a Georgian floor plan. The central staircase rises three flights to a large, floored attic. A living room, dining room, bedroom, and library are found on the first floor. The second floor has four bedrooms and a dressing room and bath which were constructed in the old sewing room in 1955. Much more of the original interior work remains on the second floor than does on the first. However, during the current restoration, some alterations are being made. For example, the cherry wood doors are being recovered from basement storage for all lower floor doorways. The attic has an unusual roof support of pegged, hand-hewn beams.

The mansion's exterior is symmetrical and has a central main entranceway whose double staircase is a pyramid-tiered shale-stone arrangement with an iron railing that runs parallel to the house. The wood panel door has an arched surround which has radiating voussoirs and originally held a fanlight. All the windows are rectangular and identical in size; and they all have voussoirs, moulded frames, and four panes. The first floor has three windows on either side of the front door and two on each side gable. The second floor has the same window arrangement with the additional of one window over the main door. The boxed cornice with return is original and is decorated with modilliots and dentils. The medium gable roof has a large single straddle stone chimney and two smaller attic windows at each side gable.

The original front entrance was removed by George R. Scull during his major remodeling product about 1886. This was the same time at which he erected the large two story rear wing. By the 1950's the carriage house, barn, and other dependencies were gone. Restoration plans include the removal of false ceilings, a more formal driveway, and general period landscaping.

Statement of Significance

Brush Hill was the home of Colonel John Irwin (1739-1822) whose family named that town and area near. The house is important architecturally because it is one of the earliest "mansion scale" houses west of the Appalachians. Brush Hill was the largest of Irwin's three plantations. Irwin and his relatives and descendent's were prominent in the political, social, and economic growth of the area. Col. Irwin rendered important services to the cause of the American Revolution.

The John Scull family became the inheritors of the Brush Hill Estate through marriage. The Scull family is noted in history on both sides of the Atlantic. John Skull, Col. Irwin's son-in-law, founded the Pittsburgh Gazette, the first newspaper west of the Allegheny's. Another important contribution of the Skull-Irwin relationship was the construction of the turnpike in western Pennsylvania.

The Brush Hill Estate was gradually subdivided into the surrounding community. During the late 1940's the mansion passed from the family of Col. Irwin descendants. Much of the early leadership in many important fields relating to the growth of Western Pennsylvania had its beginnings within the Brush Hill mansion.

Fullerton Inn
Also known as Jacktown Inn,Jacksonville Hotel,Fullerton-Sverdrup House
11029 Old Trail Rd., Irwin

• Historic Significance: Event
• Area of Significance: Commerce, Transportation, Social History
• Period of Significance: 1750-1799, 1800-1824, 1825-1849, 1850-1874, 1875-1899
• Owner: Private
• Historic Function: Commerce/Trade, Domestic
• Historic Sub-function: Hotel, Restaurant
• Current Function: Domestic
• Current Sub-function: Single Dwelling2

McCormick House
508 Main St., Irwin

• Historic Significance: Architecture/Engineering
• Architect, builder, or engineer: Lang,John
• Architectural Style: Late Victorian
• Area of Significance: Architecture
• Period of Significance: 1875-1899
• Owner: Private
• Historic Function: Domestic
• Historic Sub-function: Single Dwelling2
• Current Function: Domestic
• Current Sub-function: Single Dwelling2