Father Pitt

Category: Rankin

  • St. Michael’s Orthodox Church, Rankin

    St. Michael’s Orthodox Church

    Marius Rousseau, an architect so versatile that it would be hard to assign a style to him, designed this church,1 whose onion domes are one of the characteristic features of Rankin as seen from the Rankin Bridge.

    West front
    Cornerstone in Russian
    Cornerstone in English (mostly)
    Main dome
    Side dome
    Entrance
    Entrance arch
    St. Michael’s
    Side of the church
    Tower and dome
    Monument to the Very Rt. Rev. Stephen Varzaly
    Kodak EasyShare Max Z990; Sony Alpha 3000.

    A crucifix in memory of a longtime priest, the Very Rt. Rev. Stephen Varzaly, sits in the front yard of the church.

    1. Philadelphia Real Estate Record & Builders’ Guide, July 17, 1907: “At Rankin, Allegheny county, St. Michael’s Greek Catholic congregation will erect a church. M. Rousseau, Fulton Building, Pittsburg, Pa., is the architect. It will be well finished throughout, church furniture and fixtures, open plumbing, steam heat, electric lights and the usual modern conveniences.” ↩︎
    Comments

  • Christ Methodist Protestant Church, Rankin

    Christ M. P. Church

    The windows have fallen apart, and a few other things could use work, but this pretty little church is still in use as New Testament Ministries.

    Damaged stained-glass window
    Entrance
    Christ Methodist Protestant Church
    Kodak EasyShare Max Z990; Sony Alpha 3000.
    Comments

  • St. Mary’s Church, Rankin

    St. Mary’s Church

    A. Vernon, based across the river in Homestead, was the architect of this church, built in 1907 for a Croatian parish.1 The steep lot required the architect to make some interesting adaptations, setting the building on a stone platform so that the basement is at ground level on the downhill side. For a while after the congregation left, the building was a restaurant and wine bar, but it was up for sale when old Pa Pitt visited. It is in good shape, and would make a good restaurant again, or a fine studio for some artist.

    West front
    St. Mary’s
    St. Mary’s
    Side of the church
    Rear of the church
    From up the street
    Sony Alpha 3000; Samsung Galaxy A15S with Open Camera.
    1. Philadelphia Real Estate Record & Builders’ Guide, April 24, 1907: “At Rankin, Allegheny county, the Slavish Roman Catholic congregation will erect a church, to cost $30,000. Bids will be received after April 25th. A. Vernon, Eighth avenue, Homestead, Pa., is the architect.” ↩︎
    Comments

  • Old Rankin Municipal Building

    Rankin Municipal Building

    What was once a rather flamboyant exercise in provincial Rundbogenstil has been tamed by multiple alterations, but we can still see some of the characteristic ornaments—such as the varied crenellations along the cornice and the heavily emphasized eyebrows over the originally arched windows.

    Rankin Apartment inscription

    The building has a new life as apartments, which at least keeps it standing, even if the conversion did dilute much of its original character.

    Old Rankin municipal Building
    Sony Alpha 3000; Kodak EasyShare Max Z990.

    Update: Thanks to our alert correspondent David Schwing, we have this old postcard that shows the building when it was young and Romanesquer. It was put up in 1908; the architect was E. W. Milligan of Swissvale.1

    Comments