Fort Pitt Elementary School
Why it's listed
Built in 1905 on a hilltop overlooking Pittsburgh's East End, Fort Pitt Elementary School is a two-story brown brick building on a raised basement, with a central tower rising one story higher. Charles M. Bartberger designed the original section, and his firm Charles M. Bartberger & Son added two rear wings in 1910, giving the building a C-shaped plan. The tower has a battlemented top, a terra cotta frieze, and a Tudor-arched main entry with Gothic tracery. Inside, the halls have marble baseboards, paneled wainscoting, and a patterned tile floor, and the east stair is iron with Gothic detailing. The school is regarded as one of Pittsburgh's earliest and best examples of the Jacobean Revival style used for American school design in the early twentieth century. Its massing follows that style, while the detailing is more purely Gothic than was customary. The property was listed for its architecture.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the school is one of Pittsburgh's earliest and best examples of the Jacobean Revival style as used for American school design in the early twentieth century. Its architectural significance rests on the massing in that style combined with more purely Gothic detailing, including terra cotta ornament and interior woodwork.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 86002666, listed September 30, 1986. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 5101 Hillcrest St., Pittsburgh |
|---|---|
| County | Allegheny County |
| Listed | September 30, 1986 |
| Reference number | 86002666 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1901-1920 |
| Architect / builder | Charles M. Bartberger (architect); Henry Shenk Co. (builder) |
| Architectural style | Jacobean Revival |
| Criteria |
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| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | The building has a modern addition at the rear; the original 1910 playroom and shop rooms have been superseded by it, and the clock in the tower is no longer operational. |
| Acreage | 2 |
| Coordinates | 40.46898, -79.94193 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For a publicly owned building or structure, listing mainly matters when federal funds, permits or licences are involved: projects then go through Section 106 review so effects on the property are considered. Listing also strengthens applications for preservation grants and, for leased income-producing uses, can enable the federal rehabilitation tax credit.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 86002666.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5471841
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.