Frick, Henry Clay, Training School for Teachers
Also known as: Frick Middle School
Why it's listed
Built in 1927 in Pittsburgh's Oakland district, this school occupies a mid-block site running between Thackeray and Bouquet Streets, surrounded by University of Pittsburgh buildings. The firm Ingham & Boyd designed it in the Neo-Classical manner. Its stone facade has a recessed five-bay front with two-story Ionic pilasters and a cornice inscribed with the school name. The interior includes marble wainscoting, terrazzo hall floors, and a coffered auditorium ceiling. The building was founded as an elementary school and training school for prospective teachers, and a four-year Bachelor of Science course from the University of Pittsburgh was offered there. That training program ended in 1937. Special classes followed, including classes for the hearing impaired after 1938 and sight-saving classes after 1941. The school was named for industrialist Henry Clay Frick, whose Frick Educational Commission funded teacher benefits. It is significant for its architecture and its role in early twentieth-century specialized education.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the school is significant for its education history, as a teacher training school whose four-year Bachelor of Science program was run with the University of Pittsburgh, and for its Neo-Classical architecture by Ingham & Boyd. It also cites its later specialized classes as reflecting early twentieth-century trends toward specialized school use.
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 86002668, listed September 30, 1986. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 107 Thackeray St., Pittsburgh |
|---|---|
| County | Allegheny County |
| Listed | September 30, 1986 |
| Reference number | 86002668 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1921-1940 |
| Architect / builder | Ingham & Boyd (architect) |
| Architectural style | Neo-Classical |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Education, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Continued use as a school; became a middle school in 1980 according to the document. |
| Acreage | 1 |
| Coordinates | 40.44336, -79.95778 (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 86002668.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7199384
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.