Gardner-Bailey House
Why it's listed
Built around 1864 as a modest one-and-a-half story, five-bay wood frame house with chimneys at either end, the Gardner-Bailey House in Edgewood Borough, Pittsburgh, is notable for the way its owners and builders layered architectural revival styles onto a traditional colonial plan. Its pedimented gable and acroteria recall the Greek Revival, its projecting central gable forms a slight T-plan associated with the Gothic Revival, and its double-arched door panel, paired eave brackets and belvedere are Italianate. A full-width verandah carries pierced braces and Italianate console brackets, and the carpenter's Gothic balustrades and ridge cresting may be Eastlake. Mid-century builders' handbooks made such Picturesque ornament widely available, and the house is regarded as a clear example of that trend. Its later additions, including the porch, belvedere and enlarged central window, are visible in the building fabric, which is why it is considered significant for its architecture.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the house is unique to the Pittsburgh area because it is a catalogue of mid-nineteenth-century architectural revival styles, combining Greek Revival, Gothic Revival, Italianate and possibly Eastlake ornamentation on a traditional cottage. It notes that mid-century builders' handbooks popularized the Picturesque and made these styles available to common builders. The additions illustrate a common practice in American vernacular architecture.
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 74001739, listed October 1, 1974. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 124 W. Swissvale Ave., Edgewood Borough, Pittsburgh |
|---|---|
| County | Allegheny County |
| Listed | October 1, 1974 |
| Reference number | 74001739 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | c. 1864 |
| Architectural style | Colonial wood frame house with Greek Revival, Gothic Revival, Italianate and possibly Eastlake features in the mid-century Picturesque tradition |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Condition marked excellent and unaltered; original site |
| Acreage | 1 |
| Coordinates | 40.43197, -79.88639 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
National Register listing is honorary for a privately owned home: it does not by itself restrict what an owner may do with their own money, and it does not require public access. Restrictions come from local landmark or historic-district ordinances, which are separate (how they differ).
Owner-occupied houses are not eligible for the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit, which applies to income-producing buildings, but many states offer credits for homeowners. Listing also opens the door to preservation easements and to buying a plaque. Start with what listing means for homeowners, renovating a listed house and selling one.
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 74001739.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5522575
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.