Hamnett Historic District
Why it's listed
Residential streets of wood-frame and brick houses built largely between 1890 and 1910 make up the Hamnett Historic District in Wilkinsburg, a borough east of Pittsburgh. Most of the roughly 82 resources are two- or two-and-one-half-story houses in the Queen Anne and Colonial Revival styles, with some Classical Revival, Tudor Revival and Arts and Crafts examples. Houses were set back behind front yards and terraced lawns, while apartment and commercial buildings sat near the sidewalk. The district developed after Wilkinsburg's incorporation in 1887 and was built up by about 1930, when construction stopped during the Great Depression. Its buildings were within walking distance of electric streetcar lines that linked the borough with East Liberty, downtown Pittsburgh and the industrial district of East Pittsburgh. The district is regarded as an intact example of a middle-class streetcar suburb of the period. Most of its buildings retain their historic character despite window replacements and other alterations.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the district is a cohesive concentration of residential buildings in the Queen Anne and Colonial Revival styles, as typically expressed in the densely built middle-class streetcar suburbs of Pittsburgh. Its architecture is presented as the basis for its significance, with development tied to the borough's incorporation in 1887 and the arrival of electric streetcar lines in the 1890s.
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 10000408, listed June 28, 2010. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | Roughly bounded by Rebecca Ave, rear property lines on the east side of Center St, Sewer Way, Lytle Way..., Wilkinsburg |
|---|---|
| County | Allegheny County |
| Listed | June 28, 2010 |
| Reference number | 10000408 |
| Resource type | District |
| Period of significance | ca. 1890-1930 |
| Architectural style | Queen Anne; Colonial Revival; Classical Revival; Tudor Revival; Arts and Crafts |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Most resources contribute to the district; four vacant lots and a small number of noncontributing buildings are noted, and recent reinvestment and restoration are mentioned. |
| Acreage | 11.4 |
| Within district | Wilkinsburg Historic District |
| Coordinates | 40.44021, -79.88256 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
This is a historic district. Buildings within its boundary are either contributing (they add to the district's significance) or non-contributing. Owners of contributing income-producing buildings can claim the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit; homeowners should look at state credits. National Register districts impose no design review by themselves; a local historic district ordinance, if one exists, does (the difference explained).
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 10000408.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5645911
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.