Morrow, John, Elementary School
Why it's listed
Morrow Elementary School occupies an entire small block in Pittsburgh's Brighton Heights section, at 1611 Davis Avenue. It was first erected in 1895 as the 11th Ward School #2 of Allegheny City, which Pittsburgh annexed in 1907. The east section, added in 1904, was designed by Samuel T. McClaren and added eight rooms and a basement playroom; a west section followed in 1922 with more classrooms, an auditorium and a playroom. The older sections are built of orange Pompeiian brick on a stone foundation, with brick quoins, a brick diaper pattern on the upper walls, Palladian windows, and hipped roofs. In 1957 a front wing by architect H. L. Heilman replaced the original entrance. The school is significant for its architecture, as a good local example of schools expanded over time with additions that keep a unified design.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the school is a very good example of Pittsburgh schools built with large, sympathetic additions to serve growing neighborhood populations. Its older sections share a unified design, and the architect Samuel T. McClaren is believed to have shaped the overall concept through similar detailing at his Woolslair School. The school is listed under the Pittsburgh Public Schools Thematic Resource.
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 86002693, listed September 30, 1986. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 1611 Davis Ave., Pittsburgh |
|---|---|
| County | Allegheny County |
| Listed | September 30, 1986 |
| Reference number | 86002693 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1881-1940 |
| Architect / builder | Samuel T. McClaren (architect for the east section) |
| Architectural style | Renaissance Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Condition recorded as fair; the school is in use as a school. |
| Acreage | 2 |
| Coordinates | 40.48001, -80.03974 (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 86002693.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q6249542
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.