Sellers House
Also known as: Calvary Church Rectory
Why it's listed
Built in 1858 for Pricilla and Francis Sellers on a ten-acre parcel in what is now Shadyside, Pittsburgh, this large red brick house has two full stories, a dormered attic and a cut stone basement, all painted. Its plan is a modified cross form with intersecting gabled roofs, and it has three decorative brick chimneys with round arched insets and granite copings. Carved wooden barge boards decorate the gable ends, and a porte cochere of carved wood, about 16 by 24 feet, sits beneath a wall dormer with a triple arched window. The house mixes Italian Villa and Medievalistic types with Italianate and Second Empire elements. It is valued for its association with the growth of Pittsburgh, as one of the first mansions in the district, and because most of its original wood and stone detailing survives. Carnahan family ownership lasted from 1888 to 1947, after which the church used it as a school and meeting place.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the house is significant for its association with the growth of Pittsburgh, as one of the first mansions built in what became Shadyside. Its eclectic design mixes Italian Villa, Medievalistic, Italianate and Second Empire elements, and most of its original wood and stone detailing survives. It is described as one of the two remaining large Shadyside mansions of the 1850-60 period.
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 79003142, listed September 7, 1979. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 400 Shady Ave., Pittsburgh |
|---|---|
| County | Allegheny County |
| Listed | September 7, 1979 |
| Reference number | 79003142 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1858 |
| Architectural style | Mixture of Italian Villa and Medievalistic types with elements of Italianate and Second Empire styles |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Used by Calvary Episcopal Church as a rectory; exterior virtually intact; pinnacles partially removed |
| Acreage | 2 |
| Coordinates | 40.45538, -79.92256 (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 79003142.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7448627
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.