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Oakland Square Historic District in the Central Oakland neighborhood of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, contains 99 properties. The core of the district surrounds Oakland Square, with the remaining properties along Parkview Avenue and Dawson Street. The neighborhood was conceived in the 1890s by developer Eugene O'Neill and were inspired by the urban design of Victorian England and Dublin. 〔http://www.onlyinoakland.org/historicaldistrict.php〕 The district was added to the List of City of Pittsburgh historic designations on June 14, 2005.〔 During 1889 and 1890 twenty-six homes were built on Oakland Square, in the section known as Linden Grove. This was “the first big batch (of houses) to be put up in that district.” The houses were moderately priced ($6,500) and sold within a few months. These were attractive and comfortable urban homes with eight rooms and many conveniences. There were located close to the Fifth Avenue cable car connecting Oakland to downtown. In subsequent years more houses were built in phases, known as North Oakland Square and South Oakland Square. The whole development used about of land and had one primary developer, Eugene M. O’Neill, and one builder, Charles L. Chance. Oakland Square *1889 – 26 units, still Oakland Square North Oakland Square *1891 – 13 units, now 1700 block Parkview *1893 – 4 units, now 3700 block Dawson South Oakland Square *1891 – 7 units, now 3600 block, Dawson *1896 – 17 units, now 3600 block, Parkview for a total of 67 housing units, all still standing although considerably modified. The design of Oakland Square is reminiscent of early Victorian squares in London and Dublin. The park is considered an outstanding urban open space. Each of the plans had slightly difference designs, although all are three-story (or two story plus mansard,) most have full bays and front porches (Oakland Square has both front and rear porches) and were modern for the time (water closets, electric bells, and other amenities.) Several factors probably brought about this successful development one hundred years ago: the opening of the cable car line 12 September 1888; the burgeoning population of both Oakland and Pittsburgh; the economic climate, with its mood of expansionism and development; and the drive and creativity of the developer, Eugene M. O’Neill. Today Oakland Square continues to be appreciated and to attract praise. The well-designed and attractive homes are still comfortable for a dense urban style of life. The open space, especially the park, relieves the monotony of walls of houses. In earlier times the City of Pittsburgh maintained beautiful gardens in the park. In 100 years there has been no major destruction, so the Square is still an intact unit, and every original house in the original development still stand, although many have been altered, some significantly. The location continues to be desirable, although today the occupants are more likely to affiliated with the Oakland institutions than with downtown businesses. ==The area: Linden Grove== Probably as early as 1834, after James Craft has purchased most of the land of Senator James Ross in Oakland, the area became known as Linden Grove. Bounded by the lands of Chadwick on the north, O’Hara or Schenley on the east, the bluffs on the south, and present day Bates Street on the west, the area may have been named Linden Grove by Craft. At least, he prepared a plan, never recorded. An 1859 plot plan calls much of Middle and Lower Oakland “Linden Grove” and so it continued until into the 20th century. An 1876 Atlas shows “Linden Station” on the Pittsburgh and Connellsville Railroad, about at Bates and Second Avenue. There may have been a recreational area here before the Civil War, and then during the Civil War, a training camp, known first as Linden Grove and later Camp Howe. James Craft was selling lots in Linden Grove during much of the 19th Century: 320 land sales are recorded between 1822 and 1876. After 1846 Charley Taylor was distributing lots on what had been James Chadwick’s farm – the so-called Third Century Church Colony. Other lots were found on which to build large homes. The O’Hara or Schenley properties (Mr. Airy) were largely undivided during the period. Leslie’s plan of Linden Grove was recorded in 1859 and several large lots were sold for homes. Still Oakland, part of Pitt Township until 1868, developed rather slowly, compared to the Southside, both before and after the Civil War. Two types of development were taking place: the building of prominent mansions, many along Pennsylvania Avenue (now Fifth Avenue), some of which were summer homes. And, the building of homes for workers crowding the valleys and river terraces. There were, according to maps, many homes between Bouquet Street and Atwood; a fair-sized community near the Dithridge Estate where Mellon Institute stands now. This latter area was called East Pittsburgh in an 1852 map. Other homes were scattered through Middle and Lower Oakland, with development along Ward Street as far as Frazier. By 1872 the Linden Land Company had been formed and apparently purchased many acres of land in Linden Grove, land which had not previously been sold by Craft or by Leslie. In 1872 the Linden Land Company advertised: ''Choice lots for Suburban Residences: City Water and Gas. No Small Lots. Low Prices and Easy Payments. The Linden Land Company offers for sale a few choice lots varying in size from one-half acres upwards, situated in Linden Grove, Oakland – the most beautiful and accessible suburb of this city. This property is eligibly located; can be reached by steam cars, street railways and by easy drive in 20 minutes on Fifth Avenue, soon to be paved with wooden pavement and destined, ere long, to be the most favorable and frequented drive in the city.”'' Principals in the Linden Land Company included Hill Burgwin, attorney; Charles L. Speer, John Scully and Simon Beymer, all of whom also owned land in the area as individuals. Some of the Craft land became the site of Oakland Square. Eugene O’Neill, who clearly was the mover behind the innovative Oakland Square plans, purchased from Simon Beymer, who at one time was the president of the Linden Land Company, and contributed to the initial phase. Harriet L. Rook, O’Neill’s partner in Oakland Square, had bough almost two acres from Sarah Morgan, who earlier had purchased the land from the Linden Land Company. These constituted the site for the first twenty-six homes on Oakland Square. Another portion of his 5.5 acres of land was used by O’Neill to build the North Oakland development in 1891 and 1893, a total of 17 houses. Then O’Neill, together with C.A. Rook, son of Harriet Rook, and with H.G. Imhoff; and using two acres of land that previously had belonged to C.C. Mellor, and which was Lot #45 in the Linden Grove plan, created South Oakland Square, a total of 45 more houses. In March and early April, 1889, the following advertisement appeared in the ''Pittsburgh Chronicle Telegraph'': ''For Sale $6,500 Oakland New'' ''Two story and mansard, brick dwelling 8 rooms, hall, bath, laundry, inside shutters and w.c., bay window, large front and rear porches, slate mantels, fine tile hearths, electric bells, etc. The entire house elegantly papered and decorated, very fashionable locality, shade trees, etc. 5 minutes walk from Fifth Avenue Cable line, easy terms. Samuel W. Black & Co. 99 Fourth Avenue'' On April 5, the price was shown as reduced to $5,850, “IF SOLD AT ONCE – ONE of the best locations in Oakland.” The name Oakland Square was not mentioned in the ads, but the description is exact and there were no other development at the time which would match the description. Charles H. Chance was the builder of all 67 units of housing, a young man of thirty-two years when he began Oakland Square. Edeburg and Cooper, Civil Engineers, provided plot plans. The designer of the houses is presently unknown as no architect was listed on the building permit. Possible Chance was his own architect. Chance later became president of the Oakland Board of Trade and after 1904, left building for real estate, with his office in Oakland. O’Neill likely played a major role in the layout and design because he would have been familiar with Dublin, Ireland, houses and squares, and there are many similarities. O’Neill was only 35 years old when he purchased the 5.5 acres of land from Beymer. The houses were all completed and sold by May 1, 1891 or in about two years. The actual sale prices, as recorded in the County Deed Books, are generally higher than the advertised price of $6,500, suggesting that most of the purchasers had additional construction done, such as adding one more room, finishing the basement, or specifying more expensive fittings. O’Neill’s success in this development may be implied by at least three facts: *He sold off all of the homes in a relatively short time *He attracted at least eight families sited on the Social Register *He continued to develop not only the total of 67 units in his Oakland Square plan, but perhaps as many as 200 more in the area by 1904 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Oakland Square Historic District」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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