Picture Box: Preserving Our Past
The Baird-Acheson building, better known as the Round Corner for its distinctive shape, has a fine Federal style doorway and what is probably the loveliest stairway in Washington County. The elliptical stairway rises four stories to what was the attic. The original attic story has been removed and only a shed-like portion atop the stairwell remains. The Round Corner was built in the mid-1820s; when it was sold at a sheriff’s auction in 1826, it was listed as “unfinished.” Location: Maiden Street at South Main Street, Washington.
The tin drainspouts of the Evans-Baker house are embossed with an eagle and the date 1851, the year the house was built by Elmie and Abel Evans. It was bought soon after by Enoch and Elizabeth Baker and remains in the Baker family. There is a handsome portico and the stairway is impressive for a one and one-half story house. Location: LR 62098, one half mile west of Route 19, Amwell Township.
Embossed metal forms a lightweight but highly decorative facade on the upper two stories of this frame building. It was acquired by Dunbar and Wallace Lumber Company soon after it was built and was owned by the company for about 75 years. Location: 1057 Jefferson Ave., Washington.
In 1975, the Washington County History and Landmarks Foundation published a book called “Preserving Our Past: Landmark Architecture of Washington County, Pennsylvania.” The photographs in the book were taken by Observer Publishing Company photographers, including H. Benjamin Hutchinson, J. Charles Wilson, James E. Fuller and Jim McNutt. While hunting in our photo archives for images to use for this very page, we came across a weathered manila envelope with “History & Landmarks 1975” written in pen on it. The images on this page can all be found in the book, and the book can be found – albeit well worn – in local libraries. The images were likely taken in 1974 or 1975. The captions on this page are the same captions from the book.