Waynesburg architecture focus of meeting
WAYNESBURG – Mary Beth Morgan Pastorius will display 80 historic photographs of downtown Waynesburg as she explains the town’s development from the mid-19th to the mid-20th century at the next meeting of Cornerstone Genealogical Society at 7 p.m. April 8. The public is invited.
Pastorius will survey Waynesburg’s architectural styles from the ornate designs of the Victorian era through the baronial styles of the turn-of-the-20th-century to the sleek, modern structures of the 1930s. She will identify building materials and talk about the owners, builders, craftsmen and architects who created Waynesburg’s wealth of beautiful buildings.
Since 2008, Pastorius has researched downtown Waynesburg architecture, supported by a grant from the Sprout Fund. She authored a brochure entitled “Rediscovering Eden” that will be distributed at the meeting. It is also available at the Greene County Tourism office and is a self-guided walking tour of the town.
In addition to architectural research, Pastorius invests in “bricks-and-mortar” projects in Waynesburg, her hometown. She is completing the rehabilitation of two key buildings at the corner of High and Morgan Streets.
For more than 30 years, Pastorius has collaborated with organizations such as Pittsburgh History & Landmarks, the National Trust, Preservation Pennsylvania and Sewickley Valley Historical Society to research historic sites and create brochures, articles, tours and exhibitions. She is a trustee of PHLF and was named “Sewickley Woman of the Year” in 1990 for her research contributions to an exhibition and book on the nationally important firm of Longfellow, Alden & Harlow.
In 1986, Pastorius and her late husband, Thomas, founded Penn Brewery, the second oldest microbrewery in the eastern United States. It is located on Pittsburgh’s North Side in a restored complex of German brewery buildings listed on the National Register of Historic Sites.
The couple learned the economic value of preservation through the popularity of Penn Brewery. “Our business was 100 percent destination based,” Pastorius said. “We found that if you offer authenticity, uniqueness of place and good products, people will come from all over. This success can happen in Waynesburg as well, if the community saves its key buildings.”
The program is the second part of a series on Waynesburg architecture developed by Pastorius. The first part, presented to Cornerstone two years ago, covered the earliest days of the town, from 1800-1860, including Post-Colonial, Federal and Greek Revival styles.
Pastorius would like to share the programs with other community and school groups. She also offers downtown walking tours and can be called at 724-833-1513.