Preserving Greene history
Workers on Thursday begin covering the historic Amos Piatt home with a white sealant that will preserve the original stonework.
The oldest home in Waynesburg Borough will be exhibiting a new white exterior after workers are done sealing the original stone to stop it from deteriorating.
WAYNESBURG – The oldest house in Waynesburg is receiving some much-needed upgrades that will nearly return it to its original state.
The Amos Piatt house, built in 1828 and located on West Franklin Street near Waynesburg University, is a four-room home that still showcases the original stonework of the post-Colonial time when the style was transitioning from early vernacular architecture to Greek Revival.
The house stands as one of the only examples of that type of architecture from that era in the county.
The current owner of the house, Greene County President Judge Farley Toothman, was given the historical home from his mother after her death eight years ago. She owned the house for about two decades.
Farley and his wife have been working to renovate the home over the last five years and are hoping to move in by the end of this year.
“I am excited, yes, with regard to it representing a smaller, simpler life,” Toothman said Thursday.
The renovation projects are not focusing on bringing the house up-to-date with the modern world, he said, but quite the opposite, actually. Toothman has worked to recreate the original architectural design and styling of nearly two centuries ago.
Toothman removed modern-day additions to find hidden historic treasures. Uncovering original stonework and wood beams, he discovered a fireplace with a keystone placed within the stonework, which was a common feature of houses during that time.
“It is a lot of sweat equity,” Toothman said. “Restoring it as the oldest house in the borough is important to me. Being a past president of our county’s historical society and living in old homes, I recognize the importance of our historic traditions.”
Traveling workers hired by Toothman were sealing the house’s exterior stonework with a waterproof white coating Thursday. Covering the original stone was not an easy decision for Toothman, but it is a necessity.
“So many (old stone homes) you have to do this to because the stone is so old it’s becoming crumbly and its absorbing moisture,” he said. “Varmints are getting in the cracks and, pretty soon, if you just really want to preserve it, you have to seal it.”
Although the outside of the house will be white and no longer showcase the original stonework’s colors, the historical remnants of the house will stay intact for many more years.
Keeping history alive in this house is important to Toothman because it not only represents the community’s past, but also his own.
“From the backyard of that house, I can see where I grew up. I can see my church. I can see the college I attended. I can see the fountain where I met my wife. And I can see Nathaneal Greene on the courthouse where I work,” Toothman said.
“Now, that’s why I’m doing it,” he said. “It represents and is literally a centerpiece of my life.”