The next homeowner of an authentic Saltsburg Victorian residence built in 1850 will have something most homes don’t — an original turret.
A three-story brick home requiring some TLC is a new listing by Howard Hanna Mt. Lebanon Realtor Santino Merante for $175,000.
“This home needs some love, but the detail in the original woodwork is just beautiful,” Merante said. “We’ve had a good amount of interest in the home and I’ve shown it to a lot of young first-time home buyers because of the price point.”
The house commands the corner of Poplar Way and Point Street and has 12 rooms.
The most unique feature is an original round turret three stories high.
Turrets are towers attached to homes or castles from the main structure and during Victorian times, this architectural distinction was popular and provided sweeping views of surrounding Saltsburg.
“This house is … an incredibly intact example of Queen Anne architecture and was probably owned by an upper-class resident of the town,” said Leechburg-based Alle-Kiski Valley historian Larry Boehm. “Turrets were popular in American architecture during the Victorian era. The turret was definitely a hallmark of the excess of the times.”
Boehm noted the turret served a two-fold function during Victorian times.
“They provided enhanced views of the neighborhood and the homeowners could keep watch on the weather and the day-to-day activities of their neighbors. More importantly, opening the windows at the top of the tower provided increased ventilation to the home before the invention of air conditioning,” Boehm said.
Boehm added that many turrets were later removed as air conditioning became widespread and homeowners looked to save money on the overall maintenance cost of their home.
Inside the home, there’s a mix of carpet with original hardwood floors and an updated kitchen with an original brick wall and fireplace.
The detailed woodwork can be found in almost every room and the original staircase was cut from tiger maple, a soft wood very common in Queen Anne architecture.
The three-bedroom, two-bath home has updated heating, air conditioning, electrical and plumbing.
The basement has a finished room with a working wood-burning fireplace, previously used as an office/business space.
Curved plaster walls, marble fireplaces, custom woodwork, paneled doors, and original transom windows are a few reminders of days gone by when touring the home.
The current owners are selling because they relocated to another area in Pittsburgh after living in Saltsburg for 15 years.
“The degree of woodwork and the stained glass window as you walk in is impressive. I was told the stained glass is a witch’s window, used to ward off bad spirits back in the day,” Merante said.
Boehm noted the architect carried the stained glass window at the same angle of the staircase and explained that stained glass was primarily eye-candy.
“Decorative stained glass windows provided light and privacy, but were mostly ornamental,” Boehm said.
Small-town Saltsburg
During the 1830s, the Main Line Canal passed through Saltsburg and the town was named for its salt production.
Saltsburg was once one of the largest producers of salt in the U.S. and the Saltsburg Stone House Museum, located at 105 Point St., highlights the town’s rich history. It’s owned and maintained by the nonprofit Saltsburg Area Historical Society.
It’s said American writers Harriet Beecher Stow and Charles Dickens passed through the small borough at the confluence of the Kiskiminetas, Conemaugh and Loyalhanna rivers.
Saltsburg was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1992 and the majority of the buildings were constructed between the 1830s and 1880s.
For Boehm, having a tangible piece of Saltsburg history still around is heartwarming.
“It’s a cool house. I really love Saltsburg and the town does a great job of retaining its history and character,” Boehm said.
