Guide to the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy Records and Photographs, 1885-2006 AIS.1999.13
1932-1982
Metadata Details
- Title
- Records of Western Pennsylvania Conservancy, 1932-1982, Western Pennsylvania Conservancy records, 1932-1982
- Creator
- Subject
- Western Pennsylvania Conservancy., Greater Pittsburgh Parks Association., Parks--Pennsylvania, Parks--Pennsylvania--Pittsburgh
- Description
- This collection contains the records of the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy. The holdings reflect the efforts of the Conservancy to buy and transfer land, some of which has led to the creation of the state's most visited parks. The collection contains records from the acquisition of land necessary for McConnell's Mill, Ohiopyle, Ferncliff, Moraine, and Raccoon Creek State Parks. More common in this collection, however are purchases made by the WPC from individuals that have not been consolidated into a park or incorporated into a game preserve. These documents are primarily legal in nature and are identified by the county in which the property lies. Particularly large tracts that took longer to purchase and involve more paperwork are housed in their own folders and are identified by the individual. This land has remained under the auspices of the WPC, has been transferred to the state, or resold with the intent of preserving its scenic, cultural, and/or historic value. Beyond land purchases, transfers, and deeds, the collection also features projects dedicated to historic preservation. The largest of these efforts was the Old Stone House Village in Butler County (Box 30-31). The Johnston Tavern restoration project, albeit smaller than the Old Stone House village is contained herein (Box17). The collection also holds various correspondence and political jockeying on virtually all of the above topics. Some of the oldest documents in the collection are those regarding the Greater Pittsburgh Parks Association, with letters and meeting minutes dating back to the early 1930s (Boxes 15-16). The WPC, as a non-profit agency, relied on funding from many sources to conduct their efforts. The items detailing Project 70, a lobbying effort to secure $70 million in state and federal funding by 1970 was the largest of such efforts (Box 22-23 relate to this). Despite being a cornerstone of WPC organizational growth and identity, researchers should note that this collection does not currently contain records or items pertaining to Fallingwater except in passing mention or in brief statements. While there are deeds from private owners extending back to the nineteenth century, the vast majority of this collection dates between the early 1950s and the late 1970s., Records of Western Pennsylvannia Conservancy, 1932-1982, AIS 1999:13, Archives Service Center, University of Pittsburgh., Gift of Western Pennsylvania Conservancy, June 21, 1999., The Western Pennsylvania Conservancy (WPC) began as the Greater Pittsburgh Parks Association (GPPA) in 1932. This organization's first projects included transforming a barren stretch of land lying parallel to Bigelow Boulevard into a park (resulting in Frank Curto Park) and expanding Frick Park in Pittsburgh's East End. However, through the Depression and World War II, funding and interest for the Parks Association remained low, and accomplishments were sporadic. By 1951 the GPPA reestablished itself as the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy and began purchasing large tracts of land from willing individuals and communities. The next two decades were spent merging these properties and forming some of today's most utilized Western Pennsylvania parks. McConnell's Mill represents one of the first of these efforts. From 1945 and culminating in 1974, the WPC set aside the land for McConnell's Mill in Lawrence County, ultimately designating it a Natural Historic Park. In the early 1950s, the WPC began to attain the land that would later comprise the Ferncliff Peninsula. This project would widen in scope throughout the next fifteen years, resulting in the establishment of the Ohiopyle State Park in Fayette County. Between 1959 and 1964, the WPC also created Muddy Creek, the central focus of Moraine State Park. 1963 marked a watershed year for the WPC. Much of the land for Raccoon Creek State Park was acquired and Edgar Kaufmann Jr. entrusted the WPC with the world famous Frank Lloyd Wright home, Fallingwater. Beyond these accomplishments, the WPC was also instrumental in consolidating the land that would encompass Laurel Ridge and Oil Creek. The WPC worked simultaneously augmenting Cherry Run, McCoy Farm, and Conneaut Marsh, all protected state game lands. Outside of land acquisitions, transfers, and the maintenance of Fallingwater, the WPC also played a large role in preserving historical sites. The Old Stone House Village, a nineteenth century stopover point for mail carriers, was restored and remains a Butler County attraction. Also, in keeping with the theme of the Greater Pittsburgh Parks Association, the WPC has worked with community organizations in and around Pittsburgh to plant and maintain gardens found along roadways, neighborhoods, and businesses. Since 1932, the WPC has acquired over 85000 acres of land, with the stated goal of pushing this total to 110000 acres by 2010. This land has then been transferred to the state, maintained by the conservancy, or sold to private individuals under the condition that it remains free of commercial development. Today, the Western Pennsylvania conservancy boasts a small full time staff and over 9000 members, all of whom want to conserve the natural and cultural heritage of Western Pennsylvania., Finding aid Available in repository and on Internet; Folder level control; http://digital.library.pitt.edu/cgi-bin/f/findaid/findaid-idx?type=simple;c=ascead;view=text;subview=outline;didno=US-PPiU-ais199913
- Publisher
- Contributor
- Western Pennsylvania Conservancy, University of Pittsburgh (depositor)
- Date
- 1932-1982
- Type
- Collection
- Format
- Identifier
- pitt:US-PPiU-ais199913, oclc: ocm63208899, pitt: US-PPiU-ais199913
- Source
- Language
- eng
- Relation
- http://digital.library.pitt.edu/cgi-bin/f/findaid/findaid-idx?type=simple;c=ascead;view=text;subview=outline;didno=US-PPiU-ais199913, pdcp_noharvest
- Coverage
- Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania, Pittsburgh, Frank Curto Park (Pittsburgh, Pa.), Frick Park (Pittsburgh, Pa.), McConnell's Mill State Park (Pa.), Ohiopyle State Park (Pa.), Moraine State Park (Pa.), Moraine State Park Watershed (Pa.), Raccoon Creek State Park (Pa.), Stone House (Butler, Pa.)
- Rights
- Copyright Not Evaluated. The copyright and related rights status of this Item has not been evaluated. Please refer to the organization that has made the Item available for more information. You are free to use this Item in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use., http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/CNE/1.0/