Brownsville Hosts Historic Holiday House Tours

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE


Brownsville's Historic Northside
Hosting Holiday House Tours

BROWNSVILLE, Pa. – Decked out in the grandeur of the holiday season, six historic homes on Brownsville's Northside will be open for guided walking tours Dec. 15-16 for the first time since 2008.

514 Market Street

Interior: 514 Market Street

See inlaid handmade parquet floors and 12 unique bevel-shaped stained-glass windows in an 18-room mansion built in the late 1800's by lumber proprietor George Dawson and soon to be Brownsville's first "bed and breakfast." Step back in time to one of the oldest banks west of the Alleghenies when it opened in 1812, the Monongahela Bank, which was converted in 1882 to a residence. Tour a stately three-story home, built on property once owned by Brownsville's founder Thomas Brown, featuring original stained-glass windows, grand staircase, mahogany wainscoting and third-floor ballroom that's been masterfully transitioned into a "man cave" as part of the top-to-bottom restoration and renovation by the current owners. Gaze at the Monongahela River from the turret of "the Captain's House," the only residence left standing along lower Front Street, built c. 1850 with a spiral staircase and architecturally noteworthy "painted glass" window that frames Nemacolin Castle.

Proceeds from the two-day event will seed a fund earmarked for the acquisition of pole banners for Market Street/Route 40. House tours in 2007 and 2008 funded the purchase and maintenance of flower planters for the Northside as did the 2009 tour of historic churches.

The guided tours will begin at Brownsville Volunteer Fire Co. 1, 520 Market St., where light refreshments will be served after the tour. Tickets will go on sale 30 minutes prior to the start of the tours, which are $15 per person, including a chance to win a wine gift basket. To ensure the best possible experience, there is only one start time each day, with the Dec. 15 tour getting underway promptly at 4 p.m. and Dec. 16 at 1 p.m. Homeowners will welcome each tour group and be available to answer questions about their restorations during the 20-minute stop at each property. Tours will last approximately three hours.
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EDITOR'S NOTE:

For more information, contact Jeff Wilhelm, 724-880-6528, owner of 514 Market St., the featured photo. The historic home was built in the late 1800's by George Dawson.

Posted on behalf of Dreamweaver Marketing Associates.  Joyce Kane is the owner of Cybertary Pittsburgh, a Virtual Administrative support company, providing virtual office support, personal and executive assistance, creative design services and light bookkeeping.  Cybertary works with businesses and busy individuals to help them work 'on' their business rather than 'in' their business.  www.Cybertary.com/Pittsburgh