Postcard Photo of Penn High School from the 1950s

Pre-construction architectural drawing of Penn High School from 1917

Penn High School from a postcard in the early 1920s.

Penn High School 

The Penn High School was designed by Thayer and Thayer, architects, of New Castle Pennsylvania.  It was constructed between 1917 and 1919.  The building was owned by the Boro of Greenville Area School District until September 1977 when it was sold to Zions Reformed Church (Deed Book 78, page 48, recorded January 9, 1978 in Mercer County Recorders office).  On October 22, 1979 ownership of the property was transferred to Greenville House Associated (Deed Book 79, p. 3878, recorded Oct. 26, 1979 in the Mercer County Recorders office).  The building was altered in 1960 to conform to Labor and Industry Standards.  The architects and engineers for this work were Hunter, Heiges and Gross of Sharon Pennsylvania.  These alterations consisted mainly of remodeling exits and stairways to insure safety.  The cafeteria and kitchen were remodeled and modernized in 1963 by Hunter-Heiges Associates.

The building is brick with sandstone and terra cotta trim. It has masonry bearing walls as well as reinforced concrete and structural clay tile slabs.  The building measures 204' 10" by 138'7".  It is three stories with a full basement.  The building has a flat black top roof with a terra cotta coping.  There are two skylights, measuring 8' by 12' and 5' by 12'.  Windows are six-over-six-light and four-over-four-light double hung sash.  There are three main entrances.  The most ornate is on the Main Street elevation, below an elaborate projecting bay.  All three have identical concrete surrounds and semi-circular fanlights over the double doors.  The building has Jacobean Revival details.

The interior has plaster walls and tile ceilings.  The stairways are concrete with marble finish.  The floors are hardwood.  Classroom doors are 3' by 7' with two panels and a transom.

Location:   Penn Avenue at Main Street, Greenville, Mercer County, Pennsylvania.  USGS Greenville West Quadrangle Universal Transverse Mercator Coordinates:  17.551260,45639820.

Present Owners:  Greenville House Associates

Present Occupants:  Vacant

Present Use:  Vacant; to be demolished 1979

Significance:  The Jacobean Revival details displayed on this school building are unusual in Western Pennsylvania.  It served as the only high school for the Greenville area until 1958.

Prepared by Emily J. Harris

Historic American Buildings Survey

HABS No. PA-547

November 1979

Part III.  Project Information.  These records are the result of a project undertaken by the department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) in compliance with Executive Order 11593 and a Memorandum of Agreement with the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation as a mitigative effort in the project to demolish the school for construction of Section 8 housing for the elderly.  John A. Burns, AIA, was the HABS project coordinator.  The data was prepared by Emily J. Harris, and architectural historian in the HABS office from information compiled by William Germanos of Crossgates, Incorporated.