National Register of Historic Places

Cement City Historic District

Donora, Washington County, Pennsylvania
Listed
February 16, 1996
Type
District
Period
Listed
Ref No.
96000023

About this property

Cement City Historic District is a historic district in Donora, Pennsylvania. The district includes 80 Prairie School concrete residences built in 1916–17. The homes served as housing for employees of the American Steel and Wire Company. Poured-in-place concrete houses had become popular in large-scale housing developments at the time, partly thanks to promotion by Thomas Edison; the homes built in Donora used a newly patented construction method from the Lambie Concrete House Corporation. Building the houses required a combined 10,000 barrels of Portland cement. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1996. In 1997, the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission installed a historical marker on McKean Ave. (Pa. 837) in South Donora, noting the historic importance of the community. It is designated as a historic district by the Washington County History & Landmarks Foundation. Many of the original cement homes are still standing today, and currently serve as private residences.

Location

Donora, Washington County, Pennsylvania
40.17120, -79.86536

Categories

INDUSTRYCOMMUNITY PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENTARCHITECTURE
National Register nomination ›
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

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Overview
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The Land
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Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.
LiDAR Terrain
Laser-scanned terrain that reveals earthworks and old features hidden in the landscape.
Conflict & War
The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.
The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.
Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
The people born, buried or genuinely tied to this exact place, with their stories.
Historical Maps
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Finds & Access
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Literature
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Spotlight
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Points of Interest
The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
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Nearby Historic Sites

Webster Donora Bridge
Civil War
1.1 mi
Charleroi-Monessen Bridge
Pre Contact
2.4 mi
First National Bank of Charleroi
Industrial
2.7 mi
Charleroi Historic District
Colonial
2.8 mi
US Post Office-Charleroi
Industrial
2.8 mi

Questions about this property

When was Cement City Historic District listed on the National Register?

Cement City Historic District was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on February 16, 1996.

What type of historic resource is Cement City Historic District?

Cement City Historic District is classified as a district in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Cement City Historic District?

The period of significance for Cement City Historic District is recorded as the listed era.

Can I research the history near Cement City Historic District?

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