Westmoreland welcome
1922 house in Jeannette offers original woodwork, cool history for under $74,000
Jaime and Russell Wieland have enjoyed their columned front porch at 122 N. 1st St. in Jeannette for 15 years but are ready for a more rural life. “We are actually moving to a farm. My husband is a country boy,” Mrs. Wieland said.
A large front porch is perfect for today’s social distancing protocols, and getting one under $100,000 makes it that much nicer. The couple have listed the home for $73,990 (MLS No. 1446082) through Lisa Tidwell of Tidwell Realty (724-8321100 or www.tidwellrealty.com). It is under contract and has a virtual tour.
“They just don’t build homes the way they did,” said Ms. Tidwell. “That front porch is so welcoming, and porches add so much more square footage to your living space.”
Inside, the house has 2,176 square feet, four bedrooms, one bath, two fireplaces, high ceilings, and original floors and woodwork throughout.
“What I will miss the most is the character of this home,” Mrs. Wieland said. “I love the wood doors and the pocket doors and the beautiful staircase and stainedglass windows on the staircase.”
The house, which was built in 1922, has a back porch and a second staircase in the back that was once used by servants.
“The kitchen has the coolest thing. There is a light switch on the baseboard so that if servants were carrying trays they could kick the light on with their foot,” said Mrs. Wieland.
They left the switch but took out a wall to enlarge an upstairs closet. While doing that project, they found an old piece of film.
“It’s the kind if you lift it up to the light and look you see two people sitting on a chair in the foyer,” Mrs. Wieland said, adding that she plans to give the artifact to the house’s next owners.
Another bit of history that comes with the house is a name, John, and the date 1906 written on a beam in the attic.
“That is pretty cool,” she said. “We have always appreciated the history of this house.”
The unfinished attic is just begging to be reinvented or it could remain a storage area.
The Wielands have painted the house but were hesitant to make any major changes. They did not refinish the original hardwood floors and left carpeting in place in some rooms. It could be a worthwhile project for the next owners.
The Westmoreland County property includes a two-car detached garage and a fenced-in backyard with an above-ground pool and a firepit. The home sits on a tree-lined street and is about 45 minutes from Downtown Pittsburgh.
“One of the nice things about Jeannette in general is how multicultural it is,” Mrs. Wieland said. “It is a nice, close-knit community.
“Our neighbors are really fantastic, and the house is absolutely beautiful with so much potential for someone with the time and money to put into it.”