Knowing Our Neighborhoods Westminster Manor Jean Brown
Westminster Manor was Espy Farm
before being purchased by Alexander Gilfillan (1857-1934) and rented to a cattle farmer. After the Gilfillans sold 25 acres to the Upper St. Clair School District in 1960, the cattle farmer moved his herd north to his father’s farm and the property was sold to Westminster Manor, a limited partnership. Grading and road construction began in 1961 and was to be developed in five phases. This later extended to an eightphase development. Five undeveloped lots, along with the property between Blairmont Drive and Washington Road, were sold to the School District. Devonwood Drive and a section of Hycroft Drive were the first streets in the development and were the first in the Township to require sidewalks, lamp posts and underground utilities. House and landscape plans, with acceptable building materials, were required by
registered architects. The first house was built by “Ab” Young on Hycroft Drive for Donald and Jean Brown. Perry and Louise Dick built their home on a three-acre knoll next to the Browns. The last remaining lot in Westminster Manor was sold in 2001. New homes in Westminster brought new families with many children who walked to Eisenhower Grade School, Fort Couch Junior High School and the newly opened Upper St. Clair High School. The children played outside most of the year, the dogs and cats ran free—all roaming the 70 some undeveloped acres in search of childhood exploration. There was a basketball court and sled riding hill in the Brown’s backyard used by the entire neighborhood. Deceased birds, mice, squirrels and rabbits were given proper funerals in Mr. Whisker’s graveyard. Frisbee golf was the game of choice for the older boys and was played from one neighbor’s yard to another’s for a nine-hole game. In the late ’60s trampoline gymnastics became popular. One zealous young future filmmaker was always producing a neighborhood movie. Today this person films surgical procedures in a hospital operating room. Mail was delivered by a much loved postman, Henry Bier, who knew all our
names and our schedules. Mr. Guernsey delivered milk to the back door insulated boxes. At first, our newspaper was delivered by a young man on horseback. Years later, the newspaper was delivered by young children riding in a white Rolls Royce. Trash, first collected in cans in the backyard by private contractor, moved to the front curb by Township contract in red and white striped bags, two per week per household. The bags changed to orange and black before the current system went into effect. The adult men in the neighborhood reflected a cross-section of the business and professional world. Most mothers were at home during the day. Block parties were an annual event and continue to this day. The neighborhood children have become adults in the business and professional world, and some are homemakers. Some original residents remain in Westminster with pleasant memories of times gone by. Jean Brown is the president of the Upper St. Clair Historical Society. Jean was recently honored with the Bethel-St. Clair Rotary Club’s Volunteer of the Year award resulting from her service to the community.
USCommunicates How many times a day do you get interrupted by a phone
call from a telemarketer? If the answer is “Too many!” there’s a way to reduce the number of unwanted calls to your home. Register your phone number on the National Do Not Call Registry. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) enforce the National Do Not Call Registry. Registration is free. The federal rule mirrors Pennsylvania’s existing law in terms of who can and cannot call you. If you are enrolled on Pennsylvania’s Do Not Call List, you are protected from unwanted telemarketing calls and you do not need to re-register.
Persons or entities making telephone solicitation calls to others must be aware of and in compliance with the National Do Not Call Registry requirements as set forth in 47 C.F.R. SS64.1200 and 16 C.F.R. Part 310. For more information, or to register or revoke registrations on the list, call toll-free at 1-888-382-1222 (TTY 1-866-290-4236) from the number you wish to register. You can also register online at www.donotcall.gov.
Summer 2004
UPPER ST. CLAIR TODAY
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