Westmoreland 250: 10 unique things in Greensburg

Jul. 26—(Editor's note: To mark Westmoreland County's 250th birthday this year, we've come up with a list of 250 things — 10 things in 25 communities — that we consider to be important to the makeup of our area. This series will appear each week through December. If you have a suggestion for a future installment, please email gtrcity@triblive.)

If it hadn't been for some name confusion, the city of Greensburg might not exist.

Originally, the small settlement that served as a stopover for those traveling from Philadelphia, through the Allegheny Mountains to Fort Pitt (now Pittsburgh), was named Newtown. It became the seat of Westmoreland County after the original courthouse at Hanna's Town, about 5 miles north, burned in 1782.

With construction of a log courthouse at the site of the current county government center, the town began to thrive, incorporating as a borough in 1799. Because confusion existed between Newtown, Bucks County, and Newtown, Westmoreland County, local leaders decided to change the name around the time of the death of Revolutionary War Gen. Nathanael Greene.

To honor the man under whom many area soldiers had fought, Newtown was renamed Greenesburgh, although the general never actually visited the area. The name was simplified in subsequent years.

Greensburg expanded over the next century, merging with Bunker Hill Borough in 1894 and Ludwick, East Greensburg and Southeast Greensburg boroughs in 1905. It became a third-class city in 1928.

The city is home to more than 14,000 residents. It boasts thriving arts attractions, a business district in the midst of a revitalization, and is home to Seton Hill College.

Here are 10 unique things in Greensburg:

Westmoreland County Courthouse

Built in 1906, the county's third courthouse on Main Street features a golden dome that towers 175 feet above the city. The four-story courthouse was erected in the Italian Renaissance style and is one of only two in the world designed by architect William Kauffman. Inside, the rotunda rises 85 feet into the air and is painted with floral arabesques and gold leaf.

An eight-floor extension was built alongside the existing courthouse in the early 1980s and is home to most county government offices. In the 2000s, a pedestrian bridge was installed above Pennsylvania Avenue to connect the extension and newly built six-floor addition to the complex.

The courthouse operates with nine courtrooms under the dome in the original century-old structure, with two additional permanent courtrooms in the extension building.

A Greek-influenced statue of three women sculpted of marble and concrete rises high into the sky from atop the building and seems to keep watch over courthouse operations.

At its center is Lady Justice, blindfolded and holding a brass scale in her right arm.

To her right stands the Guardian of Laws, who holds a sword in her right hand. To Lady Justice's left is the Keeper of the Book of Laws.

Palace Theatre

The Palace Theatre, on Otterman Street and across the street from the county courthouse, has become the cultural center of Greensburg and is fast approaching its 100th anniversary. Originally opened in 1926 as the Manos Theatre, it has hosted vaudeville shows, movies and musical acts.

It was renamed the Palace Theatre in 1977 and has since undergone major upgrades and renovations, including modernized sound and lighting systems, air conditioning and refurbishment of the theater's original opera boxes. The Palace can seat more than 1,300 patrons.

It is scheduled to host dozens of national acts throughout the remainder of 2023, including the Beach Boys on Aug. 6, Daughtry on Aug. 16, Eric Johnson on Sept. 15, Vicky Lawrence and Mama on Sept. 16, Buddy Guy on Sept. 28, Brian Setzer on Sept. 30, Andy Summers on Oct. 17 and John Cleese on Oct. 26.

A perennial favorite performed at the Palace is "The Nutcracker," which comes to life every holiday season as dancers from local ballet schools and musicians from the Westmoreland Symphony Orchestra pool their many talents.

St. Clair Park

St. Clair Park, which sits between Maple and Arch avenues in the heart of the city, hosts the SummerSounds concert series each year. The 10-acre park was deeded to the city in 1808 and for nearly a century served as a cemetery. In 1888, the city banned burials at the park.

The free weekly concert series, which began in 2000, features national and local musical acts each Friday night throughout the summer. Scheduled acts include Bill Toms and Hard Rain on Aug. 4, Slambovian Circus of Dreams on Aug. 11, Talking Heads tribute band Start Making Sense on Aug. 18 and ABBA tribute band Dancing Dream on Aug. 25.

Concertgoers are encouraged to bring a blanket, lawn chairs, picnic dinner and, of course, dancing shoes for the shows, which begin at 7 p.m.

Greensburg Train Station

Located at Harrison Avenue and Seton Hill Drive in the downtown area, the train station has served as the transportation hub for local rail service since 1910 and features a tall square brick clock tower. It continues to serve as a passenger stop for Amtrak's Pennsylvanian.

The building underwent major renovations in the 1990s to house offices and a restaurant space. The Westmoreland Cultural Trust spent $3.5 million renovating the building before selling it to a private company for $525,000 in 2016.

Olives & Peppers opened its Italian eatery in late 2020. It replaced the Supper Club, which was shuttered in 2017.

Some scenes from the Amazon Prime series "A League of Their Own" were filmed there in 2021.

Westmoreland Museum of American Art

The Westmoreland first opened its Main Street doors to the public in 1959, and in 2015 completed a 13,287-square-foot addition with new galleries and community and educational programming spaces. The Westmoreland's collection includes works by major artists from four centuries and captures the region's rich agricultural and industrial past. It houses more than 4,000 objects of fine and decorative American art.

As part of a 2013 renovation, the museum added "Windframe," a kinetic sculpture created by Connecticut artist Tim Prentice. The 14-foot-tall sculpture on the exterior of the building's west wing changes appearance depending on the time of day, weather conditions and reflections of the surrounding environment.

The museum is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesdays through Sundays.

Mt. Odin

The city's lone public golf course sits atop Toll Gate Hill Road at the western end of town. The 18-hole course is run by Greensburg's Department of Parks and Recreation and offers a full range of services, including a pro shop, instruction and a driving range.

The course is open daily throughout the golf season, and on weekdays it costs $11 to play nine holes and $18 for 18 holes. Weekend and holiday rate is $14 for nine holes and $21 for 18 holes.

Tee times can be reserved at mtodin.com.

Greensburg Volunteer Fire Department Museum

Located behind city hall on South Main Street at the Greensburg Volunteer Fire Department Company No. 4 is a museum dedicated to the history of local firefighters. It features a Pat Lyon Hand Pumper and the Goodwill Hand Pumper, both dating to the early 1800s, as well as firefighting equipment and other collectibles that date from two centuries ago to modern times.

Admission is free. The museum is open from 6 to 8 p.m. on the second Tuesday of each month and 9 a.m. to noon on the fourth Saturday of each month.

Cattfeinated Cat Cafe

Greensburg's first cat cafe is at 159 E. Otterman St. It's both a cafe that offers an assortment of baked goods, snacks and drinks, as well as cat-themed merchandise and a playroom for feline friends looking to be adopted.

Opened in 2019 by Katelynn Jones and her husband, Rob, the cafe is the first of its kind in the city.

Visitors can shop for locally crafted items in the "cat-ique." Separated by glass doors, the kitten and cat visitation areas clearly are the main lure.

The cafe is open from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesdays and Wednesdays, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Thursdays through Saturdays and from noon to 6 p.m. Sundays.

Lynch Field

The sports and athletic complex on New Alexandria Road offers a wide range of activities, including ball fields, a running track and picnic areas. It also features the Kirk S. Nevin Arena for ice skating and hockey, the Veterans Memorial Pool for summer fun, an aerobic center for indoor exercise and an entrance point for walking and biking on the Five Star Trail.

The ice rink is undergoing a $3 million renovation when completed in August, it will boast an updated, more efficient refrigerant system and reconstructed rink floor. It hosts youth games of the Westmoreland Hockey Association and public skating sessions.

Greensburg Hempfield Area Library

Housed in the former Greensburg Post Office building on South Pennsylvania Avenue, the library's marble columned staircase leads into the century-old building. The library was located in various sites in the city before it moved into the former post office building in 1969. It serves as the hub for Westmoreland County's federated library system and offers daily reading programs for adults and children.

Any county resident is entitled to a library card, which opens access to in-house materials, e-books, audio books and more.

Library hours are from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturdays.

Rich Cholodofsky is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Rich by email at rcholodofsky@triblive.com or via Twitter .