Adam George Wickerham

Adam George Wickerham ===================== A. G. Wickerham was responsible for many of the prominent buildings in Homestead and nearby. We take his biography from [Volume IV of *Pittsburgh of Today: Its Resources and People*](https://archive.org/details/pittsburghoftoda04harp/page/500/mode/2up), by Frank S. Harper (New York: The American Historical Society, Inc., 1931); it’s frustratingly light on individual works, but it is more information than we have found on the architect anywhere else. ----- **ADAM GEORGE WICKERHAM**—Engaged in architectural work in Homestead, Pennsylvania, Adam George Wickerham holds a place of importance in the life of his community. He was born in Monongahela City, Pennsylvania, on July 29, 1886, son of George V. L. and Ella M. (Coulter) Wickerham, both natives of Monongahela City. His father, a general contractor, is now engaged in the real estate and insurance business in Homestead, and is also interested in banking affairs; his mother, too, has lived all her life in this region of Pennsylvania. Adam George Wickerham attended the public and high schools of Homestead, from which he was graduated in the class of 1904. He then studied at the Armour Institute of Technology and the Chicago School of Architecture, of Chicago, Illinois, receiving from the latter institution in 1908 the degree of Bachelor of Science. He began his business activities, practicing his profession under his own name in Homestead, in November, 1908, and since that time he has continued as an architect, taking part in some of the most important construction enterprises in the Pittsburgh district. In his capacity as architect, he has specialized in the needs of schools, and does practically all of the school work for Homestead, Munhall, West Homestead, and Mifflin Township; although his work extends far beyond this field, including everything in the line of general architecture. Mr. Wickerham also takes part extensively in the social and civic affairs of Homestead, being a member of a number of local organizations. His political alignment is with the Republican party, whose policies and candidates he regularly supports. He is a member of the Rotary Club, of which he was the first president in Homestead; the Chamber of Commerce, of which he is now president; and several fraternal orders. In the Free and Accepted Masons he belongs to Lodge No. 685, of Homestead, known as Amity Lodge, of which he is Past Master; Homestead Chapter, No. 306, Royal Arch Masons; Duquesne Commandery, No. 72, Knights Templar; Pittsburgh Consistory of the Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite; Liberty Valley Council, Royal and Select Masters; and Syria Temple, Ancient Arabic Order Nobles of the Mystic Shrine. He is alsoa member of the Knights of Malta, the Homestead Fraternity Club, the Phi Kappa Sigma Fraternity and the Tau Beta Pi Fraternity. His religious faith is that of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Adam George Wickerham married, in November, 1912, Jeannette Baker, of Dover, Ohio, daughter of Jesse D. and Sarah Baker. By this union there were two children: 1. Virginia, born July 11, 1915. 2. George Baker, born November 11, 1917. ----- Mr. Wickerham’s name is often misspelled in construction listings, but here are a few buildings we can attribute to him with near certainty: - St. Matthew’s Protestant Episcopal Church, at McClure Avenue and East 10th Street, Homestead. - Rodef Shalom Synagogue of Homestead (later the Temple of the Crucified One), 335 East 10th Street, Homestead. - The Homestead Moose Lodge, 110 East Eighth Avenue, Homestead. - [The Monongahela Trust Company Building](https://fatherpitt.com/2023/07/19/monongahela-trust-co-homestead/), East Eighth Avenue at Amity Street, Homestead. Wickerham was the local associate of Hopkins & Dentz of New York. - The Munhall Borough Building, 1 Raymond Bodnar Way, Munhall (1940). Borough officials told Wickerham to take the Crafton borough building by Vincent Schoeneman and H. L. Carter as his model, but to spend twice as much money (the Crafton building, only two years older, cost $91,000; this one was budgeted at $200,000).