This is the sign I viewed as I first entered the Oliver Miller Homestead. The style of the sign immediately set the tone for what I was about to see.
This is the Stone House. The Stone House started as an addition to Oliver Miller's log cabin by his son, James Miller, in 1808, and evolved from there. The Stone House is the heart of the Oliver Miller Homestead.
Side view of the Stone House. The section on the back of the house is the kitchen.
Before the Stone House was built, the Miller family lived in a log cabin built by Oliver Miller. The Oliver Miller Homestead Associates built this replication of the original log house so that visitors could see where the Millers lived upon their arrival in Pennsylvania.
A side view of the log cabin.
This is a side view of the building used by the blacksmith at Oliver Miller Homestead. Notice the wooden fence in this picture and the previous one; though hand-made, it runs throughout the homestead.
The front view of the blacksmith's building. Starting in May, visitors are able to sit and watch as a volunteer blacksmith uses skills utilized by blacksmiths in the 1700s.
A shed used by the Millers.
The Miller's medicinal herb garden.
The fire pit around which the Millers used to socialize and sometimes cook.
The Springhouse
Finally, this is the barn. Right now, the entrance to it is closed. However, to the benefit of many it will open once again in May when the Oliver Miller Homestead season starts. It is essential that the homestead is preserved so that one day, these gates will not remain permanently closed.
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The United States of America is often referred to by historians as a “young” country. Compared to the countries of, for example, Europe, Asia and Africa, the United States has lived a relatively short life; it has only been in existence for a little over 200 years. However, despite the fact that the country is young, the place that we call America has seen a lot of history. The Oliver Miller Homestead, located in South Park, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, is a site that has witnessed many historical happenings. The preservation of this location is essential for both historical and educational reasons, as well as for reasons concerning the environment.
The history of the Oliver Miller Homestead reaches back into colonial times. Oliver Miller had emigrated from Northern Ireland in 1742. Once in America, he married and subsequently had eight children. Miller purchased the land that is now referred to as the Oliver Miller Homestead in 1772. The log house that he built there came to be known as the “shingled-roof house” as the style of house that he had built was quite unique for the time. During the life of Oliver Miller, the land on which he had planted his family experienced much. Not only was the land contested by both Pennsylvania and Virginia, but it was often subject to Indian raids. A house built in the 1700s which has lasted until the present that experienced this kind of history would certainly be a historical landmark of its own. However, even after the death of Oliver Miller, the tale of the Oliver Miller Homestead continued on with his children onto whom he had passed the land. When excise taxes were placed on whiskey, many western Pennsylvanian farmers were angered. The first shots of the ensuing famed Whiskey Rebellion were in fact fired at officers leaving the house of William Miller after attempting to fine him. The rebellion continued in various locations around the homestead, and many of Oliver Miller’s relations were involved in it, including his sons William, John, Thomas, and James, and his grandson, Oliver, who died from wounds resulting from the rebellion. The Oliver Miller Homestead is now renowned for its connection to the Whiskey Rebellion. Because of this, the Stone House, which was built in part in 1808, was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1934, seven years after it had been purchased by Allegheny County. The Oliver Miller Homestead is certainly one of the most historically important sites in South Park, as well as Allegheny County, and it is a site that needs to be preserved. (Oliver Miller Homestead)
The Oliver Miller Homestead needs to be preserved first and foremost because of its historical relevancy and educational value. America may not have many ancient historical sites such as the Parthenon in Greece, but sites such as the Oliver Miller Homestead that predated the creation of our country are important to understanding our history. The Oliver Miller Homestead is not merely a collection of buildings sitting on the outskirts of the park that civilians can glance at as they drive by. From May to December, the homestead is open every Sunday for the public to tour. Of course, upon special request the homestead is open during weekdays too, and it has been the site of many South Park fieldtrips. What really adds to the experience of the Oliver Miller Homestead are the people who volunteer their time each week to work there. Visitors to the homestead are allowed to explore it as they wish, but along the way they encounter various workers, dressed in 18th century garb, toiling away as the Millers would have done. These people are genuinely passionate about the colonial and revolutionary period, and provide endless information to visitors about anything they wish to know. This allows visitors to truly be able to experience what life was like during the era of Oliver Miller. An educational experience like this is truly priceless, and it is imperative that this historical landmark be preserved for that reason. (Oliver Miller Homestead)
Throughout the years, people have worked on preserving and recycling the Oliver Miller Homestead. Allegheny County purchased the property in 1927, and the county approved the volunteer Oliver Miller Homestead Associates to oversee the homestead in 1973. One of the main objectives of the Associates is to preserve the homestead so that it retains the full glory that it had when Oliver Miller lived there. They also have built new structures to enhance the experience of visitors. These structures include a working bake oven, a log house representing the first Miller home, and a blacksmith’s forge. The restorations that are being made and the new additions to the homestead signify the “reusing” and “recycling” of this historical place. The Oliver Miller Homestead Associates have kept the stone house and other elements of the homestead unchanged from the form they had been in in the 18th and 19th centuries, but they also take steps to ensure that the homestead does not deteriorate. By adding the new structures, the Associates are improving the homestead without destroying or “throwing away” anything that was already there. (Oliver Miller Homestead)
It is extremely beneficial to “recycle” historical places as opposed to “throwing them away.” To simply discard a historical site is to rob future generations of the chance to physically see a place from the past and of the chance to learn from this place. Not only is there a great historical and academic loss to society, “throwing away” historical sites may bring additional losses that are unforeseen to the typical land developer. For example, the Oliver Miller Homestead currently does not utilize much energy or produce much waste, since the people working there emphasize the colonial lifestyle. However, it is very likely that if the homestead were ever to be purchased and turned into something else, that new structure would utilize tons of energy to build and maintain, as well as produce masses of waste. While some people may enjoy the addition of a new, for example, gas station, much would be lost historically by the removal of the homestead, and the environment would be harmed as a result of the building of the new gas station.
The Oliver Miller Homestead, located in South Park, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, is an important historical landmark. Home to some of the first settlers in the area and witness to the Whiskey Rebellion, the landmark provides historical value and knowledge to anyone who visits. Educational opportunities like this cannot be reproduced, making it essential that the Oliver Miller Homestead be preserved. Additionally, the maintenance of the homestead is far better for the environment than the replacement of it would be. By preserving historical sites such as the Oliver Miller Homestead, we are keeping history alive while being green at the same time.
Works Cited:
Oliver Miller Homestead. 2010. Web. 14 Apr. 2010.
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