Sewickley -- Christy House

Christy House Garden, located in the heart of Sewickley, Pennsylvania, is a one-acre in-town garden with roots dating back to 1862. Originally developed by Charles Addison Atwell, a prominent grocer and railway executive, the property featured a Gothic Revival residence designed by architect Joseph W. Kerr. Atwell surrounded the home with a lush Victorian garden filled with vegetables, fruit trees, and flowering plants—an early example of a working garden that served both practical and ornamental purposes. In 1869, the estate was purchased by George H. Christy, a Pittsburgh patent attorney, and his wife, Sarah. The Christys and their five children enjoyed the expansive garden as a setting for recreation, quiet reflection, and social gatherings. A sunken garden with a stone bench became a favored retreat for Mrs. Christy. The gardens were maintained for nearly 70 years by gardener Nicholas Geary, who planted fruit trees and shaped the landscape into a fragrant oasis with manicured lawns, croquet areas, and a white picket fence enclosing the property. Following the death of Ethel Christy in 1950, the house and garden were sold to St. Stephen's Anglican Church and repurposed as a rectory. While portions of the garden were paved to create a church parking lot, the remaining grounds continued to host children's play, outdoor church events, and family life. During this period, the garden flourished under the care of Italian gardener Mike Mastriano, who cultivated petunias, lettuce, and other plants, sharing his gardening knowledge despite language barriers. Perennials such as bearded iris, mint, lily of the valley, and peonies thrived alongside legacy features like a burning bush hedge and a still-standing arbor rose. A succession of pastors and their families lived in the house, including the Odom family in the 1960s and 1970s, whose daughter Mary fondly recalled seasonal plantings, vegetable plots, an old beech tree, rose gardens, and a grape arbor. The adjacent "little house," originally built by George Christy as an office in the 1870s, was later converted into a tearoom known as "The Crumpet," where parishioners sold baked goods and handmade items. Though demolition was considered in the 1970s, community efforts secured the preservation of the Christy House. It was designated a landmark by the Pittsburgh History and Landmarks Foundation in 1979. Today, the garden remains a symbol of enduring spirit and hospitality for the Sewickley community. While the beloved beech tree has been lost, plans for an interactive children's garden aim to introduce a new generation to this historic and cherished landscape. Persons associated with the garden's design: Michael Mastriano (gardener for St. Stephens, n.d.); Nicholas Geary (gardener for Mr. Christy, n.d.); Charles Addison Atwell (former owner, 1862-1869); George Havey Christy (former owner, 1869-1951); St. Stephen's Vestry (owner, 1951-present).