Courthouse Benches

The Allegheny County Courthouse in downtown Pittsburgh, PA, is the city’s most significant architectural landmark. Designed by Henry Hobson Richardson in 1884 and completed in 1888, the Courthouse (and the former Jail) is a National Historic Landmark.

The program was initiated in 2003 by the Allegheny County Historic Properties Committee to address inappropriate furniture in public corridors. It is intended to replace inappropriate seating with custom-designed benches. Since then, gifts from many people have funded the construction of 31 solid White Oak benches featuring mortise and tenon construction, hidden dovetails, and a finish that matches the original millwork in the Courthouse.

Designed by the County Architect Samuel Taylor, each bench is hand-built here in Pittsburgh by local craftspeople. The donor’s name, or the name of someone the donor would like to honor, is inscribed on the front of the bench.

If you and/or a group of friends would like to sponsor a Courthouse bench, please contact Frank Stroker (frank@phlf.org; 412-471-5808, ext. 525) for further details. Your contribution, payable to PHLF, is fully tax-deductible.

• A contribution of $6,000.00 funds one bench.

A Total of 40 Courthouse Benches Have Been Inscribed to Honor:

• Allegheny County Bar Association
• Carl Wood Brown
• County of Allegheny
• The Honorable Alexander P. Bicket 2011-2024
• The Honorable David R. Cashman 1988-2022
• The Honorable Robert E. Dauer (three benches)
• Robert G. DelGreco
• Laura Ditka, Esquire
• John L. Doherty, Esquire
• In Memory of Chief Justice James B. Drew
• Pete Flaherty • Mayor 1970-1977
• Gary G. Gentile, Esquire
• The Honorable Amy Reynolds Hay
• The Hillman Family
• Paul Georg
• Honorable Walter R. Little
• The Honorable Jeffrey A. Manning 1988-2022
• The Honorable James R. McGregor
• Raymond Novak
• Daniel A. Onorato • Executive • 2004-2012
• Patton Family Partnership
• Pittsburgh History & Landmarks Foundation (two benches)
• Reed Smith LLP
• In Memory of H. H. Richardson, Architect
• James C. Roddey
• Richard M. Scaife
• Donald I. Shrager, Esquire
• Stephen Swem, Esquire
• In Loving Memory of Damayanti Vyas
• John L. Weinstein • Treasurer • 1999-2023
• The Honorable Paul R. Zavarella 1974-2002 (two benches)
• Gary B. Zimmerman, Esquire
• The Honorable John A. Zottola 1993-2020

Three are located in the Civic Division, City-County Building

• The Honorable Michael A. Della Vecchia
• David B. Fawcett
• Michael H. Rosenzweig, Esquire