184 38th Street

The McBride Log House was a two-story residential building in Pittsburgh's Lawrenceville neighborhood made from squared logs with twelve interior rooms. The walls used log construction as the primary structural material throughout the building.

Henry McBride built this residence in 1822 after purchasing the land from William Foster, who founded Lawrenceville. The building served as a home for nearly two centuries before its removal.

This residence represented how early settlers built homes using direct methods and materials from their surroundings. The structure showed traditional skills passed down through generations of builders.

The site is located in a residential neighborhood accessible on foot, with typical street layouts from Pittsburgh's early development. Walking around the area gives a sense of how the neighborhood evolved over time.

A fire in 2004 unexpectedly exposed the original log construction that had been hidden beneath later exterior cladding. This accident revealed how the building was constructed in the 1800s without modern materials.

Location: Pennsylvania

Architectural style: rustic architecture

Floors above the ground: 2

GPS coordinates: 40.46720,-79.96500

Latest update: December 13, 2025 12:24