August Wilson House

The August Wilson House is a two-story brick building in the Hill District featuring a storefront and residential apartments dating to the 19th century. Inside, restored 1950s spaces, digital displays, and performance areas document the creative work and life of the African American playwright.

The residence gained placement on the National Register of Historic Places in 2013, marking the location where playwright August Wilson spent his formative years. This recognition honored the house as the birthplace of the dramatic ideas that would later shape theatrical productions worldwide.

The house embodies African American life through Wilson's Pittsburgh Cycle, a series of ten plays set across different decades of the 20th century. Visitors sense here how the playwright transformed personal memory and community stories into dramatic works.

Plan to spend enough time exploring the restored rooms and exhibits at a leisurely pace, as personal objects and small details help tell the story. The house sits in the Hill District, and walking the surrounding neighborhood offers additional context about the community that shaped the playwright's imagination.

The backyard of this property became the setting for Wilson's Broadway play Seven Guitars, with the physical space directly inspiring the artistic creation. This connection between the actual location and the dramatic work shows how Wilson blurred the lines between his lived experiences and theatrical imagination.