The Amber Club

Bachelor engineers, a mansion next door, and after-hours chats with George Westinghouse himself!

Welcome to the Amber Club.

Formed in 1887 by George Westinghouse, the Amber Club provided room and board for 15 Westinghouse engineers at the former Bailey home on the corner of Penn Avenue and Murtland Street in Point Breeze. Just a short stroll from his own home, Solitude, Westinghouse would often stop by to talk shop after hours.

In later years, the club moved to Howe Street in Shadyside, but it retained its reputation for attracting financially comfortable, and highly social, bachelors. The Amber Club finally disbanded in the late 1960s.

Photo and commentary are from the Westinghouse Archives at the Heinz History Center. See below for additional insights.

As this 1890 map of the area shows, the Bailey house was sited on property acquired by George Westinghouse around 1885. Its entrance is just to the right of the interesection of Penn and Murtland. But seven years later, the house was purchased by Henry Heinz and became part of his estate, Greenlawn. The Bailey house was razed in the process.

Also interesting, this map shows Galena Street, which once ran from Penn Avenue to the White Lead Works at the railroad tracks.

As the second map below shows, the area’s street grid was completely re-defined 15 years later. Greenlawn had appeared, and Galena Street and the White Lead works had disappeared.

Area map 1890

Area map 1903