Built in 1800, This North Strabane Property Has Stood the Test of Time

PHOTOS COURTESY SUSAN BRUNKO

When Susan Brunko’s parents decided to purchase a dilapidated farmhouse and barn in Washington County back in 1984, the family wondered what they were getting themselves into.

Her stepfather, local developer William McCloskey, was lovingly known as “Overkill Bill” due to his insatiable love of building and remodeling — but this North Strabane house needed more than just a facelift.

“He told my mom, ‘I will just pull the wallpaper off,’” recalls Brunko with a laugh. “When she finally got over there, it was completely gutted.”

Built in 1800, the home at 571 West McMurray Road had sat vacant for so long there were goldfish frozen in a bowl in the family room, according to Brunko. It was the definition of a fixer-upper. Thankfully for the family, Brunko’s mother, Nancy, a realtor, was up for the challenge of bringing it back to life.

Over the course of several years, and in between significant real estate development projects around the Pittsburgh region, Bill and Nancy restored the entire farmhouse from top to bottom — digging out the cellar’s dirt floor by hand, raising the home off of its foundation to add steel support beams and gutting the main house down to the bricks.

The original portion of the home was built as the homestead for a sheep farm in the early 1800s and had gone through many changes over the years, says Brunko. Her parents made renovations as well, creating a separate apartment above a new, attached garage and adding an eight-stall garage to the historical three-story barn.

The farm, which was once much larger, has been largely sold off and subdivided for new housing communities that Bill helped to develop; her family has watched the area grow around the farm. Brunko says she enjoys the access to restaurants, shops and Pittsburgh’s amenities while still living in a rural setting.

“We have a lot of critters,” she says. “I have a friend staying in the apartment right now to keep watch over my parents’ home, and he said, ‘It’s like a menagerie out here.’”

Brunko, who sold real estate for more than 30 years herself and has since retired, has listed her parents’ home for $2.25 million. The home sits on 11 acres, which is divided into three parcels that may be further subdivided. Brunko’s hope, though, is that someone who appreciates the property’s legacy will buy the original homestead, land and farm, which is listed on the Washington County historical registry.

The entire home measures around 5,000 square feet. The main residence has four bedrooms and four-and-a-half bathrooms, while the apartment has two bedrooms, a kitchen, bathroom and living/dining room area atop a three-car garage.

The barn, which has a heated and plumbed workshop on the main level, has eight additional garage bays. Brunko notes that the barn is well-equipped for use as a workshop or studio, but it would also make a dream setting for equestrians.

Brunko says that the home has been well maintained over the years by her fastidious parents. It may require some updates, such as new windows and cosmetic changes, but it was built to last. The large farmhouse kitchen is anchored by an oversized island made for gathering as well as a commercial-grade range and hood perfect for cooking for a large crew.

Carpeting, hardwood floors, light fixtures, updates to several bathrooms and a tankless water heater are just some of the improvements Brunko made before listing the property for sale. The family also added an in-ground pool in the 1990s, which has had regular upkeep.

Despite the needed updates to preserve a property that is over two centuries old, the original charm is evident in the millwork and brickwork of the home and barn. The barn was built using pegs of wood rather than nails to support the structure — a process that has been proven to stand the test of time.

Of the many memories Brunko has of the farm, her stepfather’s massive annual party in July stands out; Bill would invite all of his staff, subcontractors and their families to the celebration.

“It took us a long time to prep for it, but it was worth it,” Brunko says. “There would be 50 to 100 people. The kids would be in the pool; folks would be playing baseball at the backstop he put in the front yard. He even had one of those coin-operated mechanical horses from the ‘40s, and kids would take turns riding it. Everyone loved being there.”