About Us
The History Behind The Victorian Lady of Academy Hill
Our Story
356 N.Main St. Greensburg, PA ~ circa 1884
356 N.Main St. Greensburg, PA ~ 2022
The Victorian Lady of Academy Hill is a Queen Anne style home built circa 1884 by Attorney Joseph J. Johnston as a wedding present for his daughter, Anna, and her husband, William C. Peoples, District Attorney of Greensburg. The Cote family bought the home in the 1930’s and rented it as a single-family dwelling until the Rathgeb family (owners of Rathgeb Dairy) purchased the home in 1945. The home remained in the Rathgeb family for 58 years. Pictures of the home’s history are displayed at The Victorian Lady.
Because of our love for the Victorian era and passion for tea, as well as Carol’s English heritage, we purchased the residence in 2003 to transform it into a Victorian-style tea parlor. We wanted to offer a respite from the hurried pace of today’s lifestyle where people could bond with family and friends and at the same time showcase one of Greensburg’s lovely historic homes. Our dream has come true, and we want to share it with you.
Wishing you the pleasures of tea,