Clayton (The Frick Mansion)

The stunning Victorian mansion that was home to industrialist Henry Clay Frick and his family from 1882 to 1905. The 23-room Italianate house is preserved as a museum showcasing how one of America's wealthiest families lived during the Gilded Age.

Henry Clay Frick and his wife Adelaide Howard Childs purchased Clayton in August 1882 for $25,000. The house was an 11-room Italianate-style building that the family transformed by 1891 into a 23-room chateau-style mansion designed by architect Frederick J. Osterling. But tragedy struck the Fricks at Clayton. In summer 1891, five-year-old Martha swallowed a pin that became lodged in her throat or stomach. Despite efforts by doctors, including a specialist summoned from New York, infection set in and Martha died at Clayton on August 18, 1891. The following year, their infant son Henry Clay Jr. also died shortly after birth. After these losses, the family left for New York City, leaving their possessions behind.

Clayton is said to be haunted by two female spirits believed to be members of the Frick family. Employees and visitors have reported hearing footsteps on the third floor of the empty home and finding unexplained depressions in Adelaide Frick's bed. A female spirit's tentative footsteps can be heard throughout the mansion, and the spirit of a young boy is frequently seen roaming the parlor as if lost. The nursery area and Henry Frick's study are reportedly the most active locations. Starting November 2025, the Frick Pittsburgh opened the third and fourth floors to the public for the first time, potentially revealing more paranormal encounters.

An astonishing 93% of the artifacts in the house are original, making Clayton one of Pittsburgh's most authentic historic house museums.