George Kirtland (1809-1890) built this lovely Greek Revival style house around 1845. George was the fourth son of Turhand Kirtland (1755-1844), founder of Poland Village. George had a college degree in chemistry and in 1844 was a beneficiary of his father’s large estate. George chose the site for his new home because it had commanding view of Poland’s Village Green and was situated well above the noise of the stage coaches along the busy highway between Poland and Pittsburgh. The house once sat on five acres of wooded land. Today the property has been reduced to one acre. George’s house was designed with 4,400 square feet of living space. One feature of the house is its elaborate Ionic portico. The top of the portico once had a carved wooden balustrade made to imitate cast iron. This balustrade has been salvaged and will some day be restored. There are several features on the property which make it rather unique. In the rear is a large barn that once housed George’s chemistry laboratory on the second floor. From the rear porch of the house is a covered walkway leading to an attached privy and woodshed. Another walkway leads through a long grape arbor to a 1890s play house. The present owners, Mark and Becky Rogenski have added a rock garden across the front of the property, two rock-lined fish ponds and a concrete driveway. Becky’s father, Jerry Rudzik, was the contractor who completely restored this historical house from top to bottom. His video tape of the interior during restoration shows original wall openings that had been covered over and the unusual design of the two brick chimneys which rotate 90 degrees within the walls.
When George Kirtland’s marriage failed, his niece Emma occupied the house and George moved next door. (433 S. Main St.) Emma Kirtland (1841-1914) was the daughter of Billius Kirtland, the third son of Turhand Kirtland. In 1867 Emma Caroline Kirtland married Samuel Hine, a prosperous merchant who owned many properties in Poland Township. Samuel and Emma raise 4 boys and one girl in the house. The girl was born in 1869 and was named Ellen Louise. Ellen, or Nell as she was known, never married and remained in her parent’s house until her death in 1955. She was the person responsible for building the play house for her nieces and nephews to enjoy during their visits.
Samuel Hine died in 1942, and in his will left the Village of Poland an accrued sum of $218,752, the income from which had to be used for the maintenance and improvement of the Village Green and the old cemetery adjacent to the Presbyterian Church. Mr. Hine’s four sons all went to college and obtained responsible positions in engineering, business, and the legal profession. The third son, Homer Hine, obtained a degree in electrical engineering and eventually moved to Seattle. His grandson, Ted Hine who now lives in Colorado, recently visited Poland and the Riverside Cemetery to view where his ancestors were buried. His previous visit was in 1977 for the funeral of his father, Edward “Kirt” Hine. Ted Hine has published a lengthy history of the Kirtland Family including many old photographs; all available on a computer disk.