An afternoon walk in McKees Rocks & Stowe Twp. (Pictures) (Pittsburgh: real estate, rentals)

[Copanut]

Originally Posted by alleghenyangel

My understanding was that Homewood and Wilkinsburg were the original first-ring suburbs. Penn Hills is a bit newer. Am I mistaken?

Homewood was always a part of Pittsburgh, never a boro/twp.

[BrianTH]

Prior to its annexation, what we now know as Homewood was part of Peebles Township (annexed in 1868) plus the Boro of Brushton (annexed in 1894, originally part of Wilkins Township and then I think briefly part of Sterrett Township). Here is an 1850 map:

Full record for Darlington Digital Library Maps: DARMAP0090

Judge William Wilkins, whose family name was also the origin of Wilkinsburg, apparently founded an estate in that area in 1832. There was some development as of 1868, but not much. For example, in this 1872 map, you can see the Homewood section has been plotted out, but without a lot of actual buildings:

Full record for G. M. Hopkins Company Maps, 1872-1939 (ASC): 1872P065

By 1890, though, things had changed:

Full record for G. M. Hopkins Company Maps, 1872-1939 (ASC): 20090624-HOPKINS-0021

Here is Brushton at the time of annexation, also in the process of being built out:

Full record for G. M. Hopkins Company Maps, 1872-1939 (ASC): 20090121-HOPKINS-0003
Full record for G. M. Hopkins Company Maps, 1872-1939 (ASC): 20090121-HOPKINS-0004

[NJ07035]

Great shots, AA.

Was just back in the 'Burgh for a wedding, and drove thru the Rox to get my supply of Mancini's bread (nothing like it in Jersey).

My mom grew up on Broadway (543 1/2) right across the street from Mancini's, and I can recall so many wonderful nights with the smell of the bakery wafting over my grandparents and I as we sat on the porch listening to the Pirates on a lazy sumer night. Driving up and down the sidewalk from corner to corner on my Big Wheel, with everyone saying hello as I passed. Walking with my grandfather up to the Parway Bakery, and the ladies inside getting ready for him to tell them 'gimme a dozen - mix 'em up, whatever he wants' as pick each one out as though I were choosing gemstones. Playing in the alley behind their house, throwing ball after ball against their garage door, pitching yet another no-hitter for the Bucs (hey, I was a little kid, and back in the 70s they were still good!).

Even though they moved up to Frederick St in the 80s, I always considered Broadway their home. Still pains me to see that their place was razed to build the new muni building.

[sch412]

This pics are great! When I first thought of the Rocks, I thought it was some grimy, ghetto looking place. I am very wrong. While there might be some crime, I don't think I'd be worried about raising a family there.

[alleghenyangel]

Originally Posted by sch412

This pics are great! When I first thought of the Rocks, I thought it was some grimy, ghetto looking place. I am very wrong. While there might be some crime, I don't think I'd be worried about raising a family there.

No, it's not THAT bad. While I was driving to work tonight, I noticed lots of families with their kids trick-or-treating.

[Pitts10yrs]

What is going on at that school?

[Paul Vermeulen]

thanks for the tour been 19 years since there. moved to Az for health. Vermeulen { meadows] we went to Stow Rocks high school . matter of fact we went to all the schools there.

[feanix]

AA, it is funny you mention Penn Hills for that is the community I was born and raised in and outside of Stowe spent most my time in Pittsburgh residing in.

I would never recommend Penn Hills to anyone looking to move to Pittsburgh because of their water bills, police department, mediocre school system, and violence spilling over from Homewood and Wilkinsburg. At one time Penn Hills was an unknown gem if you will. A great place to grow up when I was a kid, but not a great place to raise a child anymore.

I don't know if Stowe and Penn Hills are exactly comparable, but there are some similarities (as I listed above).

In the end not only did I leave Penn Hills but I left Pennsylvania after spending 37 years there. By the time I left I was cyber schooling my daughter to keep her away from the bullying PH's couldn't get under control (particularly on the bus). I left my 800 a month 2br apartment where I walked past drug deals daily in the hall and freed myself from having to deal with the repercussions of poor parenting of the children who resided in the community and whose parents were either too busy hanging out at Grown N Sexy / Whitehawk or because they wouldn't / couldn't afford to hire supervision while they worked.

Now having said that, I still think Pittsburgh is a beautiful city. I have lots of great memories from my time there. I just think the city outgrew me or possibly I outgrew the city. Either way, I knew I no longer wanted to invest into the city and that's sort of when I knew it was time to go. And I'm glad I did and I hope someone as enthused about Pittsburgh as you are takes my place in ole Penn Hills because that's really what the 'Burgh needs. More people like you investing into her!

[Steelers412]

You live on the same block I pretty much spent my entire life on growing up. An old elderly couple use to live in your house. Actually that whole row was inhabited by older folks except for the last house on the right side.

Every picture you posted I know the excact location of the house and street, and probably have a story to go with it. You should seen Mckees Rocks back in the 90's when I was a younger, SOOOOO much nicer and safer back then. It's getting worse and worse every year.

[Steelers412]

Originally Posted by daroxsux

My family grew up in west park, and at one time us little kids could walk the streets, go to the movies that was a long time ago, I live in stowe, and what most people dont know is that there are so many homes being bought by slumlords renting section 8, I am right in the middle of it. And trying to get out, amazing how many people move in and out, go look online at the assessment page and you will see for yourself how many of the homes are owned by one person, then go look up the person who owns them homes. Nothing like what he buys and section 8 out. This place is a ghetto and just try walking up broadway at night. The whistle blows daily sometimes 3 times a day for fires and crime is continuous don't even think about living here without a security system, and those pictures without the people are true, its trash here now. Coming home daily makes me shudder just coming from kennedy, no way is anyone concerned about this place, I say that because I know, I live here.

The guy who owns the Blue Eagle Market on Broadway is probably one of the worst down there when it comes to slumlords. He's been buying tons of property for the last few years, doesn't even fix them up, just makes sure they can pass section 8 inspection.