A history of Pittsburgh's suburbs

[Craziaskowboi]

Originally Posted by BrianTH

The lower areas are often former industrial/commercial areas which were making use of waterways and railroads, and back in the day they could be pretty hellish.

Even away from the industrial areas, the lower elevations seem to have developed first while the higher elevations developed later.

[PreservationPioneer]

Pittsburgh's most historic / oldest neighborhoods (Lawrenceville, South Side Flats, downtown, The Strip, Uptown/ the Bluff, Spring Garden, and Central North Side) were all near the rivers, where the original city was. The developments on the hills are much newer, usually turn of the century or later. I wouldn't say the housing stock was better -- just relatively newer. In terms of superior housing, I would list the remaining Italianate and Victorian homes of the Central North Side and East End neighborhoods as the highest quality in the Pittsburgh city area. Certainly, though, this is subjective.

[Tallysmom]

If memory is serving me correctly, angel, the neighborhoods you are talking about were originally housing built for the wealthy outside the city.

[PreservationPioneer]

Originally Posted by Tallysmom

If memory is serving me correctly, angel, the neighborhoods you are talking about were originally housing built for the wealthy outside the city.

That's true. Central North Side was originally Allegheny City and the East End neighborhoods were the original suburbs.

It's hard to say what grand homes may have existed in downtown Pittsburgh at one time. I don't doubt that in the mid 19th century there were some (as there were many residential neighborhoods downtown then), but they are gone now.

[BrianTH]

There were farms, trading posts, and such in the "hills" going way back. But it did take motorized transport to seriously spread urban/suburban development away from the river valleys.

[heartchya]

Per Allegheny County my house in Millvale was built in 1882. It is pretty much a little box but it is still standing and in good condition---mostly due to the work the previous owner and I have done.

[PeterRabbit]

There are larger, older homes in Oakmont that were built in the later 1800s. Some have Circa signs on them with the year built. They are close to the river.