Is it true you couldn't see Pittsburgh from Mount Washington 100 years ago? (Penn Hills: 2013, home)

[PGH423]

I heard someone make this comment. He said it was due to air pollution from the industries.

[lprmesia]

This is correct if you stood there with your eyes closed.

Here was Pittsburgh from Mt. Washington (Grandview Park on Bailey Ave) 100 years ago (1917).



However in the 1940s and 1950s there were days where the pollution was so bad this was sometimes true.

[Geeo]

I'm sure there were some clear days back then. But if you look at the old photos, there were steel mills and foundries almost in downtown Pittsburgh: in the Strip and at the base of Mt. Washington, as well as along the Ohio River and in the South Side. And there were no EPA regulations, so on inversion days the smoke would be trapped in the valley and visibility would be nil.

[wpipkins2]

The City County building must have been new. It was till white in the 1917 pic.

[krogerDisco]

Originally Posted by wpipkins2

The City County building must have been new. It was till white in the 1917 pic.

That's also true of the Cathedral of Learning. I remember it having streaks of black, but finally it was cleaned.

[PGH423]

Originally Posted by lprmesia

This is correct if you stood there with your eyes closed.

Here was Pittsburgh from Mt. Washington (Grandview Park on Bailey Ave) 100 years ago (1917).



However in the 1940s and 1950s there were days where the pollution was so bad this was sometimes true.

Great pics. Thanks!

[PGH423]

Originally Posted by Geeo

I'm sure there were some clear days back then. But if you look at the old photos, there were steel mills and foundries almost in downtown Pittsburgh: in the Strip and at the base of Mt. Washington, as well as along the Ohio River and in the South Side. And there were no EPA regulations, so on inversion days the smoke would be trapped in the valley and visibility would be nil.

Good point about inversions. On that topic, I've been wondering, do we have far more inversions than most areas? And even when there isn't an inversion, it doesn't seem that the hilltops are much colder and snowier than the valleys for some reason. Where I grew up in NY, if you went up 300 or 400 feet in elevation, it was almost always colder, and it would often be snowing and sticking on the hilltops but not at the lower elevations. That doesn't seem to ever happen here, and I've always been curious about it.

[wpipkins2]

Originally Posted by PGH423

Good point about inversions. On that topic, I've been wondering, do we have far more inversions than most areas? And even when there isn't an inversion, it doesn't seem that the hilltops are much colder and snowier than the valleys for some reason. Where I grew up in NY, if you went up 300 or 400 feet in elevation, it was almost always colder, and it would often be snowing and sticking on the hilltops but not at the lower elevations. That doesn't seem to ever happen here, and I've always been curious about it.

That is not true. I live n East Hills and we always add 1 - 2 additional inches to the expected snow fall totals. Going from Wilkinsburg to East Hills / Penn Hills there is a noticeable difference. It may be raining or flurries on Penn Ave in Wilkinsburg but by the time I reach my home we have snow on the ground.

[_Buster]

I think the worst years for the smoke were 1940-45 because of supplying all of the allied armies for WWII. If you search you will find pics of downtown, from that era where it looks like you couldn't even see more than a one block distance, let alone to Mt. Washington. Some of that may have been a little overstated, such as photographers taking the pictures on foggy days to maximize that effect.

[gg]

No, it really wasn't as bad as people love to pretend it was. Sure it was full of smoke, but for the most part you could see the city from Mt. Washington. People do love to embellish it though. Here is a pretty cool old photo.