Suburb of the week: Sewickley (Pittsburgh, California: 2013, houses, neighborhoods)

[eschaton]

Sewickly is a semi-urban borough located to the northwest of Pittsburgh, down the Ohio River. It is surrounded by a number of other boroughs, including Edgeworth, Sewickley Hills, Sewickley Heights, and Glen Osborne (formerly Osbourne). The borough is nearly square shaped, save for two odd "tails which trail into the hills.

Sewickley has had long history for a "suburban" municipality. The earliest settlement in the area dates to the 1790s, although this was mostly scattered farmsteads. In the late 1830s, private boarding schools for both girls and boys opened up in the Sewickley Area, beginnning its reputation as a rural retrat for Pitssburgh/Allegheny City notables. This began kicking into overdrive with the arrival of a railroad line in 1851, with Sewickley developing into one of Pittsburgh's most archtypical (hell, only) wealthy railroad suburbs. It was incorporated soon after, in 1853. By around the turn of the 20th century, the increasing reliability and speed of rail service, along with the developing ownership of the automobile, meant that many of Pittsburgh's wealthiest families began relocating away from portions of the North Side like Allegheny West and Manchester (which were still grand, but smog-choked) to the clean air of Sewickley full time. Growth began slowing down in the 1920s, but continued at low levels up through the 50s - likely mostly due to some small multi-family developments built in Sewickley during that era. Passenger rail service was moved to a more inconvenient location towards the river with the construction of Ohio River Boulevard in 1934, but limped along in a limited fashion until 1989.

As noted above, Sewickley is a classic "railroad suburb" of a sort rare in Pittsburgh. Although often confused for streetcar suburbs, railroad suburbs often have their own distinct characteristics, which Sewickley shares. The most important one is although they're built around the idea of commuting into an urban core, railroad suburbs were built to be more or less complete "mini cities" rather than residential areas with a strip of retail. This means Sewickley has a great, three-dimensional downtown - and the roughly square shape means almost the entire borough is walkable to this downtown, with amenities most suburbs don't have, like a local art museum. It also means Sewickley was constructed to be economically diverse. Even though it was meant as a getaway for the rich, there was never the belief that the shopkeepers and "help" should live in the next town over and commute in to work. Indeed, while not exactly a working-class town Sewickley is to this day much more economically diverse than is often believed, with the "real money" mostly living in Edgeworth and Sewickley Hills/Heights. Sewickley is also relatively diverse, with a small black population which has lived in the borough since antebellum times. The local black population has shrunk a bit due to recent gentrification, but it's still large enough to sustain a black barbershop.

So yeah, Sewickley in a lot of respects is a really great place. Walkable, safe, semi-diverse, well-regarded schools, and still semi-affordable (houses for under $300,000 within a 10-minute walk of the business district still aren't uncommon). What's the catch? Basically, that the commute isn't the best option if you work in the city. It's actually not that bad into Downtown, with the choice of three different (non-express) bus routes and a relatively easy car commute - provided there's no congestion or accidents on 65. But if you work in the East End (where all the new jobs seem to be created in the city now) forget about it!.

[PGH423]

Originally Posted by eschaton

Sewickly is a semi-urban borough located to the northwest of Pittsburgh, down the Ohio River. It is surrounded by a number of other boroughs, including Edgeworth, Sewickley Hills, Sewickley Heights, and Glen Osborne (formerly Osbourne). The borough is nearly square shaped, save for two odd "tails which trail into the hills.

Sewickley has had long history for a "suburban" municipality. The earliest settlement in the area dates to the 1790s, although this was mostly scattered farmsteads. In the late 1830s, private boarding schools for both girls and boys opened up in the Sewickley Area, beginnning its reputation as a rural retrat for Pitssburgh/Allegheny City notables. This began kicking into overdrive with the arrival of a railroad line in 1851, with Sewickley developing into one of Pittsburgh's most archtypical (hell, only) wealthy railroad suburbs. It was incorporated soon after, in 1853. By around the turn of the 20th century, the increasing reliability and speed of rail service, along with the developing ownership of the automobile, meant that many of Pittsburgh's wealthiest families began relocating away from portions of the North Side like Allegheny West and Manchester (which were still grand, but smog-choked) to the clean air of Sewickley full time. Growth began slowing down in the 1920s, but continued at low levels up through the 50s - likely mostly due to some small multi-family developments built in Sewickley during that era. Passenger rail service was moved to a more inconvenient location towards the river with the construction of Ohio River Boulevard in 1934, but limped along in a limited fashion until 1989.

As noted above, Sewickley is a classic "railroad suburb" of a sort rare in Pittsburgh. Although often confused for streetcar suburbs, railroad suburbs often have their own distinct characteristics, which Sewickley shares. The most important one is although they're built around the idea of commuting into an urban core, railroad suburbs were built to be more or less complete "mini cities" rather than residential areas with a strip of retail. This means Sewickley has a great, three-dimensional downtown - and the roughly square shape means almost the entire borough is walkable to this downtown, with amenities most suburbs don't have, like a local art museum. It also means Sewickley was constructed to be economically diverse. Even though it was meant as a getaway for the rich, there was never the belief that the shopkeepers and "help" should live in the next town over and commute in to work. Indeed, while not exactly a working-class town Sewickley is to this day much more economically diverse than is often believed, with the "real money" mostly living in Edgeworth and Sewickley Hills/Heights. Sewickley is also relatively diverse, with a small black population which has lived in the borough since antebellum times. The local black population has shrunk a bit due to recent gentrification, but it's still large enough to sustain a black barbershop.

So yeah, Sewickley in a lot of respects is a really great place. Walkable, safe, semi-diverse, well-regarded schools, and still semi-affordable (houses for under $300,000 within a 10-minute walk of the business district still aren't uncommon). What's the catch? Basically, that the commute isn't the best option if you work in the city. It's actually not that bad into Downtown, with the choice of three different (non-express) bus routes and a relatively easy car commute - provided there's no congestion or accidents on 65. But if you work in the East End (where all the new jobs seem to be created in the city now) forget about it!.

I love the Sewickley shopping area and houses. It's beautiful. Is this thread just about Sewickley Village? And there will be separate ones for Sewickley Hills and Heights?

[eschaton]

Originally Posted by PGH423

I love the Sewickley shopping area and houses. It's beautiful. Is this thread just about Sewickley Village? And there will be separate ones for Sewickley Hills and Heights?

Yeah. I considered combining threads, since the next two are going to be pretty light, but considering I'm not doing city neighborhoods any longer, I thought I might as well give them weeks by themselves. I think Ben Avon Heights is the only municipality that hasn't gotten its own thread.

[svband76]

Wish I could afford this area. Love the downtown. not sure where the closest grocery store is. Loved that Little Athens restaurant. Some amazing architecture/homes.

[Knepper3]

Originally Posted by zalewskimm

Wish I could afford this area. Love the downtown. not sure where the closest grocery store is. Loved that Little Athens restaurant. Some amazing architecture/homes.

There is a Giant Eagle right down 65 about 5 min away.

[wpipkins2]

The African Americans of Sewickley Valley have a history as rich and deep-rooted as the valley itself. Originally pioneered by Quakers and abolitionists sentimental to the cause of enslaved men, Sewickley is noted for containing routes and safe houses for those on the Underground Railroad. Known as an affluent bedroom community, Sewickley is considered the wealthiest municipality along the entire 98-mile stretch of the Ohio River. Early residents brought black servants with them to serve as domestics. As construction increased, many African Americans migrated primarily from Virginia and Kentucky to work in the area as builders. The organization of Sewickley's first African American mission marked the start of a strong and lively course for the African American community. Beginning with Jim Robinson in 1823 through the culmination of today's Come on Home annual reunion, African Americans in Sewickley Valley documents the life and ambition of the African Americans who grew as a vital part of Sewickley's community today.

[wpipkins2]

Sewickley was home to quite a few WW2 Tuskegee Airman. I've always been fascinated with the history of the area.

SEWICKLEY -- A longtime ambassador for the legacy of the Tuskegee Airmen, flying heights beyond compare throughout the nation and beyond, has come home in death.

Mitchell L. Higginbotham, who died in February in California at age 94, was one of seven Tuskegee Airmen from Sewickley. His final request was that he be buried near a memorial in Sewickley Cemetery honoring the black World War II pilots and support crew who rose above the racism of the time to play a key role in military efforts. A service honoring that request was held Saturday afternoon.

Western Pennsylvania has long taken pride in the number of its native sons who participated in the U.S. Army Air Corps group. In addition to the seven from Sewickley, at least another five came from Beaver County. In 2013 a local committee dedicated a memorial at Sewickley Cemetery, which names more than 100 Tuskegee program participants from Pennsylvania, Ohio and West Virginia. Higginbotham is the first former Tuskegee Airman to be buried there.

[eschaton]

Originally Posted by Knepper3

There is a Giant Eagle right down 65 about 5 min away.

There appears to be a small independent supermarket in town too.

[Knepper3]

Originally Posted by eschaton

There appears to be a small independent supermarket in town too.

Curious if anyone has been in? I know where it is and have seen it many times but never dropped in. I'm not usually grocery shopping when I am there.

[bluecarebear]

Originally Posted by eschaton

By around the turn of the 20th century, the increasing reliability and speed of rail service, along with the developing ownership of the automobile, meant that many of Pittsburgh's wealthiest families began relocating away from portions of the North Side like Allegheny West and Manchester (which were still grand, but smog-choked) to the clean air of Sewickley full time.

Sewickley was country and too far away from Pittsburgh to live full time. The rich built their second homes in Sewickley to escape the heat and the smog of the summer months in the city. Do you ever talk to old timers when writing these up?