A Pittsburgh mystery (Washington, Carnegie, Liberty: houses, to live, to move)

[dugdogmaster]

Can anyone help solve this mystery?
Who can help solve mystery of bird's-eye photo of city?

[Geeo]

That was interesting, saw it in this morning's Post-Gazette. I tried to identify the year, but without seeing the rest of the buildings in the Golden Triangle, it was hard for me. I can usually date picutes by the taller buildings, but they weren't shown, and I'm not familiar enough with the old North Side to know when those buildings were torn down. The only thing I'm certain of is that the "Three Sisiters" bridges (Sixth, Seventh and Ninth) were built in the mid to late 1920s. And if we could see if the Koppers and Gulf buildings are there or not, that would date it between the mid 20s to 1930. I can say that this city has undergone a metamorphosis since this picture was taken! It's unbelievable.

[dugdogmaster]

Originally Posted by Geeo

I can say that this city has undergone a metamorphosis since this picture was taken! It's unbelievable.

Indeed

From what I gather they're guesstimating it to be from the same era, late 20s thru the 30s

[fleetiebelle]

I wonder if they've taken it to Pittsburgh History and Landmarks Foundation or the archives at the History Center. Seems like someone there would be able to help.

[dugdogmaster]

^If they haven't yet, I'm sure they're going to be going down that road soon

[slamont61]

Wow, that is SOOOO cool. I love that city, I grew up there. While growing up I always wanted to live on Mt Washington in a place with a view. Well I did accomplish that task. And then some. I lived in a place on Grandview, on East Sycamore Terrace, Arlington Ave and Hartford Street in the South Side. All of those places had the "view".

I had to move off of Grandview - too much noise. (by noise I mean bass sound coming from car stero equiptment) The Bam Bam Bam vibrating the whole structure all night long in the summer time. My dream was shattered by that. But I did find several other places that were not on Grandview but did have great views. The houses on E Sycomore Terracec are pearched above the old part of the street that went down to the trolley tunnel entrence. It's been closed to traffic as the street was re-routed towards the east. All four of the houses have decks with city views. The constant hum of the city is a noise I miss. On Arlington Ave we had a roof top deck, it's that big huge Victorian to the East of the Liberty Tubes. Nice place it was too. I could sit and stare at the city for hours on end after a rough work day. It was nice to be able to walk to work too. The place on Hartford sat next to the city steps that lead all the way down to the South Side. City view was there but it really faced Mercy Hospital. More helicopter watching than one can hope for.

As a kid some of that in the picture was still there. Both the bridges at the Point were. The bridge coming from the wabash tunnel wasn't, nor the Wabash Terminal, located at what is Gateway Center, nor the rail yard down there at the point.

I would guess the picture is a very early 1930 at the latest.

[dugdogmaster]

^On another forum that's what most of us are guesstimating as well, and it seems from the article that's what they gather as well, early 30's.

[gallacus]

It seems as though the 7th Street Bridge is lighter in color than the 6th and 9th St. Bridges. Could this be an indicator as to what year this is? Is it possible to find out when these bridges were painted what color?

[Geeo]

It's possible that the Seventh St. Bridge was the last of the three to be built, which could account for its brightness. The other two may had already been covered by Pittsburgh's famous soot back then.

[slamont61]

I would bet the 7th street Bridge had only been cleaned.... Back then most any surface exposed to the weather would be blackened by industry. However it could be paint. I'm looking at the Carnegie library for photos of that area of town to try and narrow it down.