Steps, "Step-Streets" (Pittsburgh, Washington: condos, houses, neighborhood)

[Kate88]

I'm really becoming interested in all of Pittsburgh's steps. I know I've seen them around, but I don't recall exactly where, and I'm sure I haven't even seen the beginning of them. I heard somewhere there are in the neighborhood of 700?

Anyways - if you know where some are, please share!

Thanks!

[nuwaver88]

Originally Posted by Kate88

I'm really becoming interested in all of Pittsburgh's steps. I know I've seen them around, but I don't recall exactly where, and I'm sure I haven't even seen the beginning of them. I heard somewhere there are in the neighborhood of 700?

Anyways - if you know where some are, please share!

Thanks!

Here is a website that may help.

http://pittsburgh.about.com/od/about...gh/a/steps.htm

[Hopes]

Since that website doesn't give locations, let's try to post locations we know here.

Lawrenceville to Stanton Heights: the bottom of the steps start where 57th Street turns into Christopher Street

Route 28 to Mt. Troy: not sure of the exact location. I see them everyday during my commute into downtown.

Spring Hill to Spring Garden: the top of the steps start on Diana Street.

If you type into google maps "Pittsburgh" "City" "Steps," four other locations come up on the map.

I'd post a link, but the google maps link isn't working properly so you'll have to do the google search yourself.

[fleetiebelle]

There's a book about the subject: The Steps of Pittsburgh. With a walking tour for six sets.

The website says it's out of print, but there are probably copies at libraries and local bookstores.

[Hopes]

Morningside to Butler Street: the bottom of the steps has a street sign for Jancey Street & Butler

[Katiana]

There used to be several sets of steps on the South Side slopes. When I was a public health nurse there, they were designated as streets. It was always a surprise to come to the steps and have to park the car and walk to the pt's home. I say "used to be" b/c that was a long time ago.

[ctoocheck]

If you check out Google maps, many of them are marked as a pale white line (the same as trails such as the Eliza Furnace and Panther Hollow)

Some others:

In the South Side (slopes):
-At the southern end of 15th St. This goes up to "Angel's Arms" church-turned-condos building. If you hang a right and go to the other end of the building, to the left is Uxor Way, another set.
-Yard Way goes pretty far up, from Pius St. near the bottom of the slopes to St. Paul street way at the top by the monastery.
-At the southern end of 24th Street is Elanor Street, which turns into steps between Letico and Holt Streets
-At the southern end of 10th Street, is a set over the railroad tracks, then (it seems) as set that goes from Fritz up to Hartford.
In Oakland:
-There's a peculiar set of houses on step-streets in Oakland, where Boquet ends and turns (literally turns) into Dawson. They go down the hillside to Boundary Street.
-There's a set that go from Joncaire up to the Frick Fine Arts building
-There's a set that goes from near the bottom of Bates to Fraizer St in S. Oakland

I think I've seen some in Greenfield too but I might be making that up.

[Impala26]

Originally Posted by Hopes

...
Route 28 to Mt. Troy: not sure of the exact location. I see them everyday during my commute into downtown.
...

I've been past those innumerable times too, I always wanted to climb them. One might not be able to however; they appear in reasonable disrepair and at least at the bottom on East Ohio Street are blocked behind a Jersey barrier (though that can't stop anyone if you really want to get past it).

Originally Posted by ctoocheck

In Oakland:
-There's a peculiar set of houses on step-streets in Oakland, where Boquet ends and turns (literally turns) into Dawson. They go down the hillside to Boundary Street.
-There's a set that go from Joncaire up to the Frick Fine Arts building
-There's a set that goes from near the bottom of Bates to Fraizer St in S. Oakland

I've actually seen all of these, but haven't climbed (or gone down) the latter. Bates Street is a mess though, it can't decide if it's a neighborhood street, a secondary road, or a highway on/off ramp. I hope they actually rehab that street as some sort of "gateway" between Oakland and PTC that I was reading about from a paper from about 10 years ago.

Back on topic, if you go to any neighborhood with reasonable hillsides (basically anywhere in the city) you will find interesting staircases. I know Schenley Park has several, mostly around Pather Hollow and Lake. The one that goes from the bottom of Panther Hollow at the corner of Bouquet and Dawson is indeed intriguing and offers a unique vista of Carnegie Mellon, Phipps, and the Schenley Park Bridge.

Polish Hill (between the Strip District and the Hill District) is a pretty unique, small, older-world neighborhood. I've always heard it's had some unique vistas and staircases. Uptown (specifically the notorious one between 2nd Ave. and Duquesne Boulevard Ped Bridge), Millvale, Morningside, Mt. Washington, West End, and South Side slopes are all very rugged and are guaranteed to have some interesting staircases. I'd bet good money on that.

[Hopes]

Originally Posted by Impala26

I've been past those innumerable times too, I always wanted to climb them. One might not be able to however; they appear in reasonable disrepair and at least at the bottom on East Ohio Street are blocked behind a Jersey barrier (though that can't stop anyone if you really want to get past it).

I think they might be in good enough condition to walk. When I ride the bus, it sometimes picks up a passenger at the bottom of the stairs.

[Katiana]

Pittsburgh is not the only city that has these steps. There are, or used to be anyway, two sets of steps from lower Beaver Falls up "the hill" to the west.