Braddock Photo Tour (Pittsburgh, Carnegie, McKees Rocks: middle-class, rentals, houses)

[PreservationPioneer]

For more photo tours, visit: http://historicpittsburgh.blogspot.com

My original title for this tour was to be "The Grand Homes of Braddock," but then I decided that some of the modest mill homes were interesting, too, and of course so was the remaining commercial architecture and the Carnegie Library. In fact, there are so many notable buildings in Braddock that the town defies its reputation as a cheaply-built neighborhood of "substandard" worker housing. Surprises abound in Braddock and one would be foolish to generalize what this town is about -- whether it relates to its architecture or long history of decline.


YouTube - ‪Braddock, PA (Photo Tour)‬‏

[TechieTransplant]

I really enjoy your work!

[I_Like_Spam]

That's certainly a different view of Braddock than one gets when driving down Braddock or Talbot Avenues.

[just_sayin']

This is really interesting. I recently read the novel "Out of this Furnace" when my son brought it home from college and it is set mostly in Braddock, PA in the late 19th/early 20th century. The description of the town and what life was like there back then seems brought to life in some of those pictures of the millworkers shacks.

[Hopes]

Thanks for the photo tour, AA.

There are beautiful homes there that can rival homes in Pittsburgh's most affluent neighborhoods.

The Mayor would be wise to promote the positives of the town, not just the decay.

More people might be willing to move to Braddock if they saw more than the "relic" photos.

[PeterRabbit]

Great photos as always.
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Those nicer homes look occupied. Why don't any of them know what mowing the grass means or what exterior maintenance/curb appeal is about? Homes like that in nicer parts of Pgh. don't have weeds growing all over and shrubs are trimmed. Or is it because of all the rain ?

[PreservationPioneer]

Originally Posted by PeterRabbit

Why don't any of them know what mowing the grass means or what exterior maintenance/curb appeal is about? Homes like that in nicer parts of Pgh. don't have weeds growing all over and shrubs are trimmed.

You'd be surprised how many of the grand homes in Shadyside have lawns that look even worse than some of those lawns in Braddock (especially some of the student rentals). I used to live there. Eventually, I decided if I was going to put up with eyesores, there was no reason to pay outrageous rent to live in Shadyside, and up I moved to McKees Rocks.

Thanks for the comments, everyone!

[gg]

Thank you for posting that. Nicely done. It made me a bit sad to see a place like that struggling and it must have had a real nice history. Many beautiful buildings. I remember attending a funeral down there a few years back in a nice section with really nice homes and the church was really quite nice as well. The church was struggling and in a bit of disrepair due to lack of funds to keep it going. Not sure what can be done if industry isn't there anymore? Only hope is some company comes in and starts manufacturing something. There does seem to be a shift going on nationally for the US to start making things again because China is costing more and it is getting closer to being cost effective to do so. You never know.

[Geeo]

Great video! I'm assuming the housing stock in Braddock followed the pattern of other mill towns in the area: workers' rowhouses and courts on the flats below the tracks and near the mill, middle-class and shop-owner housing on the slopes leading out of town, and management and superintendents houses at the top of the hill.

[stburr91]

Great job on the photo tour, I really enjoyed it.

I always know there were homes in Braddock that had amazing
architectural detail, but I didn't know the houses were that nice.

Originally Posted by Hopes

Thanks for the photo tour, AA.

There are beautiful homes there that can rival homes in Pittsburgh's most affluent neighborhoods.

I agree, these homes are as nice as any in the area.