Rarely Seen Hill District (Pittsburgh, York: city hall, home, restaurants)

[Herodotus]

The other thing that really contributed to the Hill's decline was the explosion of hard drug use that began to get out of hand in the late 50's. The Hill became a center of drug sales, and the many addicts turned to crime to support their habits, making the Hill a dangerous place. The riots in 1968 after ML King was killed, destroyed the 3 commercial strips (Centre, Wylie and Herron), transforming the Hill from a poor, but livable area, to a rapidly deteriorating slum.

[tluvpitt]

For what it's worth, I was in the area for church on Sunday and there are a few townhome/condo developments that are going up. I'm not sure where Bedford Avenue ranks in relationship to the areas mentioned above (i'm new to the area), but from what I gather it's near or in the hill district. maybe things are going to turn around for that area....slowly but surely.

[Herodotus]

Bedford Ave. is certainly the Hill. Most Hill residents also consider Uptown, and Soho to be part of the Hill as well.

One thing to correct Drover. The Detroit riots didn't occur in April of 1968. They occurred in July of 1967. There were several major riots prior to April of 1968.
New York in 1964.
LA (Watts) in 1965
Cleveland in 1966
Detroit, Newark, and Cincinnati in 1967.

[mr.davon24]

Originally Posted by tluvpitt

For what it's worth, I was in the area for church on Sunday and there are a few townhome/condo developments that are going up. I'm not sure where Bedford Avenue ranks in relationship to the areas mentioned above (i'm new to the area), but from what I gather it's near or in the hill district. maybe things are going to turn around for that area....slowly but surely.

Yes, Bedford Ave. is the Hill District. I used to live on Bedford ( Bedford Dwellings) Between both Chauncys. The knew houses they are building I guess you would consider that the lower Hill.

[alleghenyman]

Yeah, you know, I always wanted to live in the kind of place where people get killed for a good reason.

Originally Posted by simetime

It is not, I have lived there for over 20+ years. Take note, very rarely does innocent by standers get killed on the Hill. It is a fact as of this posting not one person from the hill in the last 10 years has been killed for no reason

[ckhthankgod]

I think he means that it's not random shootings, but people that know each other and that live a particular lifestyle.

[simetime]

Let me correct myself, people who are not involved in negative behavior are not the ones getting killed. Innocent people are not being murdered

[vpujic]

I love the history of this neighborhood, the beautiful (though rundown) rowhouses and mansard roofs. I hope that the recent development and restorations continue--work has begun to restore the New Granada Theatre, which is much needed and very exciting!!!

[slamont61]

The Hill District may just have the richest history in Pittsburgh but without money it's rebirth is not going to come anytime soon. An infusion of money to the infrastructure is needed before anyone is going to put money in to thier homes. Way over due, except for some newer development, it's possible it could come when the Civic Arena is razed and redeveloped. The land belongs to the neighborhoods there and they should have first dibs at it's purpose and future develoment/usage. Some of it MUST be residential.

[JoeLeaphorn]

The Hill District was once a well-to-do neighborhood populated by people who worked in downtown businesses.The development of Pittsburgh's trolley system and the influx of settlers following the Civil War when many soldiers decided to settle in the cities rather than return to the farms changed the character of many city neighborhoods, including the Hill. These were followed, successively, by European Jews, Italians, Greeks, Syrians, Poles and, finally, African Americans.There were many factors which contributed to the Hill's decline, including the loss of the inclines which connected the Hill to the Strip District but, as noted before, the most significant was the two Renaissance efforts which forced the relocation of people from what is now the Point to the Hill and then construction of the Civic Arena which cut the neighborhood off from the city.It really is a beautiful neighborhood which deserves to be preserved and, hopefully, it will be.