Laura Zurowski/Mis.Steps

1923 map of the area where Blair Street park and Lytle Land are today.

And I can't forget the 1923 street map! Despite the proximity to the many rail lines and the J&L mill, this area was already filled up with houses.

Old Memorial sign at the Blair Street park.

In a few years, those “littles” will be tweens and teens, and they’ll need a fun and safe outdoor space to enjoy.

Glass and Ceramic Lytle Land tree sign at entrance to the park.

No one knows for sure what the future holds for Hazelwood, but I have no doubt that its history of dramatic transformation will continue. I just hope some of Lytle Land’s vibrancy carries over to Blair Street Park.

Colorful mural with words describing Hazelwood's past, present and future.

Today, it’s a popular playground for young children and a public gathering space with colorful murals, walking paths, and attractive landscaping.

Polaroid of play equipment at Lytle Land Tot Park.

The story of the Lytle Land tot park, two blocks away, is similar. Created by residents, local non-profits, and foundations, it wasn’t long ago that derelict, empty houses occupied the space.

Looking across Blair Park to the train cars beyond.

This area is included in the new bike/pedestrian-friendly Melanchaton Street bridge to be constructed above the freight rail tracks. What’s in store for the park is uncertain, but in a few years, something new and different will be there.

Polaroid of the overgrown fence at Blair Street Park.

But by the dawn of the twenty-first century, Hazelwood’s steel industry would be shuttered, and the rate of depopulation, staggering.

The Blair Street park once had athletics courts and a small playground, and while it’s still owned by the City, it’s no longer a functional space.

Hazelwood's Tulleymet city steps with J&L Steel in the background. Photo from Historic Pittsburgh.

When it comes to change, Hazelwood’s trajectory has been dramatic. What began as a nineteenth-century pastoral enclave for the wealthy was replaced by twentieth-century heavy industry and mill-working families. 🧵

🚶 𝐉𝐨𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐚𝐟𝐞 𝐒𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐰𝐚𝐥𝐤𝐬 𝐂𝐫𝐞𝐰! Collect data to help the City improve sidewalks across Pittsburgh.

✨ Sign up for a virtual training: www.pittsburghwalks.org/sidewalks

Sat. Dec 11th
Tues. Jan 13th
Sat. Feb 14th **ASL Interpretation will be provided 2/14.

Cather lived and worked in Pittsburgh from 1896 to 1906, and the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh holds an archive of her work at that time, primarily the issues of the magazine Home Monthly (where she served as editor and writer). They're quite fascinating and provide context for her early career.

I feel your pain, Dependable 92. 🙂

1923 map of the area where the playground is today - note the coal mine in the direction of Glen Hazel.

Hazelwood has had a few major changes (of the chutes and ladders variety) since this 1923 map. Back then, the playground was in a similar area. The nearby coal mine is a reminder that a extraction took place here and in nearby Glen Hazel. :-)

Find the way home maze on the playground.

I’m sure there are plenty who stick to the sidewalk, and a handful who run, slide, or jump down the slope. While there’s only one Burgwin Park, there are many ways to get there, and, when you’re done, get back home.

Polaroid of the recently refurbished community building near the spray park.

These days, I’m happy to share a park bench with my past renegade, expediter, and daredevil (Was I ever a daredevil? I’m not sure). I/We look at the steep, dirt path with interest and curiosity, thinking about the many neighborhood kids who come here in the summer for the spray park and playground.

Flower spray park features at Burgwin.

Not quite a love lock... a love clothespin? lol

“The expediter” who must get to their destination as quickly as possible? Or, in the case of Burgwin Park, could it be “the young daredevil” relishing the thrill of the path’s narrow track and steep grade?

I love finding these paths in planned outdoor spaces like parks and playgrounds because they make me wonder about the people responsible for them. Is it “the renegade” who intentionally refuses the established sidewalk? ...

Park bench with a desire path leading to the sidewalk (uphill).

A desire path is an unofficial trail created by repeated use of the most direct or convenient route between two points. Once established, these paths can influence how pedestrians use and interact with their environment. 🧵

Hey, Bloomfield, walk with us on December 14th!

sign up: secure.everyaction.com/BUcRFJiZAUWtstHfohwqGw2

And those long-ago folks back in The Run of 1923 didn't have a highway to play under, but they did have a lot more neighbors!

Athletic court and picnic table under the I-379 overpass.

Swing set under the I-379 overpass.

And last but not least… How about recreating with a highway directly overhead? If that doesn’t win you something beyond guaranteed noon-time shade, I don’t know what will.

Junction Hollow Trail sign near Four Mile Run Park.

How about nearby bike and walking/running trails that lead into Panther Hollow and Schenley Park? Fantastic! And we can't forget that awesome food with an authentic ‘burgh vibe only a block away? Big Jim’s awaits!

Polaroid of playground at Four Mile Run Park.

Outdoor musical instruments at Four Mile Run Park.

On the Pittsburgh playgrounds bingo card, Four Mile Run Park checks a lot of boxes. Fancy new play equipment? Yup! Industrial-strength musical instruments and large chimes? Cool! Courts and athletics fields? Nice! A working water fountain during warm weather months? WOW! 🧵

In PGH? Where did you go? While it's smaller in the amount of liquid, it should have the same amount of caffeine (unless you're going double-shot lattes). :-)

Love that Fineview mural!

Belgian blocks remain on the end of Saline Street.

The ambient sound of flowing traffic is ever-present, and the remains of old Belgian block pavers are nearby, offering a mix of old and new that is quintessentially Pittsburgh.

PWSA / PGH20 pumping station that dates to the 1930s.

Pittsburgh Water and Sewer established a station here, and the rest of the area became passive green space. Several trees were planted about 15 years ago, and they’re now large enough to accommodate bird feeders that a neighbor likely maintains.

Polaroid of the Saline Street parklet.

The Run, like lots of Pittsburgh, is very different from how it was 100 years ago. Today, Saline Street is a dead end, but back before the highway, the road continued to Monitor Street in Squirrel Hill. As times changed, the buildings that once lined this section of the street were removed.

1911 photo of the bridge by Pittsburgh City Photographer - https://historicpittsburgh.org/islandora/object/pitt%3A715.111885.CP, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=114939151

While the highway dates to the early 1950s, residents of The Run have lived “under a bridge,” so to speak, since 1891. For those who think today’s bridges are in bad shape (they are, no doubt about it), do a quick internet search for the 1921 Greenfield Bridge collapse (photo from 1911). YIKES!

1923 map of where The Run is today. Schenley Park looms large on the hillside above!

Schenley Park looms high above the area known as Four Mile Run (often called “The Run” by locals). In addition to the park, the neighborhood also lies below a segment of I-376 and the latest version of the Greenfield Bridge. 🧵

1923 map of the area where the Hazelwood HAL is today. Lots of train and trolley tracks!

And here's a look back to the conditions of 1923 - train and trolley tracks everywhere!