Last year, we found about 300 photos in archive folders labeled “Pittsburgh Airviews and Skylines.” They were segmented by decade and provided era-by-era glimpses from above of the city’s evolution.
We posted just seven of them here at The Digs, and the collection became one of our most popular.
Let’s take a look at nine more, chosen for the scenes they depict that have changed so drastically in the years since. The 1930s parking lot near Penn Station full of the sort of automobiles not seen in these parts today except in a wedding or antique car show. The dramatic skeletons of Gateway Center and U.S. Steel Tower going up and changing the Pittsburgh skyline during the 1950s, ’60s and ’70s.
Then there are those classic sports and recreation areas before there was much recreation happening there. The Hill District in 1954 showed no sign of the Civic Arena soon becoming a dominating force in the Lower Hill. What about the 1950 “North Shore” of the Allegheny River? Few would have guessed — in the years before even the Fort Duquesne Bridge had a presence there — that the entire strip of riverfront property would become home in the 21st century to America’s most beautiful baseball park and golden-seated Heinz Field. Back then, it appeared from above to be just a collection of barges and industrial yards.
Can you imagine trying to park now inside Point State Park? And if you floated above the city on an October night in recent years, you were obviously going to see a different stadium illuminated than the circular Three Rivers Stadium.
Finally, in a nod to Pittsburgh’s new economy, take a look at the areas near Bakery Square and SouthSide Works. In 1976, baking was actually still being done at that area near Penn Avenue, and in 1984 some amount of hot metal was still making its way across the Hot Metal Bridge.
We learned much about the city’s 20th century development, crash and rebirth in these photos, and we hope to soon share the complete collection with you here.
The Digs is my favorite feature in the online P-G. Keep the themed pics coming!
Thanks, Mike! Count on it.
I grew up in Sheraden neighborhood in the 50’s and 60’s and a photographer by the name of last name Hermann lived next door to us and I was always in pictures he would take for the Pittsburgh press would love to find those some where?
Regis,
That would be Al Herrmann Jr. of The Pittsburgh Press. We post his photos here often (https://newsinteractive.post-gazette.com/thedigs/tag/photographer-al-herrmann-jr/), though we haven’t yet come across any of you. Stay tuned.
Pittsburgh has come a long way since I grew up there in the 50’s. I love PNC park but I wish they would re-locate that charities sign, it takes away from the parks beauty. give credit to the New York Mets broadcasters, they praised PNC park and showed numerous shots inside and outside of the park. I wondered if they worked for the city of Pittsburgh for how they talked and showed Pittsburgh. I live now in Florida (although California is the best ) and when I want to see the Pirates I just go to a sports bar here and ask for the Pirates, sometimes which they did on this night they got the New York feed of the game, I only wish that the people of Pittsburgh could have seen the game on their feed…fantastic
This is by far the best feature of the PG and reminds us of the importance of maintaining the city’s unique character. Thank you.
Love the Pictorials! I wonder if you might help me to locate information. My grandmother had a cousin that wrote for one of the Pittsburgh newspapers in the 60’s/70’s. I believe it was the Post-Gazette. He was from Duquesne and she (we) from Elizabeth. I am trying to locate family information and unsure of the spelling of his name. I believe that his name was Robert Pavouchak or Povuchak. I have been trying to get the correct spelling. Would you be able to research since you work with the paper.