Only pedestrians were able to cross the 6th Street bridge in this photo from 1950. (Associated Press)
Pittsburghers have enjoyed an unusually mild winter so far this year. So with meteorologists monitoring a winter storm set to hit the area this weekend, we thought everyone could use a reminder of what a snowy Pittsburgh actually looks like.
Army troops keep traffic out of Downtown so crews can clear snow, Nov. 30, 1950. (Post-Gazette)A pedestrian walks down the Boulevard of the Allies on a snowy day, Nov. 27, 1950. (Pittsburgh Press)Afternoon rush hour traffic sits on West Liberty Avenue, Dec. 15, 1989, in Dormont. (Steve Mellon/Post-Gazette)Christine Holt plays in the annual Snowball Gold Tournament at Mt. Lebanon Golf Course, Feb. 6, 1988. (John Kaplan/Post-Gazette)Mary Ann Bucci and Herb Thomas brave blowing snow, Nov. 20, 1987. (David Spencer/Post-Gazette)City trucks use the Monongahela wharf to clear snow from Downtown, Nov. 28, 1950. The caption notes that no trucks have been “lost over the rim so far.” (Post-Gazette)A truck slips into the Monongahela River after dumping a load of snow hauled from Downtown, Dec. 2, 1950. Driver Gus Jones, who bailed just in time, fixes a chain around the bumper. (Post-Gazette)Stranded travelers rest at Pennsylvania Station during a blizzard, Nov. 28, 1950. (Post-Gazette)“Rieifert Street, Knoxville, might well be a Christmas card snow scene … except the residents didn’t find their snowbound situation a happy one,” read the caption on this Nov. 29, 1950 photo. (Pittsburgh Press)Cars and bus commuters on Smithfield Street, Jan 17, 1979, in Downtown. (Michael Chikiris/Post-Gazette)Fifth and Liberty avenues after the “Big Snow,” which saw 27.9 inches fall on Pittsburgh the evening of Thanksgiving and the following day in 1960. (Pittsburgh Press)Men push a car up a driveway along Sleepy Hollow Road, Jan 13, 1964, in Castle Shannon. (Don Bindyke/Post-Gazette)A snowy morning along Sixth Avenue, March 16, 1960, in Downtown. (Pittsburgh Sun-Telegraph)A man tries to free his car from under a snow pile, Jan 23, 1978, on the South Side. (Morris Berman/Post-Gazette)A pedestrian crosses Liberty Avenue, Jan. 18, 1983, in Downtown. (Harry Coughanour/Post-Gazette)
James J. Darroch clears snow from the steps of his retirement home, Nov. 18, 1984, in Ligonier. (John Beale/Post-Gazette)
The Three Rivers Stadium parking lot, Jan. 2, 1987. (Mark Murphy/Post-Gazette)
“Eight Point Park College students spread their arms in unison and flap them to create angel-like imprints in the snow at Point Park,” read the caption on this photo from Jan 17, 1978 — apparently a time before the phrase “snow angel” existed. (Paul Slantis/Post-Gazette)
John is a photo editor at the Post-Gazette interested in Pittsburgh history and old photos. You can find him on Twitter @jham1496and send ideas for future Digs posts to jhamilton@post-gazette.com.
