A Visit to Pittsburgh, PA
It was a last minute trip because we weren't going to attend the wedding because it was going to be so far away. But the parents of the bridal couple are such close friends of ours that we decided to surprise them. Needless to say they were so happy we came. It was lots of fun.
Anyway, we decided that since we were road tripping, we'd take an extra week or two and drive back to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania where we lived for three years.
There are a few photographs and notes to share with you so read on...
This photo courtesy of katinalynn
Pittsburgh, PA aka The City of Bridges
As we were crossing the bridge into Pittsburgh, I could see the PPG building with it's tall, diamond-like spires ahead of us.
Pittsburgh (), Pennsylvania, located in the United States, is the second largest city in the state and is the county seat of Allegheny County. Its population was 334,563 at the 2000 census; by 2006, it was estimated to have fallen to 312,819. By 2009, according to the Mayor's office, almost 20 percent of the city lay vacant or abandoned.Newsweek, Cutting Down to Size. November 27, 2009. The population of the seven-county metropolitan area is 2,462,571. Downtown Pittsburgh retains substantial economic influence, ranking at 25th in the nation for jobs within the urban core (and is 6th in job density).
The characteristic shape of the city's downtown is a triangular tract carved by the confluen...
The Duquesne Incline
Historic Landmark
This is my favorite picture. This view from the top of Mount Washington is just remarkable and I was thrilled to have the opportunity to capture it. The Duquesne Incline is a cable-type car that ferries people up and down from Mt. Washington dozens of times a day since 1877. It connects the residents and businesses of the Duquesne Heights and Mount Washington. It's also a museum.
If you look closely at the photo you can see the many bridges that span the rivers. The city itself is referred to as the Golden Triangle because it's the bit of land between the Allegheny and the Monongahela Rivers and it's where the Ohio River starts. There are more bridges in Pittsburgh than there are in Venice, Italy.
The photo on the left is the Duquesne Incline museum. It's also where you enter to purchase a ticket to ride the Incline. If you were down at the bottom in Duquesne Heights the picture on the right is what you would see when the Incline begins its descent.
The Allegheny County Courthouse
In Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh was settled in the 1760's and was originally called the Manor of Pittsburgh. The land was purchased from the Allegheny Indians as part of a treaty.
I took a lot of photographs while Jack was driving. This photo of the old courthouse? I took it through the roof window!
The courthouse is a beautiful building that encompasses two city blocks. It was designed by Henry Hobson Richardson and was built in the 1880's.
In the 1930's five beautiful murals were painted on the walls of the upper level lobby. They were commissioned as a way to instill a love of art in the citizens of Pittsburgh.
The Bridge of Sighs
The Bridge of Sighs is a bridge that was used to transport prisoners from the courthouse to jail. It was patterned after the original Bridge of Sighs in Venice, Italy.
It's one of more than 700 bridges within the city limits of Pittsburgh!
The City of Bridges.
My Life in Pittsburgh...
...in a nutshell
We lived in Pittsburgh for three years and if it had been closer to the upper Midwest where our children all live, I'm not sure we would have ever left. We loved living there.
I worked for H.J. Heinz Company in their marketing department. I started out as a temporary administrative support person because I didn't want to work full time. Well, I worked as a temp for almost a year before they talked me into going full time. It was a great job working with wonderful people. I only left when my husband retired (at a very early age) and we decided to move back to the Midwest.
All of Pennsylvania is beautiful but we especially liked the Pittsburgh area. It's close to Washington D.C. - I think about a four hour drive. It's close to West Virginia which has spectacular scenery. It's close to Lake Erie and the state of New York.
Below you will find links to some of the wondeful places to visit if you ever are in Pennsylvania...they're near Pittsburgh, mostly.
There's Falling Water which was Frank Lloyd Wright's masterpiece. The Phipp's Botanical Gardens are not to be missed and if you have a chance, hunt up many of the wonderful wineries in the area. You will also want to visit the Andy Warhol Museum.
- Phipps Conservatory
- Phipps Conservatory offers a world of botanical gardens in Pittsburgh, from equatorial tropics to desert blooms to Japan's sacred forests. Come wonder.
- Fallingwater | Visit
- Quote from the website
"...Nothing you have read or learned about Fallingwater can compare to the experience of visiting in person. The Frank Lloyd Wright masterpiece, nestled within the lush, wooded Bear Run Nature Reserve, is a timeless monument to organic architecture at its absolute best..." - Pennsylvania Wine & Wineries
- Quote from the website
The savory world of Pennsylvania wines is now at your fingertips!
To help you get a better taste of more than 100 wineries throughout the state, the Pennsylvania Winery Association has added a few new features to this site. Savor the latest and greatest information from the Pennsylvania's grapevines. Enjoy! - The Warhol - Museum Info
- "...Andy Warhol Self Portrait 1986 - Yellow The warhol: More Than a Museum
The Andy Warhol Museum is a vital forum in which diverse audiences of artists, scholars and the general public are galvanized through creative interaction..."
If you go...
...you'll need a guide
Insiders' Guide to Pittsburgh, 4th (Insiders' Guide Series)
Amazon Price: $14.21 (as of 12/05/2009)
Product Descriptionn from Amazon:
With this comprehensive and authoritative guide, you can take an architectural walking tour of Pittsburgh's Golden Triangle, discover an array of cultural and entertainment amenities, and enjoy almost any kind of food, thanks to Pittsburgh's diverse ethnic population. Includes an in-depth chapter on Western Pennsylvania's many colleges and universities.
The Weather in Pittsburgh
Professional Sports in Pittsburgh
We didn't attend any professional sports games while we were visiting. When we lived in Pittsburgh we did see the Penguins play hockey.
I couldn't write about visiting Pittsburgh without mentioning their world famous sports teams, now could I? I think not.
There's football with the Steelers
Photo courtesy of Brunkfordbraun
There's hockey with the Penguins
Photo courtesy of tjshirey
There's baseball with the Pirates
Photo courtesy of daveynin
Sports Memorabilia and Souvenirs
Great gift ideas and memorabilia for Pittsburgh sports fans. And there are a lot more fun specialty items available, too, like "Terrible Towels", more Mr. Potato Heads, caps, shirts...you name it.
Monopoly Pittsburgh Steelers Superbowl XLIII Champions Monopoly Game
Amazon Price: $30.30 (as of 12/06/2009)
NFL Sports Spuds Pittsburgh Steelers Mr. Potato Head
Amazon Price: $12.39 (as of 12/06/2009)
Pittsburgh Penguins 11 Inch Garden Gnome
Amazon Price: $19.99 (as of 12/06/2009)
Roberto Clemente Pittsburgh Pirates Cooperstown Replica Jersey
Amazon Price: (as of 12/06/2009)
Photographs of our visit to Pittsburgh
The weather was less than perfect - cloudy and kind of rainy - but these photos are better than no photos!
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My Visit To Pittsburgh Guestbook
Thanks for stopping by.
I hope you've enjoyed this page. Please leave a message so I will know you've been here.
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Reply
- Pukeko Pukeko Nov 18, 2009 @ 4:28 am
- This sure didn't match the image of Pittsburgh in my head. Very nice lens. Beautiful photos.
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- 24websurf 24websurf Sep 30, 2009 @ 7:58 am
- Beautiful pictures and wonderful story!
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Reply
- CoolFoto CoolFoto Sep 29, 2009 @ 10:20 am
- My family lived in a Pittsburgh suburb 3 years and loved it! Thanks for promoting the city! Keep up the good work, you only need 2 more lenses to apply for Giant.
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Reply
- bdkz bdkz Sep 25, 2009 @ 9:22 pm
- Nice!
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Reply
- charlino charlino Sep 25, 2009 @ 3:07 pm
- Oh how great is this! I lived in Pittsburgh for a couple years in the mid 70s, and absolutely loved the people, the scenery, and the city. The view from the top of the US Steel Building is really something to behold. Your photographs are really beautiful -- thank you for sharing.
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About CherylK
Lensmaster CherylK has been a member since February 3 2008, has rated 1,140 lenses, favorited 896, and has created 53 lenses from scratch. Cheryl Kohan donates their royalties to Acumen Fund and Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation. This member's top-ranked page is "Simple Steps to Prevent Water Pollution". See all my lenses
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I love gardening, reading, watching sunsets on our lake, turtles, traveling, art galleries, feng shui, photography, cooking, espresso, California wine country, environmental issues, antiques and collectibles, interior design, blogging, Squidoo.
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