While our steel production history is often celebrated, coal mining also played a large role in Western Pennsylvania history.  Mining started here in the mid-1700s, and as industry increased, so did the amount of mining.  The Pittsburgh coal seam, first identified in Coal Hill (now Mount Washington), extends south and west from Pittsburgh into Washington [...]

Ever wonder how your street got its name?  It generally happens in many ways, ranging from being named after historical figures to completely arbitrary designations, and can still be a contentious issue to this day.  In the case of Greenfield, however, many of streets are named after some of the early landowners.
Take this map of [...]

Greenfield, while certainly not Pittsburgh’s oldest neighborhood, has a long and interesting history. In this series of posts, I’ll dig up various pieces of Greenfield history, post historic pictures and maps and interview people who’ve lived here all their lives to get a glimpse of the things, places and events that shaped our neighborhood.
As is [...]