mis-steps.bsky.social
A hardy fool, living on a hill. Photographing and writing about Pittsburgh's city steps, parks, playgrounds, and greenways. Hails from divine Providence, RI. See more at mis-steps.com/blog/.
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One of these days photos of Central Amusement will show up.
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PS: For those who want to explore further, two flights of city steps connect Alton to the Vanucci Field and Spray Park. Unlike the 1920s, it’s a hop, skip, and a jump featuring plenty of shade trees and green grass!
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What would the children of 1922’s Beechview have to say if they could see our world today?
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The field is encircled by a dirt track popular with dog walkers, joggers, and anyone wanting to stretch their legs on a flat (that’s important in Beechview!) green space. While the bandstand is long gone, the world now offers every kind of music at the touch of your fingertips or voice command.
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One hundred years later, Alton’s playground, basketball court, and soccer field still draw crowds. Thanks to Beechwood Elementary next door, children play here almost every day during the school year, and soccer leagues bring families on the weekends.
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I’ve included two of my favorite photos from Historic Pittsburgh taken of this playground on Labor Day, 1922. While clothing styles and park amenities have changed over time, the way kids behave at a playground has largely remained the same (and why slides and swings today aren’t quite so tall).
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First constructed in 1920 by the Bureau of Recreation, it had a baseball field, open space, a bandstand, swings, and a slide. Sounds nice, right? And by 1920s standards, I’m sure it was, which only serves to highlight just how much progress we’ve made in 100 years.
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Yes! I have to crop out the bottom a bit to make it square. I've been taking Polaroids of Pittsburgh for about 8 years now. Some come out great, others are interesting, but most are an exercise in maintaining humility. :-)
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Many of these trees are blocking the designated paths, so for those (like me) who don’t want to attempt an uncharted, solo hillside scramble, a return to Tropical Park provides a calm, cool, and clean spot to enjoy. And as a bonus, the public drinking fountain in ON!
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It’s a bit sad to come upon these fallen giants, but also fascinating to carefully examine their trunks and branches, root systems, and the large and deep footprints they once occupied. At some point, the felled trees will be removed, and I will return!
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Having participated in some of those clean-ups, I was eager to walk along the trails and enjoy a new and improved Greenway. But, alas, it was not to be. Recent storms have wreaked havoc on this area, and several massive trees have toppled.
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In 2021, Allegheny Cleanways mobilized dozens of volunteers in a dedicated effort to remediate the area (imagine HIIT + Tough Mudder with 300 tires, some refrigerators and washing machines, and thousands of pounds of household and commercial debris).
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Tropical Park features a small playground and a basketball court, lots of shade trees, and pleasant spots to sit. The neighborhood is quiet and residential, which makes it all the more surprising that for decades, the surrounding hillside was a hotspot for illegal dumping.
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And while we’re likely wearing sweaters instead of swimsuits and shorts this week, the City’s 29 parks with spray features are waiting for you every single day, 10 am to 8 pm through mid-September. Swaying like a sunflower is optional but highly recommended.
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S like a shy sun, S like steel sunflowers forever green and yellow, S like the sudden spray of water on a hot ssssssummer day.
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I shouldn’t be surprised. The Greenway is called Seldom Seen for a reason.
I’m sure plenty of children (and a handful of limber adults) can strike the pose, knees bent, spine arched, chest, head, and arms reaching forward, a subtle (or not so subtle) S.
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I return the smile and agree, it’s the unnoticed quality of the park that makes it an ideal place to slow down and be still for a little while. I slowly finish my coffee and we silently watch the activity of people coming and going together.
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I watch him gradually make his way down the block, wait for the crossing signal at the intersection, and then enter the park. He nods at me and smiles as he takes the bench next to mine. “It’s a nice place to sit, isn’t it? I like to come here after my errands.”
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Seated on a tree-shaded red, white, and blue bench with a hot beverage and sweet pastry, I take in the circulating urban panorama and its dozens of people making brief yet harried appearances—until I notice an elderly man pulling a small utility cart with a plastic grocery bag inside.
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I noticed the same thing! He has a cool style.
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Love this 1923 map of the area where the park is today - curious to note that an August P. Abel once owned some large parcels of land in this area. I'm guessing Abel Long was a family member of the subsequent generation. ??
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I, on the other hand, am not a youthful daredevil and, therefore, opt for a safe and slow return, zig-zagging across and down. Wishing that with every step, I had brought my hiking poles! (And water bottle, as I met another off-duty public water fountain.)
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From this elevated position, it’s not hard to imagine the slope covered in snow and a youthful neighborhood daredevil sledding down despite the risk of a crash and burn upon reaching the playground. Despite the arduous climb, the lure of intense exhilaration is simply too great for some to ignore.
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While the playground surface material is reminiscent of a grimy, battle-worn kitchen sponge, the lush hillside rising above is a sensory feast that beckons. The distance is short but deceptively steep, and reaching the space where cut-grass domesticity ends and feral wilderness begins isn't easy!
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I love that flight and the purple house! Those cats have a good gig there.
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As an aside, in looking at the 1923 map of this area, only Carnahan Road is familiar. Crane Avenue runs close to where Bulford is indicated on the map with the park now occupying the land once held by Albert Hassler.
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... but not as good as dying in a car crash. Let’s hope the next two weeks bring some improvements.
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I’m happy to report that water flows in Banksville! That’s great news, but it’s the only functioning fountain I’ve seen in my travels throughout the South Hills and West End. So, right now, it appears that the odds of maintaining adequate hydration are better than being struck by lightning...
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But the most pressing question facing outdoor enthusiasts in Pittsburgh right now isn’t about lightning strikes but rather, “What are my odds of finding a functional public water fountain?” The clock is ticking on Mayor Gainey’s promise to have all 170 fountains turned on by month’s end.
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Of course, tall, pointy objects are more susceptible to lightning strikes, so telecommunications towers and other antennae, like the ones adjacent to Banksville Community Park, include lightning protection in their design. Still, if a storm is approaching, the safest bet is to get inside.
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I’ve had people throw litter out their car window as they pass me on my street picking it up. Not once, but several times. I’ve often wondered what prompts that.
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Is the PGH increase due to a people moving and being born here or a less than average amount of people dying and moving away?
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The Earth abides!
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I wonder if it’s passive aggressive - someone who would prefer to leave the dog shit on the sidewalk but feels forced by their family to carry plastic bags… ??? like, there are trash cans everywhere (including their own).
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Beautiful photos!
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As an aside, I just noticed that today's Neeld Ave was called Narragansett in 1923. This word represents both a people who are part of the Algonquian American Indian tribe and an ocean-front town settled by the English in what is now known as Rhode Island. Interesting! Wonder how this came to be...
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What will life be like for the people of Beechview in 2055? I think about all the changes that have already taken place since 2005. I wonder what the response will be when they’re reminded of what was once memorable and important.
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But during my visit, I was reminded that this park has a curious feature: a community time capsule. Assembled in 2005, it will be disinterred in 2055. I don’t know what's inside, but I imagine it to be a mix of headline news, letters and lists, photos and drawings, and a Terrible Towel. 🙂
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With a name like Monument Park, it’s hardly surprising that several war memorials have been designed and installed on this narrow slice of land over the last 100+ years. Generally, I find spending time with these memorials to be a meaningful way to connect with people and events from the past ...
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And while disc golf is a relatively new sport, this park has been available to the public for 100+ years!