Where do you think Pittsburgh’s first roller coaster was located? Kennywood Park? West View Park? Maybe even Luna Park? Would you be surprised if I told you it was located at the Point? When most people think of Pittsburgh’s Point at the turn of the century, they think not of an area where people would …
Today we are going back more than 150 years to the American Civil War, the 11th Pennsylvania Regiment, and one of the Civil War’s most famous mascots. Now, you might be wondering how the Civil War relates to Western Pennsylvania, and that I about to tell you. While many of the famous battles of the …
The railroad was part of Greensburg’s lifeblood for a long time. After all, goods had to be moved by wagon so most of the businesses had to be local. This is why it can be so interesting to discover the original uses for buildings such as the McColly building on Pennsylvania Avenue here in Greensburg. …
There is something fascinating about ancient Egypt. The fact that they were so far ahead of their time never ceases to amaze me. What is even better is that the Carnegie Museum of Natural History here in Pittsburgh has its own Ancient Egypt exhibit. Now, this is by no means the largest or most elaborate …
Around the 1900s Pennsylvania trolley parks appeared on the scene. They were from an era when trolley cars were a major mode of transportation. While it was easy for the trolley companies to attract customers during the week, but the question of how to sell tickets on the weekend was raised. This was the birth …
The first time I noticed the Penn-Lincoln Hotel in Wilkinsburg I was on a bus on my way to work. It has a fairly simple facade, but as the largest building in Wilkinsburg’s Penn Avenue business district, it was rather hard to miss. The hotel was constructed in 1927 by Pittsburgh architect Benno Janssen. Janssen …
