Pittsburgh's Inclines: Case Studies in Industrial Adaptation

Pittsburgh’s Inclines: Case Studies in Industrial Adaptation Concerning the Relationship of

Landscape to

Industry in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

A Study by Liam Lowe as the initial phase of his Thesis at Carnegie Mellon University School of Architecture Class of 2013

© 2012 by Liam Lowe Pittsburgh, PA

Table of Contents

5

Acknowledgements

7

Introduction

9

Abstract

11

Topography & Natural Resources

15

Industry & Infrastructure

19

Land Manipulation & City Steps

23

Maps & Methods

33

Inclines of Pittsburgh

37

Case Studies: Primary Inclines of Pittsburgh

81

Conclusions

83

Looking Forward

85

Bibliography

4 / Pittsburgh’s Inclines: Case Studies in Industrial Adaptation

Thanks to Mary-­‐Lou Arscott for guiding me through the thesis process.

To Martin Aurand for inspiration in writing and access to resources.

To my professors who have provided direction on my academic journey.

To my parents who raised me to be inquisitive and perceptive.

And special thanks to my grandparents for making sure I had all the opportunities I needed. This project is dedicated to them.

Acknowledgements / 5

6 / Pittsburgh’s Inclines: Case Studies in Industrial Adaptation

Growing up in the country taught me to be attentive to the land on which my family lived while simultaneously making me envious of urbanites. ϐ interest in cities, but my time here has continued to blur the distinction between urban and rural. Its varied terrain gives Pittsburgh a unique ǡ ϐ cities and also from the traditional cities of Europe. The land has much to do with Pittsburgh’s historical importance as coal can still be found in its hills and transported by river to shipping and industrial centers. This topographical connection is manifest in a wide variety of ways, creating a special relationship between residents and their land as well as a Ǥ ǡ structured this relationship but today’s society seems to have lost interest in understanding its landscape. Our apathy towards the terrain we inhabit is related to many contemporary global crises. A return to a more thorough understanding of the terrain we inhabit is one way to shift this paradigm.

In our modern network society where one’s connection to the landscape is more tenuous than ever, how do we continue to relate to our terrain?

Introduction / 7

8 / Pittsburgh’s Inclines: Case Studies in Industrial Adaptation

Pittsburgh’s urban form has been shaped over time by topographic, technological, and economic forces. The valleys and rivers of the city were the original impetus for settlement and access to natural resources brought the city its initial economic power. Industrial production ǯ growth of the nation, helping to build and strengthen the infrastructural network that is the backbone of the country. All these economic forces shaped Pittsburgh into a dense, connected, and important metropolis in the national (and later, international) economy. But it was globalization

the region. Around the middle of the century, industry began to leave the city and by the 1990s Pittsburgh’s population was cut in half.

The contemporary city is thus structured on a defunct economic and development model: a post-­industrial landscape.

(or was marked by) its projection onto the landscape and how these topographical and industrial artifacts have survived or changed over time. Inclines provide a series of cases to focus this study due to their relationship to topography, transit, industry, and society. By beginning to understand the history of industry and infrastructure in the region, one can speculate about possible futures and new ways to capitalize on the city’s unique terrain.

Abstract / 9

(Engineer’s Society of Western Pennsylvania)

10 / Pittsburgh’s Inclines: Case Studies in Industrial Adaptation

Topography & Natural Resources

Pittsburgh is commonly referred to as a city of hills but it is more accurately described as a city of valleys. The region is carved from the Allegheny Plateau, a subdivision of the Appalachians stretching through Western New York and Pennsylvania, Ohio, and West Virginia. Erosion by the Allegheny, Monongahela, and Ohio Rivers and their tributaries created the unique geomorphic conditions of the Pittsburgh area. It is

resources of Western Pennsylvania and contributed to the initial economic success of the city. ϐ ϐ strategic position and defensibility; both the French and British had forts here to control access to points west. Pittsburgh was an essential

and became a “gateway to the West.” To this day, the rivers provide an ϐ Ǥ The city itself developed a unique character in response to its varied Ǥ ϐ largely by the varied topography as evidenced by their names ȋ ǡ ǡ ǡ ǡ Ȍ ϐ their geomorphic condition. Travelling throughout the city, one often encounters cliffs, steep hillsides, retaining walls, bridges, and tunnels. ϐ Ǥ But it was the discovery of coal in Mt. Washington (formerly Coal Hill) that would bring sweeping change and rapid economic growth to the region. Pittsburgh sits on the edge of a coal bed with which it shares its name, deposited centuries ago by an inland sea and one of the most Ǥ through parts of Ohio and West Virginia and remains a major economic driver in the region. This resource provided a necessary source of energy for the development of industry on the East Coast and in Pittsburgh in particular. The iron and steel industry both required intense heat to forge products, something coal and coke (a form of distilled coal produced by ‘cooking’ it in large ovens) could provide.

Topography & Natural Resources / 11

As the value of these resources and their associated industries became clear, humans began to take greater advantage of the land from which their newfound wealth was derived. In many cases the landscape was ϐ ϐ ǡ ǡ Ǥ ǡ the region had a distinct connection to their landscape. Engineers were the heroes of the day, those with the skill and mathematical prowess to take on the untamed terrain. Mines, railroads, blast furnaces, factories, ǡ ǡ ϐ Pittsburgh’s industrial terrain.

Despite the efforts of the engineers and their employers, the industrial marks on the landscape have faded over time. Today, the terrain of

ǡ ǡ ϐ Ǥ Some of the city’s greatest assets today are its hillsides, areas where Ǥ ϐ a unique system of density and development. With some investment and a greater understanding of these conditions, new opportunities for interaction with the city’s terrain could be found.

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A coal miner takes a break.

(Shorpy.com)

Topography & Natural Resources / 13

Steps linked neighborhoods to industry.

14 / Pittsburgh’s Inclines: Case Studies in Industrial Adaptation

(Shorpy.com)

Industry & Infrastructure

The combination of access to natural resources and river trade routes ϐ the development of modern steel. Iron and glass were historically produced here but the innovation of the Bessemer process in 1858, an ϐ ȋ alloy), allowed industrialists to capitalize on a new market. Steel rapidly became the material on which the nation was built, a critical element in the infrastructure projects that supported American Manifest Destiny.

Companies manufacturing goods here play a prominent role in history and often in contemporary industry as well. The US Steel Corporation, Pittsburgh Plate Glass, and Alcoa as well as Mellon Bank (now BNY Mellon) are all remnants of Pittsburgh’s former industrial might.

Industry required a massive labor force to undertake the incredible amount of work implicit in its modern manufacturing methods. This drove Allegheny County’s population to its peak of 2,000,000 around 1950 before the decline of industry caused it to fall again. Such a great population created a dense city, very different from conditions today. Pittsburgh thus developed a strong network of working class neighborhoods, and the upward mobility provided by unionized labor offered people the opportunity to build quality housing in such places.

Many members of these families remain in the city today, a genealogical legacy of the industrial era. Social mobility coupled with the work which Ǧ ϐ in the work done in Pittsburgh. Fierce pride in the city remains today, though it is more often channelled into the realm of sports rather than manufacturing prowess. ϐ build a wealthy upper class. Their legacy remains in the form of a few ϐ ϐ Ǥ ǡ in public resources such as libraries, museums, and schools. Andrew ϐ ǡ public library system to the city as well as a cultural hub at the Carnegie Museum and Performance Hall in Oakland. In addition, he founded Carnegie Tech (now Carnegie Mellon University) to educate engineers who would go on to innovate industrial techniques and methods. Other

Industry & Infrastructure / 15

industrialists such as Henry Clay Frick (a coke magnate) donated land to the city to build city parks, assets seen as vital to the development of a modern city. These public investments set the stage for modern ϐ ϐ Ǥ Investment in infrastructure is another form of development for the public good but is generally funded by the government rather than benevolent private investors. Infrastructure itself is both an industrial product and necessary to the success of industry, wrapped in a Ǥ ǡ ϐ Bessemer process in Pittsburgh (at the Edgar Thompson Works starting ͳͺ͹ͷȌ ǯ railroad network. Infrastructure such as roads, railroads, bridges and ϐ ϐ Ǥ

supported the lives of workers by providing sewers, electricity, and transit in the form of street cars and inclines.

During Pittsburgh’s period of peak industrial production, such shared resources were widely regarded as integral to material and human ϐ Ǥ industry wreaked havoc on these networks. As automobiles became more affordable, many upwardly mobile families invested in these status symbols representative of freedom and the American dream.

Investment shifted to road infrastructure which led to the demise of the robust public transit system, and inclines and streetcars were replaced ϐ Ǥ ǡ ϐ production to move out of America and much of Pittsburgh’s industry left its home. These changing global economic patterns would lead to massive population decline and a dark era in the city’s history.

As the principal device by which society mediates its terrain, infrastructure frames the way we interact with our landscape. Pittsburgh ϐ ǡ ϐ ϐ contemporary America. Our ability to alter and adapt this historical ϐ ϐ relationship to the post-­‐industrial landscape.

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Transportation Infrastructure in the Turtle Creek Valley.

(Historic Pittsburgh)

Industry  &  Infrastructure / 17

Steps from the Bluff (Uptown) to industry on the Monongahela.

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(Historic PIttsburgh)

Land Manipulation & City Steps

Pittsburgh’s unique topography of river valleys required taming to support commerce soon after it was settled by Europeans. One method of dealing with the terrain was to directly manipulate it Ǥ ǯ ǡ Dz cut” undertaken during the beginning of the 20th century. Following drawings created by Frederick Law Olmsted Jr. (son of the preeminent Ȍ them to a more manageable slope. This was seen as necessary to support the growth of commerce in the area around the Golden Triangle and to improve access, especially from the Hill to the east.

Another approach to providing access is the network of city-­‐owned steps throughout the city. Pittsburgh is home to over 700 sets of steps comprising over 24,000 feet of elevation change. Historically, these steps provided access for people from residential neighborhoods on the hillsides to industrial jobs on the river banks. As the city grew and other options became available, the steps were used only by those who could not afford to drive or ride public transit. Some sets, such as the Indian Trail Steps (following pages) climbing Mt. Washington, provided a similar function to the inclines for those who couldn’t afford transit. For ǡ ϐ ϐ stairs could mean the difference between a convenient connection and a much longer route. Although many have fallen into disrepair, steps in ϐ related to the city’s varied terrain.

Land Manipulation & City Steps / 19

Indian Trail Steps ascending Mt. Washington.

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(Historic Pittsburgh)

Land Manipulation & City Steps / 21

Railroads of the Pittsburgh District.

(Engineer’s Society of Western Pennsylvania)

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Maps & Methods

Resources for this study include a variety of historical documents including topographic maps, photographs, and technical drawings. The ϐ of Pittsburgh and are available online. The most useful series was created by the City’s Department of Planning beginning in 1923 and updated again starting in 1961. These survey maps include all but three of the inclines in my study and provide a way to compare contemporary conditions with those in the past. Contemporary topographical conditions are illustrated in standard 1:24,000 US Geological Survey maps. The University of Pittsburgh also holds a large collection of historic images of the city, many documenting public infrastructure and industrial development. Photos are used throughout the book to

contrast this with present-­‐day conditions.

In addition, Carnegie Mellon’s Architecture Archives contain drawings by ϐ ǡ the latter decades of the 19th century. Diescher designed the majority of inclined planes in the United States and many of those in Pittsburgh. He and his sons (incorporated in 1901) also designed public infrastructure, industrial buildings, plants and equipment as well as the machinery for ͳͺͻ͵ ǯ Ǥ Diescher thus had a profound effect on the industrial landscape of Pittsburgh. These drawings provide detailed information about the construction and aesthetic of the inclines as well as the landscape on which they were built. They also represent an engineer’s approach to the application of industrial society onto challenging terrain. ǡ ǯ Ǥ ϐ collage of USGS maps from the 20th century (created in 1907, 1951, and 1993) overlaid to illustrate urban growth and variations in cartographic methods. The piece was created without prior planning but became a personal dérivé highlighting parts of the city with which I am most well acquainted. The oldest maps do not differentiate between wooded and cleared land, illustrating the indiscriminate approach to developing the landscape. The midcentury maps are the most beautiful with bold green representing forests and pink showing areas of fairly dense urbanization.

Maps & Methods / 23

ϐ Ǥ ϐ areas and light green for wooded areas. To differentiate between the urban and natural environments seems less important at this point, but a dynamic reading of the landscape is lost. The collage served as a

techniques.

variety of sources. Information presented includes the rivers, railroads, city parks, and various shades to represent slopes. The order and variety of layers can be changed to illustrate different relationships between Ǥ approach to bold, graphic map-­‐making.

of the inclines to illustrate their relationship to the landscape and other infrastructural development. These were constructed using data from the historic topographic maps and methods of projection. The ϐ Ǧ Ǧ dimensional representation. Two-­‐dimensional historical survey maps were created through a process of surveying (itself a technique for taking control of the landscape) and represented via contours. This rational understanding is conducive to designing infrastructure and Ǥ ǡ Ǧ Ǥ ȋͷͲǯ ͷͲǯ Ȍ used to illustrate the topography on paper, representing a combination of historical surveying methods and contemporary digital techniques.

This information is intended to be used as an analytical tool but its ϐ Ǥ

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Inclines & Additional Information

Projected Grid Surface

Contours

Topographical Survey Map, 1923

Maps & Methods / 25

Study #1: USGS Map Collage.

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Maps & Methods / 27

Study #2: layered stencil maps.

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Maps & Methods / 29

Topographical Survey Maps, 1923

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Maps & Methods / 31

Primary  Inclines  of  Pittsburgh

11

10

9

1 8 2

3

5 4

6 7

1

Duquesne

South  Shore  -­�  Duquesne  Heights

  400’

2

Monongahela

South  Shore  -­�  Mt.  Washington

  370’

3

Castle  Shannon

Southside  Flats  -­�  Allentown

  445’

4

Castle  Shannon  South  (#2)

ŽŽ‡Â?–‘™Â? ÇŚ Â?‘š˜‹ŽŽ‡

-­�170’

5

�‘š˜‹ŽŽ‡

‘—–Š•‹†‡ Žƒ–• ÇŚ Â?‘š˜‹ŽŽ‡

  365’

6

Mt. Â Oliver

Southside  Flats  -­�  Mt.  Oliver

  370’

7

St.  Clair  (22nd  St)

Southside  Flats  -­�  Southside  Slopes

  375’

8

Fort  Pitt

Monongahela  River  -­�  The  Bluff

  110’

9

Penn  (17th  St)

Strip  District  -­�  Hill  District

  315’

10

Nunnery  Hill

Central  Northside  -­�  Fineview

  210’

11

Troy  Hill

Allegheny  River  -­�  Troy  Hill

  130’

32 / Pittsburgh’s  Inclines:  Case  Studies  in  Industrial  Adaptation

The Inclined Plane

The most distinctive response to the city’s terrain is the inclined plane Ǥ ϐ used to ferry coal from Mt. Washington down to the river banks for trade and later to fuel mills and other industry located there. Once the local coal mines became obsolete and resources came in by other means, passenger and freight inclines became predominant. Over its history Pittsburgh has been home to at least 23 inclines (including coal hoists) with two still in operation today. The peak period for passenger inclines was around the turn of the century and many are visible on the Topographic Survey Maps from the 1920s. Although the Monongahela and Duquesne Inclines are largely treated as tourist destinations today, they were once integral parts of the multimodal transportation network.

Inclined planes are both marvels of construction and based on simple physical principles. The cars travel in opposite directions and act as counterweights for each other so that the car travelling downhill helps Ǥ ϐ Ǥ ϐ accomplished with a steam engine, but the inclines were later converted to diesel or electric engines. Like the passenger elevator, sophisticated braking systems were needed to limit accidents and assuage riders’ fear.

Friction braking systems were integral to the cable drums at the top station and had straps that could be tightened around the drums to stop the car. A secondary safety cable was also connected to each car should the primary drive cable fail.

The majority of the inclines in America were designed by the engineering ϐ ȋ Ƭ ȌǤ were designed by John J. Endres with help from his daughter Caroline. ϐ marry Diescher. Diescher and Endres were associated but it is not clear if they directly shared design responsibilities on any incline. John M. McRoberts also designed two inclines in the South Side.

The Inclined Plane / 33

Penn Incline.

(Historic Pittsburgh)

The inclines were often used by pedestrians but some wide-­‐gauge versions were also able to transport carriages (and later automobiles). ǡ ǡ Ǧ ϐ ͳͲǦ ͳͻ͵ͷǤ of the inclines also had direct connections to streetcar and rail lines by this time, and it is likely that many commuters used a variety of transit modes. But it was precisely the rise of the streetcar and automobile that spelled the demise of the inclines. By the late 1960s only two remained ϐ justify. Competition from the complete network of streetcars, improved highways, and widespread automobile ownership proved to be too strong to overcome.

The following study is limited to the primary inclines of central Pittsburgh. Most are passenger inclines though some carried freight as Ǥ

34 / Pittsburgh’s Inclines: Case Studies in Industrial Adaptation

Castle Shannon Incline.

(Historic Pittsburgh)

from the 1920s, and the others can be easily located on other maps or through engineering drawings although the same maps will be used to Ǥ located on Mt. Washington and the South Side Slopes. Other inclines

ȋ to Pittsburgh in 1907). Each incline will be represented on a map and Ǥ

noted. Basic statistics concerning size and dates of operation are included as well as historic photos and/or technical drawings to provide ǯ ǯ Ǥ ǡ Ǥ ϐ unique pieces of Pittsburgh’s public transit history.

The Inclined Plane / 35

Name

Date

Neighborhoods  Served

Duquesne

1877  -­�  present

South  Shore  -­�  Duquesne  Heights

Mongahela

1870  -­�  present

South  Shore  -­�  Mt.  Washington

Monongahela  Freight

1883  -­�  1935

South  Shore  -­�  Mt.  Washington

Castle  Shannon

1890  -­�  1964

South  Side  Flats  -­�  Allentown

Castle  Shannon  South

1892  -­�  1914

‘—–Š ‹†‡ Žƒ–• ÇŚ Â?‘š˜‹ŽŽ‡

�‘š˜‹ŽŽ‡

1890  -­�  1960

‘—–Š ‹†‡ Žƒ–• ÇŚ Â?‘š˜‹ŽŽ‡

Mt. Â Oliver

1871  -­�  1951

South  Side  Flats  -­�  Mt.  Oliver

St.  Clair  (22nd  St)

1886  -­�  1935

South  Side  Flats  -­�  South  Side  Slopes

Fort  Pitt

1882  -­�  1906

Monongahela  River  -­�  Bluff

Penn  (17th  St)

1883  -­�  1953

Strip  District  -­�  Hill  District

Nunnery  Hill

1887  -­�  1899

Central  Northside  -­�  Fineview

Troy  Hill

1887  -­�  1898

Allegheny  River  -­�  Troy  Hill

Castle Shannon Duquesne Monongahela Penn

Nunnery Hill Fort Pitt

Troy Hill

36 / Pittsburgh’s  Inclines:  Case  Studies  in  Industrial  Adaptation

Case Studies: Primary Inclines of Pittsburgh

Elevation

Length

Slope

Engineer

400’

800’

30

Samuel Diescher

370’

650’

38

John J. Endres

370’

650’

38

Samuel Diescher

445’

1,400’

21

Samuel Diescher

-­‐170’

2,150’

-­‐5

Samuel Diescher

365’

2,750’

8

John M. McRoberts

370’

1,600’

14

John J. & Caroline Endres

375’

2,050’

11

John M. McRoberts

110’

350’

24

Samuel Diescher

315’

900’

24

Samuel Diescher

210’

1,200’

11

Samuel Diescher

130’

450’

21

Samuel Diescher

Mt. Oliver

Knoxville

St. Clair

Castle Shannon #2

Primary Inclines of Pittsburgh / 37

38 / Pittsburgh’s Inclines: Case Studies in Industrial Adaptation

Duquesne Incline and South Shore from Point Bridge abutment.

(Shorpy.com)

Duquesne Incline Area:

South Shore -­‐ Duquesne Heights

Elevation:

400’

Length:

800’

Slope: Dates in Operation: Engineer:

30° 1877-­‐present Samuel Diescher

Primary Inclines of Pittsburgh / 39

40 / Pittsburgh’s Inclines: Case Studies in Industrial Adaptation

(CMU Architecture Archives)

Steel structure from the office of Samuel Diescher.

Indian Trail Steps Grandview Ave. Streetcar

Duquesne

Pittsburgh, Cincinatti, Chicago & St Louis R.R. Carson St. Streetcar Pittsburgh & Lake Erie R.R.

Ohio River

Primary Inclines of Pittsburgh / 41

42 / Pittsburgh’s Inclines: Case Studies in Industrial Adaptation

Monongahela Incline from Pittsburgh & Lake Erie station.

(Historic Pittsburgh)

Monongahela Incline Area:

South Shore -­‐ Mt. Washington

Elevation:

370’

Length:

650’

Slope:

38°

Dates in Operation:

1870-­‐present

Engineer:

John J. Endres

Primary Inclines of Pittsburgh / 43

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Monongahela Freight cars pass each other.

(Historic Pittsburgh)

Monongahela Freight Incline Area:

South Shore -­‐ Mt. Washington

Elevation:

370’

Length:

650’

Slope: Dates in Operation: Engineer:

38° 1883-­‐1935 Samuel Diescher

Primary Inclines of Pittsburgh / 45

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Monongahela Freight Incline under construction.

(Historic Pittsburgh)

Grandview Ave. Streetcar

Monongahela Freight Pittsburgh Railway Co.

Monongahela

Pittsburgh, Cincinatti, Chicago & St Louis R.R. Carson St. Streetcar Pittsburgh & Lake Erie R.R. Yard and Passenger Station

Primary Inclines of Pittsburgh / 47

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Castle Shannon Incline, Civic Arena, and Downtown.

(Historic Pittsburgh)

Castle Shannon Incline Area: Elevation: Length: Slope: Dates in Operation: Engineer:

South Side Flats -­‐ Allentown 445’ 1400’ 21° 1890-­‐1964 Samuel Diescher

Primary Inclines of Pittsburgh / 49

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Castle Shannon car from the office of Samuel Diescher.

(CMU Architecture Archives)

Castle  Shannon  South  Incline  (#2) Area: Elevation: Length: Slope: Dates  in  Operation: Engineer:

‘—–Š ‹†‡ Žƒ–• ÇŚ Â?‘š˜‹ŽŽ‡ -­â€?170’ 2,150’ -­â€?5° 1892-­â€?1914 Samuel  Diescher

Primary  Inclines  of  Pittsburgh / 51

52 / Pittsburgh’s Inclines: Case Studies in Industrial Adaptation

(CMU Architecture Archives)

Profile from the office of Samuel Diescher.

Pittsburgh & Castle Shannon R.R. Warrington Ave Streetcar & Yard Mt. Washington Railway Tunnel Castle Shannon #2

Bailey Ave Streetcar Castle Shannon

Mt. Washington Roadway Bridge Pittsburgh, Cincinatti, Chicago & St Louis R.R.

Liberty Tunnels

Pittsburgh, Virginia, & Charleston R.R.

Liberty Bridge

ǣ ͳȀʹ Primary Inclines of Pittsburgh / 53

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Houses near the curve of the Knoxville Incline.

(Historic Pittsburgh)

Â?‘š˜‹ŽŽ‡ Č‹ Â‹Â–Â–Â•Â„Â—Â”Â‰ÂŠČŒ Â?…Ž‹Â?‡ Area: Elevation: Length: Slope: Dates  in  Operation: Engineer:

‘—–Š ‹†‡ Žƒ–• ÇŚ Â?‘š˜‹ŽŽ‡ 365’ 2,750’ 8° 1890-­â€?1960 John  M.  McRoberts

Primary  Inclines  of  Pittsburgh / 55

56 / Pittsburgh’s Inclines: Case Studies in Industrial Adaptation

South Side Flats from top of the Mt. Oliver Incline.

(Historic Pittsburgh)

Mt. Oliver Incline Area: Elevation: Length: Slope: Dates in Operation: Engineer:

South Side Flats -­‐ Mt. Oliver 370’ 1,600’ 14° 1871-­‐1951 John J. & Caroline Endres

Primary Inclines of Pittsburgh / 57

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(Historic Pittsburgh)

Mt. Oliver and Knoxville Inclines from Arlington Ave.

East Warrington Ave. Streetcar

South 18th St. Streetcar

Arlington Ave. Streetcar

Pittsburgh, Virginia, & Charleston R.R. Mt. Oliver

East Carson St. Streetcar

Knoxville

ǣ ͳȀʹ Primary Inclines of Pittsburgh / 59

60 / Pittsburgh’s Inclines: Case Studies in Industrial Adaptation

Mission St. Bridge over the former site of the St. Clair Incline.

(Historic Pittsburgh)

St. Clair (22nd Street) Incline Area: Elevation: Length: Slope: Dates in Operation: Engineer:

South Side Flats -­‐ South Side Slopes 375’ 2,050’ 11° 1886-­‐1935 John M. McRoberts

Primary Inclines of Pittsburgh / 61

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Hoisting machinery from the office of Samuel Diescher.

(CMU Architecture Archives)

Mission St. Pumping Station

Pittsburgh, Virginia, & Charleston R.R. St. Clair

ǣ ͳȀʹ Primary Inclines of Pittsburgh / 63

64 / Pittsburgh’s Inclines: Case Studies in Industrial Adaptation

Steps that replaced the Fort Pitt Incline.

(Historic Pittsburgh)

Fort Pitt Incline Area:

Monongahela River -­‐ Bluff

Elevation:

110’

Length:

350’

Slope: Dates in Operation: Engineer:

24° 1883-­‐1906 Samuel Diescher

Primary Inclines of Pittsburgh / 65

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Hoisting Machinery from the office of Samuel Diescher.

(CMU Architecture Archives)

Armstrong Tunnel

Future Site of Blvd. of the Allies Second Ave Streetcar Baltimore & Ohio R.R.

Fort Pitt

10th St Bridge

Monongahela River

Primary Inclines of Pittsburgh / 67

68 / Pittsburgh’s Inclines: Case Studies in Industrial Adaptation

(Brookline Connection)

Penn (17th Street) Incline Area:

Strip District -­‐ Hill District

Elevation:

315’

Length:

900’

Slope: Dates in Operation: Engineer:

24° 1883-­‐1953 Samuel Diescher

Primary Inclines of Pittsburgh / 69

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(CMU Architecture Archives)

Profile from the office of Samuel Diescher.

Bigelow Blvd.

Pennsylvania R.R. Company Yard Liberty Ave Streetcar Penn

Primary Inclines of Pittsburgh / 71

72 / Pittsburgh’s Inclines: Case Studies in Industrial Adaptation

(Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)

Nunnery Hill Incline Area: Elevation: Length: Slope: Dates in Operation: Engineer:

Central Northside -­‐ Fineview 210’ 1,200’ 11° 1887-­‐1899 Samuel Diescher

Primary Inclines of Pittsburgh / 73

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Plan and Profile from the office of Samuel Diescher.

(CMU Architecture Archives)

Catoma St. Streetcar Nunnery Hill

Federal St. Streetcar

Henderson St. Streetcar

Primary Inclines of Pittsburgh / 75

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(Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)

Troy Hill Incline Area:

Allegheny River -­‐ Troy Hill

Elevation:

130’

Length:

450’

Slope: Dates in Operation: Engineer:

21° 1887-­‐1898 Samuel Diescher

Primary Inclines of Pittsburgh / 77

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View of Rialto St. parallel to Troy Hill Incline.

(Historic Pittsburgh)

Lowrie St. Streetcar

Troy Hill East Ohio St. Streetcar Pennsylvania R.R. Company Pittsburgh & Western R.R. 30th St. Bridge (to Herr’s Island)

Allegheny River

Primary Inclines of Pittsburgh / 79

(Historic Pittsburgh)

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Conclusions Inclines represent a critical point in Pittsburgh’s industrial history for a number of reasons. For one, they dealt directly with the challenges of

laborers to places of employment. The approach was distinctly pragmatic and utilized modern technologies and production methods. This type of solution was prevalent across the country at a time of massive commercial growth and represents an engineer’s approach to tackling the landscape. The resultant aesthetic, while unintentional, became associated with American global economic power and survives today in many cities, especially those in the Rust Belt of the Central-­‐Eastern United States. Much of the infrastructure created during this period is ǡ ϐ Ǥ ǡ ϐ ǡ our contemporary condition: the post-­industrial landscape.

The inclines directly tackled the problem of linking river bank industries with the labor force that would drive them. Thus they represent an “ideal section” through the topography of the Pittsburgh region. These pieces of transit infrastructure tied together and related to a wide variety of economic, production, and societal systems. Each incline had a top station in a residential neighborhood and derived its identity from this location. If the hillside was shallow enough to develop, the incline itself would pass through residential areas and cross various roads and pedestrian steps. Railroads were constrained by the geometries that could be navigated by their cars and thus were usually situated ϐ Ǥ ǡ majority of rail lines ran along the foot of the hills or the edge of the river. Between these rail lines were yards for handling cars as well as the industries that they served. Manufacturing facilities were placed here because of the availability of relatively level ground and their adjacency to the river trade network. The incline’s bottom stations were transit hubs, interfacing directly with other transportation systems. These ϐ ǡ their effects on the form of the city.

Conclusions / 81

Finally,  inclines  represent  a  unity  of  all  the  above  factors  in  a  single  industrial  artifact.  These  landscape  machines  mediated  between  the  •…ƒŽ‡ ‘ˆ –Š‡ ‹Â?†‹˜‹†—ƒŽ ™‘”Â?‡”ǥ –Š‡ ‹Â?†—•–”‹ƒŽ …‘Â?’Ž‡šǥ ƒÂ?† –Š‡ „”‘ƒ†‡” landscape  through  a  uniquely  engineered  solution  to  topographical  constraints.  They  responded  to  local  conditions  as  a  way  to  move  ’‡‘’Ž‡ ƒÂ?† ‰‘‘†• ‡ˆĎ?‹…‹‡Â?–Ž› ƒÂ?† †‹† •‘ ™‹–Š ƒÂ? —Â?‹Â?–‡Â?–‹‘Â?ƒŽ ‹Â?†—•–”‹ƒŽ aesthetic  that  survives  to  this  day.  They  represent  investment  by  the  government  to  serve  the  public  good,  a  missing  link  in  the  development  of  contemporary  America. –‡Â?–ƒ–‹˜‡ –ƒš‘Â?‘Â?› ‘ˆ ‹Â?…Ž‹Â?‡• …ƒÂ? „‡ †‡”‹˜‡† ˆ”‘Â? –Š‹• •–—†›ǥ –Š‘—‰Š this  is  not  the  only  grouping  that  could  be  developed.  It  is  primarily  based  on  an  understanding  of  the  role  these  inclines  played  in  the  neighborhoods  they  served  and  is  as  follows: Limited  Effect:

Lasting  Effect:

Tourist  Attractions:

Nunnery  Hill Troy  Hill Fort  Pitt Monongahela  Freight St.  Clair Penn

Castle  Shannon  (1  &  2) Duquesne �‘š˜‹ŽŽ‡ Monongahela Mt.  Oliver

Note  that  the  longest-­â€?lasting  inclines  (besides  those  remaining  on  Mt.  Washington)  serve  the  South  Side  Slopes  in  the  area  of  densest  working-­â€?class  housing,  an  area  that  survives  primarily  as  a  blue-­â€?collar  neighborhood.  These  were  also  the  longest  inclines  (requiring  a  transfer  to  a  different  line  in  the  case  of  Castle  Shannon)  serving  residents  fairly  far  from  employment  centers  on  the  Monongahela  River.  Of  course,  the  local  effects  of  any  of  these  inclines  should  not  be  deemphasized,  as  all  contributed  to  the  development  of  the  neighborhoods  they  served.  The  response  to  some  of  these  inclines  is  limited  because  they  were  removed  fairly  early  in  the  industrial  period  to  make  way  for  other  forms  of  infrastructure.  The  removal  of  the  majority  of  the  inclines  was  a  •‹‰Â?‹Ď?‹…ƒÂ?– Ž‘•• –‘ –Š‡ …‹–› „‘–Š ĥ —•‡ˆ—Ž ’‹‡…‡• ‘ˆ –”ƒÂ?•‹– ‹Â?ˆ”ƒ•–”—…–—”‡ and  as  a  unique  characteristic  of  Pittsburgh’s  industrial  identity.

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Looking Forward This volume represents the beginning of continuing study through the development of a design proposal in the coming semester. The variety of reading as well as the development of a case-­‐study analysis has served

some guidelines laid out here. ǣ relationship of Pittsburgh residents to the post-­‐industrial landscape in which they live. America today is home to a ubiquitous urban form due to our automobile-­‐ and consumer-­‐centric culture. This ubiquity, while somewhat comforting in its lack of differentiation, is largely responsible for our current environmental, economic, and societal crises due to the implicit dissociation between people and the land on which they live. I believe to attack and alter this paradigm is to tackle problems central to being a conscious citizen today. ǣ 1. A designer must gain insight through history and avoid repeating mistakes in pursuit of nostalgia.

2. The product must be a unique response to the local landscape, history, society, and economy.

3. The product must be inclusive and provide a relevant and desired public asset, improving Pittsburgh’s status as a contemporary city.

Further development of the project can be followed at my blog: ǣȀȀ ϐ Ǥ Ǥ Ȁ Ȁ

Looking Forward / 83

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Annotated  Bibliography Inspiration  for  Study: Aurand,  Martin.  The  Spectator  and  the  Topographical  City.  Pittsburgh:  University  of  Pittsburgh  Press,  2006.

Aurand  studies  the  development  of  Pittsburgh  through  the  eyes  of  ‘the  spectator’,  describing  various  regions  of  the  city  through  ˜‹•—ƒŽ ‡š’‡”‹‡Â?…‡Ǥ ‹• –Š”‡‡ ǎ–‡””‡•–”‹ƒŽ ”‘‘Â?•ǯ Č‹ ‘™Â?–‘™Â?ÇĄ —”–Ž‡ ”‡‡Â? ÂƒÂŽÂŽÂ‡Â›ÇĄ ƒÂ?ŽƒÂ?Â†ČŒ …‘˜‡” •‘Â?‡ ‘ˆ –Š‡ Â?ƒŒ‘” Š‹•–‘”‹…ƒŽ ‹Â?Ď?Ž—‡Â?…‡• on  development  of  the  city  including  the  founding  of  the  city  and  development  as  a  commercial  hub,  the  growth  of  industry,  and  philanthropy  and  investment  by  wealthy  industrialists  that  contributed  to  cultural  growth  and  amenities.

Lipsky,  Florence.  San  Francisco:  Where  the  Grid  Meets  the  Hills.  Marseille:  Editions  Parentheses,  1999. ‹’•Â?›ǯ• •–—†› ‘ˆ ƒÂ? ”ƒÂ?…‹•…‘ ‹• ”‡Ď?‹Â?‡† ƒÂ?† •’‡…‹Ď?‹…Ǥ Â?ƒŽ›•‹• ƒÂ?† representation  are  drawn  from  a  wide  variety  of  sources  and  creative  Ď?‹‡Ž†•Ǥ Š‡ •—„Œ‡…– Â?ƒ––‡” ”‡Žƒ–‡• —”„ƒÂ? ’ŽƒÂ?Â?‹Â?‰ †‹”‡…–Ž› ™‹–Š Š—Â?ƒÂ? ‡š’‡”‹‡Â?…‡ ‘ˆ –Š‡ …‹–›ǥ ‹ŽŽ—•–”ƒ–‹Â?‰ –Š‡ ‹Â?’‘”–ƒÂ?…‡ ‘ˆ …ƒ”‡ˆ—Ž ’ŽƒÂ?Â?‹Â?‰Ǥ Š‹• „‘‘Â? Šƒ† ƒ •‹‰Â?‹Ď?‹…ƒÂ?– ‹Â?Ď?Ž—‡Â?…‡ ‘Â? –Š‡ •–”—…–—”‡ ‘ˆ Â?› •–—†›Ǥ McHarg,  Ian.  Design  with  Nature.  Garden  City:  The  Natural  History  Press,  1969. Â… ƒ”‰ ™”‹–‡• ˆ”‘Â? ’‡”•‘Â?ƒŽ ƒÂ?† ’”‘ˆ‡••‹‘Â?ƒŽ ‡š’‡”‹‡Â?…‡ ƒ„‘—– mankind’s  relationship  to  landscape.  He  describes  large-­â€?scale  ecological  and  urban  systems  as  well  as  developing  a  framework  for  †‡•‹‰Â?‹Â?‰ …‘Â?Â?—Â?‹–‹‡• –Šƒ– …‘‡š‹•– ™‹–Š –Š‡‹” Ž‘…ƒŽ ‡Â?˜‹”‘Â?Â?‡Â?–Ǥ Morrish,  William  R.  Civilizing  Terrains:  Mountains,  Mounds,  Mesas.  San  Francisco:  William  K  Stout  Publishers,  2005. ‘””‹•Š •–—†‹‡• –Š‡ …—Ž–—”ƒŽ •‹‰Â?‹Ď?‹…ƒÂ?…‡ ‘ˆ ŽƒÂ?†ˆ‘”Â?ÇĄ ‡š’Ž‘”‹Â?‰ how  and  why  various  landscapes  contribute  to  man’s  worldview  and  how  this  affects  urban  development.  The  series  of  analytical  †”ƒ™‹Â?‰• ƒÂ?† –‡š–• ’Žƒ› ‘ˆˆ ‡ƒ…Š ‘–Š‡” ƒÂ?† …‘Â?•–”—…– ƒ ˆ”ƒÂ?‡™‘”Â? ˆ‘” understanding  the  relevance  of  landscape.

Annotated  Bibliography / 85

Shepheard,  Paul.  What  is  Architecture?  An  Essay  on  Landscapes,  Buildings,  and  Machines.  Boston:  MIT  Press,  1994.  Shepheard,  Paul.  The  Cultivated  Wilderness,  or  What  is  Landscape?  Boston:  The  MIT  Press,  1997.

Shepheard,  Paul. Â Â”Â–Â‹Ď”Â‹Â…Â‹ÂƒÂŽ Â‘Â˜Â‡ÇŁ –‘”› ‘ˆ ƒ…Š‹Â?‡• ƒÂ?† ”…Š‹–‡…–—”‡.  Boston:  MIT  Press,  2003.

All  three  describe  the  author’s  approach  to  understanding  the  relationship  between  landscape  and  architecture.  The  framework  is  described  through  stories  yet  is  both  broad  and  clear,  laying  out  ƒ ™‡„ ‘ˆ ‹Â?–‡”…‘Â?Â?‡…–‹˜‹–› „‡–™‡‡Â? –Š‡•‡ Ď?‹‡Ž†•Ǥ Š‡ •‡…‘Â?† Šƒ† ƒ •‹‰Â?‹Ď?‹…ƒÂ?– ‡ˆˆ‡…– ‘Â? –Š‡ •–”—…–—”‡ ‘ˆ Â?› –Š‹Â?Â?‹Â?‰ ƒ„‘—– –Š‡ ŽƒÂ?†•…ƒ’‡Ǥ Steenbergen,  Clemens,  and  Wouter  Reh.  Architecture  and  Landscape:  The  Design  Experiment  of  the  Great  European  Gardens  and  Landscapes.  Basel:  Birkhäuser,  2003.

An  academic  study  of  the  European  landscape  tradition  as  a  lineage  ‘ˆ ‡š’‡”‹Â?‡Â?–• ‹Â? ŽƒÂ?†•…ƒ’‡ ‡š’‡”‹‡Â?…‡ ƒÂ?† †‡•‹‰Â?Ǥ š–”‡Â?‡Ž› ™‡ŽŽnj researched,  the  authors  of  this  volume  also  draw  on  a  wide  variety  of  ”‡•‘—”…‡•Ǥ ‡–Š‘†• ‘ˆ ‰”ƒ’Š‹… ”‡’”‡•‡Â?–ƒ–‹‘Â? ƒ”‡ ‡š–”‡Â?‡Ž› •–”‘Â?‰ ƒÂ?† ™‘”Â? ™‡ŽŽ ‹Â? „‘‘Â? ˆ‘”Â?ÇĄ –Š‡•‡ Šƒ† ƒ ‰”‡ƒ– ‹Â?Ď?Ž—‡Â?…‡ ‘Â? Â?› ƒš‘Â?‘Â?‡–”‹… ƒ’’”‘ƒ…Š –‘ ƒÂ?ƒŽ›•‹•Ǥ Pittsburgh  Resources: Arnold,  Bion  J.  Report  on  the  Pittsburgh  Transportation  Problem.  Pittsburgh:  1910.

Citizens  Committee  on  City  Plan  of  Pittsburgh.  Railroads  of  the  Pittsburgh  District,  a  part  of  the  Pittsburgh  Plan.  Pittsburgh:  1923.

Horne,  Murray.  On  the  Waterfront:  Projects  for  Three  Rivers.  Pittsburgh:  Pittsburgh  Center  for  the  Arts,  1991.

Horsbrugh,  Patrick.  Pittsburgh  Perceived;  a  critical  review  of  form,  features  and  feasibilities  of  the  prodigious  city.  Pittsburgh:  Department  of  City  Planning,  1963.

Mitchell  &  Ritchey.  Pittsburgh  in  Progress.  Pittsburgh:  Kaufmann’s,  1947.

Ohler,  Samuel  R.  Pittsburgh’s  Inclines.  Pittsburgh:  Pickwick-­�Morcraft,  1972.

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Samuel Diescher Collection [technical drawings], CMU Architecture Archives, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA. ǡ Ǥ Ǣ ϔ anniversary of the Engineers’ Society of Western Pennsylvania. Pittsburgh: Cramer Printing & Publishing Company, 1930.

Youngner, Rina. The power and the glory : Pittsburgh industrial landscapes

by Aaron Harry Gorson, 1872-­1933. New York: Spanierman Gallery, 1989.

Web Resources: Bell, Jon. “Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania: Incline Railways.” http://web.presby. edu/~jtbell/transit/Pittsburgh/Inclines/ (accessed December 16, 2012).

Burton, Clint. “Pittsburgh’s Old Inclines.” Brookline Connection (blog), http://www.brooklineconnection.com/history/Facts/Inclines.html (accessed December 16, 2012).

“City of Pittsburgh Geodetic and Topographic Survey Maps, 1923-­‐1961.”

Historic Pittsburgh, http://images.library.pitt.edu/g/geotopo/ (accessed December 16, 2012). ǡ Ǥ Dz ǣ Ǥdz pghbridges.com (blog), http://pghbridges.com/articles/inclines/inc_ builders_trib.htm. Dec 03, 2001.

“Historic Pittsburgh Image Collections.” Historic Pittsburgh, http:// digital.library.pitt.edu/images/pittsburgh/ (accessed December 16, 2012).

“Inclines Listed by Location.” pghbridges.com (blog), http://pghbridges. com/inclinelist.htm. Jun 27, 2000.

“Pittsburgh’s Incline History.” Old Pittsburgh Maps – Pittviewer (blog), http://oldpittmaps.wordpress.com/2012/05/02/pittsburghs-­‐incline-­‐ history/ (accessed December 16, 2012).

“Shorpy Historical Photo Archive.” Shorpy (blog), http://www.shorpy. com/ (accessed December 16, 2012).

Annotated Bibliography / 87