Mines Fading to Green
Jessica Kester, Allegheny Land Trust, Vice President of Education Nearly two decades ago, Allegheny Land Trust (ALT) purchased the property in USC known as Wingfield Pines. The effects of the property’s past, which was an active strip mine in the 1940s, is seen now as rushing water that leaves an orange stain (iron oxide) behind as it travels through the color wheel of a passive abandoned mine reclamation system. But take a walk there today and your eyes won’t be drawn to the orange water, but instead to the myriad of life teaming in the forested floodplain, wetlands, meadows, and Chartiers Creek. You’ll hear birds signing, see toads leaping out of your way into the ponds, children laughing as they chase butterflies, and even fishermen as they wade into the creek with their poles over their shoulders. This area once marked with slag, coal, and machinery is teaming with green… and life. ALT turned 25 last year and, with that, reached a milestone of protecting 2500 acres of land preserved as green space in and around Allegheny County. There were no other properties with such strong ties to Pittsburgh’s coal mining history as Wingfield Examining remnants of mining activity Pines, until now. ALT is working in cooperation with the municipality of Bethel Park, the local community, and other partners to acquire and permanently conserve one of the largest remaining green spaces in the South Hills by the end of 2019. Near the busy intersections of Route 88, Connor Road, and Valley Drive along the municipality’s northwest border with Castle Shannon, this heavily wooded 40.5-acre property offers a green reprieve from an otherwise densely populated area. The site is crisscrossed by an informal Local trail on Bethel Park property network of walking trails frequently used and cared for by neighbors, and is both a relic of the area’s destined to stay green space industrial history and a testament to nature’s ability to recover if allowed the opportunity to do so. Mollenaur Mine #3, once located directly across Route 88, used this site to discard dirt and rock tailings from its mining operation Calendar of Events at Wingfield Pines from the mid-1890s through the early 1940s. Since that time, the site has been left dormant August to recover on its own, while residential developments and commercial enterprises sprung Creek Critters, 10 a.m.–noon up all around. “This project is an excellent demonstration of nature’s ability to recover. The 31 once dominant mine tailings piles dumped here early in the last century have been almost September completely reclaimed by nature,” said Tom Dougherty, ALT’s vice president of external af14–15 STREAM Girls @ Mingo Creek County Park fairs. “Couple the site’s industrial past with the neighbors’ current enjoyment of the site, (free to girls ages 7–11 in Pennsylvania and we see an opportunity to support both the environment and the community.” American Water service area) Protecting this green space would ensure that the flora and fauna reclaiming this site have permanent habitat, save steep slopes from development, absorb rainwater at the head December of the flood-prone Saw Mill Run watershed, enhance property values by offering protected Twitter in the Tress, 8–10 a.m. trails and open space, and provide opportunities for historical and environmental education. 14 The land is currently under contract to close by the end of the year, contingent upon 14 Christmas Bird County at Wingfield Pines ALT’s ability to raise necessary funding. Currently, ALT has outstanding grant requests along and Boyce Mayview Park with several additional sources identified for portions of the project funding. A community campaign has been launched to raise awareness and matching dollars for the project. So, whether our area’s green spaces give you a little sense of peace during a rush-hour commute, a sense of awe while watching a butterfly emerge from its chrysalis, or just some needed movement and time with To donate to or find more information about this project, visit the family, creating, preserving, or converting historical areas in the region https://alleghenylandtrust.org/bethel-greenway/. for green space is something we’re devoted to. We hope you are, too! n
Trees, Trees, and More Trees Historical Society of Upper St. Clair
Following on the heels of apple harvest time, apple pies and dumplings are autumn favorites. But long before there are apples to pick, farmers plant their orchards with carefully selected varieties of fruit trees. Letters from 1844 in the Gilfillan family collection at the Historical Society of Upper St. Clair provide a peek into the process of orchard planting back in the day. John Gilfillan wrote to John D. Stephens with instructions for how many of each type of tree he would like to purchase. Stephens replied that a Mr. James Wood, of the Smithfield Hotel on the corner of Second Avenue and Smithfield Street in Pittsburgh, would receive and then store the trees in his cellar until Gilfillan could make Section from a letter dated March 1844 from arrangements to transport them to Upper St. Clair, a lengthy trek over Mt. Washington via horse. John Stephens to John Gilfillan: “I have sent Using these letters as historical inspiration, an orchard was planted in 2016 at the Gilfillan Farm. While it will be some time before we can enjoy a large harvest from these trees, we invite you to hundreds [of trees] to Pittsburgh this year…” schedule a tour with the Historical Society to see all that autumn has to offer at the Gilfillan House and Farm. n 92
UPPER ST. CLAIR TODAY
Fall 2019
