Dinan Park and Playground, Stanton Heights: 4701 Farmington Street
Until the mid-1950s, a large portion of Stanton Heights was home to the city’s largest private golf course. Opened in 1909 on the unused grounds of Mary Croghan Schenley’s Pittsburgh mansion, “Picnic House,” the property was leased from the Croghan estate. Sections of the empty mansion were used as a clubhouse and for large events. Unsurprisingly, throughout World War II, club membership dwindled, and the land was ultimately sold, with developers building some 400 homes on the site and demolishing the old mansion.
While Mary Schenley spent very little of her life in Pittsburgh, her generous gifts of land forever transformed the city, making recreation activities more widely available. While Dinan Park’s playground and athletic fields do not occupy the old “Picnic House” lands, the area is an ideal spot for those seeking a bit of peace and quiet amid steep, rolling hills. Probably not the best spot for golf, but how many neighborhood kids (or adults) have taken exhilarating sled rides down its slopes on snowy days? I think Mary would approve.
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