Frick Park, Squirrel Hill South/Regent Square/Swisshelm Park: Multiple Entrances
Like Pittsburgh’s other regional parks (Emerald View, Highland, Riverview, and Schenley), Frick Park offers a rich history and varied landscape that could launch an infinite number of adventures. From gently rolling hills to steep, sudden drop-offs, this space readily serves as a complex and tantalizing muse.
And it was these very qualities that attracted Dick Wolford, Frick’s first (and longest-serving) park foreman. When he arrived in 1992, conditions had deteriorated to the point that residents no longer considered Frick safe. But everyone knew something special lay beneath all the years of neglect, so Wolford, a small crew of laborers, and volunteers from the newly established Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy began working.
Over time, old trails and roads were rediscovered, cleared, and reactivated. Water runoff problems identified and remediated. Dilapidated buildings restored or replaced. And in the areas where clear-cutting and deforestation had occurred, many, many trees were planted.
As the saying goes, the best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago, and in Frick’s case, the practice of thoughtful care that began in the early 1990s has resulted in a park that routinely attracts national publicity and visitors from around the world. Wolford retired a few years back, but he still enjoys returning to the park and sharing tales of his memorable, decades-long career. Like a proud parent, he’s eager to show off and introduce the trees planted during the early days. It’s incredible to see how much they’ve grown.
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City Steps of Pittsburgh: A History & Guide explores the history of the steps and the neighborhoods in which they were built. It also includes 13 guided walks and 20+ locations worth visiting—all with detailed descriptions, directions, and resources for creating your own urban hiking adventure. All areas of Pittsburgh are represented: north, south, east, and west. The book is available through all online shops (including our publisher) and local and independent bookstores.