Trip #204 Hartford Street, Southside Slopes, Pittsburgh took place on October 18, 2018, and was published on October 26, 2018.
At the end of the stairway, there’s a platform made of wood. It reminds me of the ones you’d see out in the middle of a lake. Floating. Kids jumping. Splashing. Adults sunbathing. Shouts of excitement. Summer sun and summer fun. I can see it as clearly as if I were right there. My feet in the water and sun shining on my face. But the season has ended now, the colors around me are changing and the air’s getting chilly even if the water still holds a bit of sunshiney warmth. One last jump in before swimming back to shore. Laughing at the shivers and goose-bumps under the softness of a towel. The time has come to put away the swimsuits. Soon we’ll be lacing up ice skates and losing mittens.
Field Notes: A wooden sidewalk flight along Hartford Street. At one point they went all the way to the bottom, but they are now blocked off at the last house on the street.
Want to visit these stairs? You can locate them on the Pittsburgh City Steps Plan website!
See the Risograph print of this photo and story in the Mis.Steps Shop.
Be a good neighbor! Have you visited these stairs and found them in poor condition or that illegal dumping (large items like tires, old furniture, and construction debris) and trash were abundant in the area? There are two things you can do to take action and make our city steps cleaner and safer for everyone! First, grab a photo if you can, and submit a report to Pittsburgh 311. All problems, both broken stairs, and railings, as well as trash and dumping, should be reported to the city. You can easily do this online or by calling. If the location has an abundance of illegal dumping and trash, also contact Allegheny Cleanways, letting them know the location and the nature of the garbage. Thank you!!
