Trip #212 Eleanor Street, Southside Slopes, Pittsburgh took place on October 25, 2018, and was published on November 14, 2018.
The stair-bound “orphan” houses always attract my attention and curiosity. There appears to be one on the Eleanor Street stairs, its front entrance overgrown, covered in vines. Despite the closed window shades, I think I see a light glowing from somewhere inside. This discovery makes me wonder. Just because it looks empty doesn’t mean it is. Just because I can’t see a back entrance, doesn’t mean there isn’t one. But still, I know that caring for these houses is hard, expensive work, and with so many other options, it’s easy to see why people would choose not to live here. A part of me wishes I could reach out and protect it from time’s slow decay, but I can’t. Everything has a natural life-span whether I like it or not.
Field Notes: This flight is #7 on the “top stairs” list – hard to believe that 282 would only leave you in the #7 spot, but this is Pittsburgh. Awesome flight with amazing views.
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!!
