Trip #288 Romeo Street, South Oakland took place on April 22, 2019, and was published on May 17, 2019.
When I was a kid, my favorite books were the ones about the early explorers. Through their stories, I crossed mountains and oceans, braved the frozen tundra and tropical jungles, witnessed a flat earth being shaped through those seeking fortune and fame. Knowing this, it should come as no surprise that I place Bob Regan, author of the Pittsburgh Steps book that forms the basis of this project, solidly in the “explorer” category. In an era before GPS, Siri, or a highly-developed internet, Bob set off to locate Pittsburgh’s lost and forgotten stairs using only his bike and scraps of information from historical sources. The stairway maps we have today are a result of his persistent adventuring and charting. Bob recently turned 80 and willingly accepted an invitation to meet at his self-proclaimed favorite city stairs: the intersection of Frazier and Romeo Streets in South Oakland. While these stairs have waned a bit since Bob first mapped them years ago, his adventurous spirit hasn’t. Three cheers for you, Bob!
Field Notes: Visited these stairs with city steps OG Bob Regan. Had a great time chatting about Pittsburgh, life, and stairs. At the top of this flight is a cool looking house with lots of art/sculpture in the yard and on the porch. Prayer flags waving and incense wafting! Good spot.
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!!
