Trip #294 Waco Way, Spring Hill – City View took place on May 11, 2019, and was published on June 2, 2019.
Calling all history mystery lovers! If you’re looking for an off the beaten path adventure, you need to visit the stairs of Waco Way. This hidden flight once carried workers to and from a long-since-disappeared soap factory, shops, schools, and churches. After suffering the blows from a waning population in the 60s and 70s, eminent domain for the Parkway in the 80s, and the landslides west of Haslage Avenue in the 90s, only a few houses and streets remain to represent this formerly populous neighborhood. As you bushwack through the knotweed, you’ll come upon a street sign and the remains of a road. Carefully avoiding an open sewer drain, you’ll spy precariously perched street railings, old retaining walls and foundations, and surprisingly little trash. It’s an exhilarating walk-about and reinforces Mother Earth’s speed at reclamation. I wonder if a person who lived on Valette, Quebec or Callen Streets (all ones for the history books) sixty years ago would recognize this area now?
Field Notes: What an adventure this flight was!! The lower portion that descends to East Street is fairly mild but the top part (look for the fire hydrant at the end of the street) ascends into a veritable jungle!! There had been a street at the top (you’ll see a street sign) but landslides in the 1990s prompted the city to take it all over. If you’re brave you can poke around the old foundations and retaining walls. It does not look like the area is widely used by kids partying or by those living outside. Looking forward to going back here in the winter when all the knotweed is gone!
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!!
