Trip #467 Steuben Street to Attica Street, Elliott, Pittsburgh took place on July 12, 2020, and was published on July 24, 2020.
Whenever I find an intentional break in a stairway railing, I feel like I’m walking up to the house of an old friend I haven’t seen in years. Most of these railing gaps now lead to an empty hillside, but I can still imagine the walkway and a simple wooden house set a-ways back. Perhaps a lilac or forsythia bush by the front door or some daffodils clustered in a circle. A house becomes a home when people live in it, but when folks move or pass away, it goes back to being a house, and empty houses don’t survive for long. In no time, trees sprout through the foundations, squirrels and raccoons take up residence in the roof and chimney, and deer wander freely, eating what they enjoy and leaving the rest to grow unchecked. In a way, a house that was once a home to humans now becomes a home to wildlife. Perhaps the critters also enjoy a little time relaxing and catching up with one another after a long day.
Field Notes: It was great to see this flight was open and clear. Spotted a little cut-out where a house would have been (long gone now). There’s a billboard at the bottom of the flight that features an image of a man in a wheelchair – makes me wonder how difficult it would have been to get around Pittsburgh before ADA and cars.
See the Risograph print of this photo and story in the Mis.Steps Shop.
Want to visit these stairs? You can locate them on the Pittsburgh City Steps Plan website!
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.
