Trip #645 Stetson Street, Brookline, Pittsburgh took place on September 26, 2021, and was published on October 8, 2021.
For an urban area, Pittsburgh has an abundance of wildlife. From the dear deer to the not-so-wild turkeys to the selectively domesticated raccoons (see Visit #28), I never get tired of crossing paths with our furry and feathered residents. Here, on Stetson Street, an army of chipmunks high-tail it to the bushes as I approach and discover what’s drawn them – a motherlode of tree nuts scattered all over the ground! Their sudden flight makes me wonder, was there ever a time when humans weren’t seen as predators and something to fear? While I’m not crazy about the mice who sneak under the washing machine in my basement or the squirrels that MacGyver their way into the birdfeeders designed to foil them, I’d rather have them nearby than live in a place without them. Knowing they’re here brings me a bit of joy, and I’m grateful these unique, beautiful creatures are our neighbors too.
Field Notes: This long flight of sidewalk steps that lead up from West Liberty Avenue just needs a little bit of care. At the time of the visit, there were quite a bit of leaves and twigs and tree nuts littering the ground making footing a little risky. But, if no one really uses them, no one would know.
Love city steps? Get yourself the latest issue of Mis.Steps: Our Missed Connections with Pittsburgh’s City Steps! Each copy is unique and features 10 randomly selected “trading cards” of Pittsburgh’s 739 public stairways. Visit the Mis.Steps online store to see all issues and place your order.
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.
