Trip #668 Stebbins Street, Brookline, Pittsburgh took place on November 9, 2021, and was published on December 1, 2021.
The vanishing point is that place in the distance where lines appear to converge and then, by growing smaller and increasingly faint, disappear altogether from sight. Of course, our brain knows the far-removed object hasn’t disappeared; it’s simply no longer perceptible to the eyes, the binoculars, or the telescope. As the point recedes, we let go and gradually stop searching for a landmark that continues our connection. When that time arrives, we must release our attachment and re-focus on the landscape that lies before us. So many people, places, and things lie beyond the vanishing point, but many continue to surround us. Wherever we stand, there is so much to see.
Field Notes: More roller-coaster sidewalk steps lining streets that rise and fall and rise and fall… Today’s visit had warm weather but winter is fast approaching and the cold nights are turning the plants brown – every morning something new has succumbed!
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.
