Trip #688 Horning Street, Overbrook, Pittsburgh took place on January 2, 2022, and was published on January 31, 2022.
“It’s a great house, isn’t it?” shouts the old man as he passes by. I’m standing at the bottom of the city steps, and while the hillside view is impressive, it’s the house, off to the side, that holds my attention. He plods along, a lit cigarette chomped firmly in the corner of his mouth and bulging plastic bags from Rite-Aid hanging from his hands. I smile and nod my head vigorously. Maybe someone in this man’s family lived in the house or helped build it, or perhaps after decades of walking up and down the stairs, he’s grown to appreciate its continued presence – a reminder of the past in an ever-changing present. “Yes,” I shout back, “it is a great house!”
Field Notes: This flight is built into the hillside and runs alongside Saint Norbert’s Church. At one time, it appears that other homes or buildings were on the hillside but today, this one in the photo is all that remains. It looked quite striking on this chilly and grey January day but the snow had not yet come so the grass still had some green.
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.
