Trip #692 Hancock Street, Upper Hill, Pittsburgh took place on February 7, 2022, and was published on February 11, 2022.
When I first moved to the Upper Hill a little over a decade ago, I walked this section of Hancock Street almost every day. It was a convenient, albeit steep, route to beer, coffee, friends, and outdoor exercise. I frequently saw an older lady sitting on her front porch, smoking cigarettes from the comfort of an aluminum folding chair. We’d exchange a few pleasantries about the weather, the terrible condition of the road, and the raccoons squatting in the abandoned house next door. The adjacent property was a charming sloped-roof cottage well past its expiration date. So I wasn’t surprised to see, several years later, that it had been torn down. Some things just can’t be saved. But today, on my trip along the stairs, I noticed the land that once held the house had been transformed into a large garden. The sight of this new life brings me great joy, even if the condition of Monroe Street is still rugged and pockmarked. Perhaps this, too, is something that simply can’t be saved.
Field Notes: I used to walk up and down this flight all the time when I moved to Pittsburgh a decade ago. In more recent years, I’ve preferred taking the Bigelow Boulevard overpass, so it was an interesting surprise to see how the area around the stairs has changed. Looks like new-er folks have moved in and are working on some of the houses but some of the old, more original bits remain. Monroe Street is still a hot mess though! Wonder if that will ever get paved… ??
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.
