Trip #729 Redrose Avenue, Carrick, Pittsburgh, took place on April 16, 2022, and was published on May 18, 2022.
How does one define Pittsburgh? It’s more than bridges and stairs, terrible towels, and potholes. It’s 90 neighborhoods and four geographical regions filled with people whose connection to this place ranges from a few days ago to a time long before William Trent built his fur trappers’ trading post. Some folks remember the bad old days and others the good old days and thus apply their thinking to today’s events and tomorrow’s plans. We bicker and joke, make snide comments, and share stories about what constitutes the REAL Pittsburgh. And so, to respond to my initial question of how one defines this place, I regret to report that after five years and 729 flights of city steps, I still don’t have an answer. But, I sincerely believe that the real Pittsburgh always has and always will exist in the hopes and dreams of the many people who work to make this city into something authentic, unique, and truly memorable.
Field Notes: This is another hillside stairway that leads to a below street level sidewalk. Another Marys of Pittsburgh sighting! A rather annoyed dog in the yard across the street would not stop barking, so I didn’t spend too long hanging out in front of the houses. Still, a nice enough neighborhood (with built-in “stranger danger” protection!).
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, and trash and dumping, should be reported to the city. You can easily do this online or by calling.
