Making History Blog
Of Soup and Sustenance: Charity in the Iron City
Reflecting on the legacies of charity given and received in the Iron City As recent events remind us, tragedy can bring out the best in human nature and challenges…
Annie Jacobs Davis: “The Mother of Montefiore Hospital”
Portrait of Annie Jacobs Davis. Gift of Barnett Davis, Incorporated. The name Annie Jacobs Davis is synonymous with Montefiore Hospital. Montefiore was the first Jewish hospital in Western Pennsylvania.…
Women in Trade and Manufacturing
Sarah Kizina on her first day working in Meadowcroft’s blacksmith shop. Dewayne Curry, the primary smith at Meadowcroft, is teaching. Nothing quite strains our nostalgic vision of times past…
Experiencing History: Collecting Materials Related to the COVID-19 Response in Western Pennsylvania
The Heinz History Center is collecting objects, archival materials (both digital and physical), and web content that reflect the experiences of Western Pennsylvania citizens, officials, organizations, businesses, and caregivers during the COVID-19 pandemic. We wish to preserve these…
Pittsburgh’s Streamline-Deco Greyhound Bus Station
A newspaper ad announced the opening of Pittsburgh’s terminal, March 13, 1937. The image was similar to the final building, though a bit more idealized. Newspapers.com, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Pittsburgh…
Help, Heartbreak, and Hope from a Century Ago
For the past three weeks, the Rauh Jewish Archives has been collecting documentation of the impact of the COVID-19 outbreak on Jewish organizations in the region—emails, press releases, announcements, and stories.…
When Grant Street Got a Zigzag
Looking from the roof of the PRR Station to the intersection of New Grant and Liberty, June 1906. The freight station at left sits atop the original Grant Street.…
“Lifting as we climb”: The Aurora Reading Club Records
The Aurora Reading Club celebrating its 90th anniversary in 1984. Aurora Reading Club Records, Detre Library & Archives at the History Center. “Lifting as we climb” means to encourage…
The African American Experience in Pittsburgh, Virginia – Part 2
This is a continuation of a series on the African American experience in Pittsburgh, Virginia. Click here to read part 1. Benjamin Henry Latrobe, An overseer doing his duty…
The African American Experience in Pittsburgh, Virginia – Part 1
James Peachey, detail, View of Three Rivers taken from the Road leading to Pont du Lac, 1784, British Library. Though a Canadian scene, such encampments of American Indians were…