Making History Blog
Meet Winnie the Welder
“No. We were not Rosie the Riveter. We welded ships. Rosie got all the attention. No one even gave us a name. Anne Jurjevic Thomas, welder at Dravo during World…
The Rise and Fall of Pittsburgh’s Diamond Market
Traffic running under Diamond Market, c. 1960. At the time it was developed, planners saw the traffic throughway as a solution to creating space for both cars and commerce.…
The Tuskegee Airmen
Photo of William A. Johnston. Johnston grew up in Sewickley, Pa. He enlisted in the Army Air Force at the age of 17 and served as a Second Lieutenant…
The Crawford Grill
Crawford Grill #2, c. 1975. From the McBride Sign Company Photographs, Detre Library & Archives at the History Center. The Crawford Grill in Pittsburgh’s Hill District served as the…
The Heinz Pickle Pin
In addition to creating one of the world’s largest food companies, H.J. Heinz is remembered for his innovations in advertising and promotion. One of his smallest ideas became one…
Your Ticket to the Inauguration
For additional presidential inauguration artifacts in the History Center’s collections, please visit The Presidents in Office, an exhibit as part of Google Arts and Culture. Invitation to the presidential…
Moishe Oysher: A Legend Comes to Pittsburgh
Like many cities in the Western Hemisphere, the Jewish population of Pittsburgh enjoyed the Yiddish theatre tradition. Theaters throughout the city were hosting Yiddish productions by the late 1800s, and…
MGM’s “Words and Music,” 1948: A Holiday Turning Point
During the holiday season of 1948, three well-known performing artists with Western Pennsylvania connections all appeared in the same motion picture: MGM’s movie musical “Words and Music,” a biopic roughly…
Why Women’s History Initiatives Matter
An October post featuring Pittsburgh businesswomen garnered such great response that it deserved a follow up. These efforts remind us why celebrations like the 19th Amendment Centennial need to go…
Dr. Jonas Salk and the Polio Vaccine
Sixty-five years ago, Dr. Jonas Salk saved countless lives around the world with the development of an effective vaccine for polio. Dr. Jonas Salk (center) and his team of researchers…