Pittsburgh’s Underground Railroad, Preserved and Not

I have never been to Pittsburgh but now have a reason to go! Thanks for this article.

Three Rivers Park? I believe your referring to Point State Park, can we get the facts correct.

Good article.
I grew up in Pittsburgh and attended kindergarten in an old mansion in Mt. Lebanon, a suburb of the city. The mansion had several hidden rooms. I remember opening a bathroom mirror, pushing the shelves behind the mirror open like a door and finding a room behind. I have always wondered if that house was part of the underground railroad.

We might have thought that the election of Barrack Obama evidenced the end of racism in our country. But his successor, Donald Trump, has resurrected the most vile and disgusting patterns of racism that have ever existed in America. We are living in a culture of hate. We hate the blacks who fight back against racial stereotypes cultivated at every level of government. We also hate the Hispanics who seek to defend their productive lives in our country and be given the right to become citizens. There will be no immigration reforms. Instead, we will pursue with military efficiency the expulsion of as many Hispanics as possible, even those who have never been convicted of any criminal attacks. We will ensure that blacks and Hispanics never have the right to defeat government of, by and for the benefit of white people. Our only hope is that Republican business suffers irreparable losses as we subjugate or deport millions of workers who have helped to build our country's economy.

Not mentioned was the Point View Hotel on Brownsville Rd. Torn down about 10 years ago. It was one of the oldest buildings in the area. Very sad to see it replaced with an unneeded medical arts building. They also had the best fish sandwiches outside of The Original Oyster House.

As is the case, I see, with others who have commented here, I too, born in 1948 in Morningside Heights in Pittsburgh (of parents who were both born in Pittsburgh), and educated at North Catholic High School on Mount Troy in Pittsburgh, never heard of the Underground Railroad when I was growing up, either at home or at school. So I was fascinated to read this article. I am imagining, as it is mentioned here that rivers played an important part in the UR, that the Monongahela River, which flows north into Pennsylvania from West Virginia, might have played an important part in escaped slaves getting to Pittsburgh. I intend to learn more about this. Thank you.

I grew up in O'Hara Township, just outside the city. My friend lived in an old farmhouse behind which was an old stable house. If you went around the back of the stable house there was a separate living quarters. He used to say that it was part of the Underground Railroad. Would love to know if that was true.

I grew up in Pittsburgh in the 1960s-70s and was never taught this. I had no idea about Pittsburgh's role in the Underground Railroad. What a shame!

I grew up in Sewickley, about 15 miles downriver from The Point, and recall stories told in my grade school of houses along the river that were part of the underground railroad. That was in the 1950s and 1960s, so I am very interested to learn of this part of Pittsburgh's history.

When you mention Three Rivers Park I had no idea what you were talking about. The name of the park with the fountain where the three rivers meet is called Point State Park.

Worth noting Dr Ellis is August Wilson's niece, I think.

This work is so important and these articles are great. Thank you. And thanks to everyone who works tirelessly to make sure the memory of this doesn't fade, we need to remember. We need to know.

What an informative and important article! I grew up in Mt. Lebanon, Pa, a nearby Pittsburgh suburb, in the 1960's and sadly, don't remember ever being taught about Pittsburgh's importance in the Underground Railroad.

I have a question: I don't understand what the author meant when she wrote that in the 1800s some businessmen supported the Underground RR because they feared the competition. I would appreciate further clarification on this point. Thank you.

Thanks for your thoughtful article on Pittsburgh's importance to the Underground Railroad. One correction... the park you were in is Point State Park, not three rivers park.

I just moved to Pittsburgh in November, and now that spring is coming, in looking forward to learning about my new city. I didn't realize the strong connection to the Underground Railroad and I'm fascinated to learn more.

I lived my first 8 years in Wilkensburg Pittsburgh, then my parents moved north about 13 miles to Hampton Township. When I was in middle school my favorite book was a biography of Harriet Tubman. I read it so many times, the librarian went to the bookcase and took it out when I opened the library door. She never mentioned the role Pittsburgh played for the underground railroad. I wonder if she did not know either.

I grew up in Pittsburgh and knew none of this. It was certainly not taught in schools....I hope that is no longer the case