Pittsburgh's Stairways to the Past

Sometimes it takes a long day of showing houses to really understand what makes Pittsburgh and its homes so unique. One thing you cannot avoid: the stairs. I have heard some real estate agents talk about a “step discount” that applies to the sale of a home that sits on a hill- thus requiring steps to access it. I don't know the validity of this, but I would not be surprised.

One of the many unique parts of Pittsburgh’s cityscape is its numerous stairways. Pittsburgh’s topography, defined by its location among the intersection of three rivers amid the Appalachian Mountains, necessitates these steps. Before the automobile, the inclines, and the tunnels, these steps were needed to navigate the city.

Newspaper columnist Ernie Pyle in 1937 described Pittsburgh, proclaiming, "the steps. Oh Lord, the steps! I was told they actually had a Department of Steps. That isn’t exactly true, although they do have an Inspector of Steps. But there are nearly 15 miles of city-owned steps, going up mountainsides… [They] must have been laid out by a mountain goat. It's up and down and around and around and in betwixt."

On some of the steepest hills, steps even double as legal streets. Some of these stairways are known as "paper streets," and appear on maps as valid thoroughfares. This certainly can make it a bit confusing for out-of-towners trying to get around the city.

A "Paper Street"

According to Bob Regan’s “The Steps of Pittsburgh” there are a total of 712 public stairways with a total of 44,645 steps. This means that Pittsburgh lays claim to the city with the most public stairways. By far. More than twice as many as San Francisco.

Some of these stairways are in need of repair, and, thankfully, there are volunteers who work to keep them in tact. They are oddly beautiful and such a unique glimpse into the history of Pittsburgh, it is nice to see them embraced by so many. They not only serve as a commute to some, but also as a reason to gather. There are a number of events each year that aim to celebrate the unique topography and history of Pittsburgh's steps. Such events are the Fineview Step-A-Thon and the Pittsburgh StepTrek. Walking tours of Pittsburgh Steps are available in the South Side, Lawrenceville, the North Side, Oakland and the Hill District.

The stairs can also be used as a method of exercise. Hiking Pittsburgh’s stairs is a unique way to keep in shape! One of the best and perhaps most difficult I have seen, but have yet to attempt, is a hike following the former Indian Trails Steps. The Indian Trail Steps, which likely followed an existing trail, was a wooden stairway that enabled access for pedestrians to reach Mount Washington. They were dismantled in 1935 but some of the original wooden posts still exist. I am so looking forward to this hike up Mt. Washington to find some of these posts as soon as winter is over.

The Indian Trail Steps

Location of existing posts

The steps under the incline

There are stories of The Duquesne Incline hiring people to act as ghosts along the paths to intimidate people from using these stairs and pay to use the inclines. This tactic must have been effective as the inclines became the more popular method for workers to make the commute up the mountainside. With the introduction of the automobile and the tunnels, the stairs became obsolete.

It would be interesting to see how many stairs Pittsburgh has, not only publicly, but privately as well. When looking at homes, you will realize they are hard to avoid!

Here is an inventory of major public stairways in Pittsburgh.
Here is a link to purchase "The Steps of Pittsburgh: Portrait of a City" by Bob Regan.








Thanks for reading and stay warm,