Many people do not realize the stature of our community’s past. The eastern communities of Pittsburgh - often called East End – first began as grazing places called “the East Liberties” and later became Frog Town, Negley Town, and later East Liberty, which encompassed the East End. The East End has played a vital role in the life of our city and even in the growth of this nation!

Bringing back the rich heritage of the East End requires renewed integrity in its future. The following is a brief look at its history and the announcement of a drive to establish an East End Heritage Center, a division of East End/East Liberty Historical Society, Inc.

A Quick Overview of Our Past

1. Native Americans inhabited this region for thousands of years before Europeans arrived. They lived in small groups of the Iroquois, Shawnee, Seneca, Delaware and other tribes. The area was green with forests and meadows well watered by springs, streams and ponds.

2. Early settlers came in covered wagons on widened Indian trails from the east: on the Philadelphia / Greensburg Turnpike, which became Penn Avenue, and on Frankstown Road / Frankstown Avenue.

3. The settlers acquired property and built houses – simple log structures at first, then homes of clapboard or brick and later mansions of finer materials. They also cultivated family farms or large gardens. Highland Park and East Liberty had big orchards by the 1780s.

4. They started businesses: taverns along the Pike at Point Breeze and East Liberty, a general store on Penn, and a grill mill along Negley Run.

5. They established institutions such as schools, hospitals and churches. A combination public school and part-time church was built in 1809 at Penn and Highland, East Liberty

6. Our area offered one of the nation’s first petroleum refining-storage-distribution centers after oil was discovered in northern Pennsylvania. In 1861 local men started the Brilliant Oil Works near Washington Blvd. and Butler Street on the Allegheny River in East Liberty / Highland Park. Later in 1868, the Standard Oil Co. was formed there and the modern oil industry was born. In 1901 other East End folk began the Gulf Oil Co., continuing the area’s connection with oil.

7. The world’s first automobile drive-in service station was started by Gulf Oil in East Liberty at Baum Boulevard and Saint Clair Street in 1913, because by that time oil and gasoline had become needed products for the lifestyles of Americans. By as early as 1906 the East End was home to the owners of about 2,000 of the 3,000 cars in Pittsburgh. The area also had 12 automobile dealers which offered over 30 makes of cars.

8. Small coal mines opened beneath parts of our region to help supply the growing need for fuel and energy. Much of Pittsburgh is underplayed with seams of coal.

9. Manufacturing companies were established after energy from coal burning became abundant. The area’s first iron foundry was begun in Shadyside, 1792.

Did You Know of These “Firsts” for the East End / East Liberty Area?

1st East end farming plantation (called East Liberties as in “liberty to graze”) to feed the Garrison at Fort Pitt; 1762 land granted to Casper Taub, later plantation called Rumbiddle.

1st Residential home in Pittsburgh to have a running water system. It was Thomas Mellon’s home at 401 N. Negley Ave., 1850s.

1st To buy and sell oil ahead of its production. 1853 – Charles Lockhart and Brilliant Oil Works, built in 1861. Their oil was first Oil Creek oil to come down Allegheny River.

1st Oil Co. in U.S. to ship oil to Europe, and built first important refinery in the country, from East Liberty, Washington Blvd.

1st Standard Oil Co. was formed in East Liberty. Lockhart, Rockefeller from Cleveland formed with partners in 1868.

1st Telephone communication in Allegheny County, from 232 Shady Lane to another building.

1st Aluminum Co. formed at residence of Alfred Hunt at 272 Shady Ave., forming Pgh. Reduction Co. (later ALCOA)

1st Drive-In Gas Station in America. Gulf station at St Clair & Baum Blvd.

1st Aviator to fly across the U.S. in 1911: Gaibraith Perry Rodgers of 515 N. Highland Ave.

1st Traffic Light in City of Pittsburgh at Penn & Highland Ave.

1st (longest span in world) of (concrete) bridge of Larimer Ave. Bridge over Washington Blvd. valley.

1st Church service broadcast by KDKA at Calvary Episcopal Church, Shadyside.

1st Sears Roebuck store in the Pittsburgh area.

1st Death of WWI, Thomas Francis Enright (recorded as 1 of 3), largest funeral in Pittsburgh, and theatre named after him: Enright.

1st Variety Club International. In 1928 an orphan baby was named Catherine Variety Sheridan thus starting a charity for children.

1st And only stop for the train “The Pittsburgher” was East Liberty that went from Pittsburgh to N.Y. financial district. The train did not stop in Harrisburgh or Philadelphia.

1st Gas well drilled in the East End, on George Westinghouse property in Point Breeze. Westinghouse started the forerunner of Equitable Gas Co.

Largest Christmas parade in the United States, Pgh. Post Gazette article and photo Dec. 1936.

Civil War’s Fort Croghan still stands, untouched in wooded hills above Stanton Ave., where Jancey St. meets. Rifle trough and cannon pits still are visible. Built in 1863.

1794: Two-story log house still stands in the East End, hidden under siding.

Civil War Redoubt? (Defensive bastions were located in Highland Park) from 1863 may still remain in furthest point in Highland Park (later did it become a water tower stand for Brilliant Oil?)

And many more, undiscovered.

Let’s Look at This Great Place:

Eighteenth Century

According to the East End/East Liberty Historical Society, Inc., East Liberty in the 1700s “was heavily forested with lush greens, watered by streams and filled with wild game.” Several American Indian groups made their homes along the Allegheny and Ohio Rivers. They lived together in harmony, using the East Liberty valley as their hunting grounds. Here they hunted beaver, bison, elk, deer, bear, wolves, opossums, and rabbits. Several important Indian trails passed through western Pennsylvania, including a trail from Fort Ligonier to the East End (Raystown, now Bedford Path.) Native Americans inhabited this region for thousands of years before white people came. The Indians lived in small groups of the iroquois, shawnee, seneca, delaware and others. The area was green with forests and meadows well watered by springs, streams and ponds. The map of the part of Pittsburgh between its three rivers locates the East End and shows what are believed to be main Indian trails. Our first settlements were established astride those old trails in the East Liberty Valley.

In the mid-1700s, a number of white traders were in the area, of whom the best known was George Croghan, a licensed trader. Croghan and Conrad Weiser befriended the Seneca chief, Tanacharison (whites called him “Half King”), who oversaw the Delaware in the area and Shawnee at Logstown in 1748. Soon the British flag flew above the small village. By the early 1750s, Croghan had an Indian wife, hundreds of pack horses, numerous storehouses, and large tracts of land, part of which were located in what is now East Liberty.

As the presence of the English increased in the area, the French government in Canada became more and more concerned. In 1754, as the French moved south from Canada, the two rivals met, and the French and Indian War ensued. General Braddock’s army was defeated in 1755. The following year, the English sent General Forbes and his army to capture the French Fort Duquesne. General Forbes, realizing the need to construct a military road, ordered Colonel George Washington to widen the old Indian Trail from Fort Ligonier through East Liberty to the courthouse. Washington was instructed to make the road wide enough to accommodate the army’s supply wagons.

In November of 1758, General Forbes traveled with 4,000 men over this road, which was named Forbes Road in his honor. The story is told that a British soldier placed his sword in a giant oak tree on Forbes Road to act as a road marker for other soldiers. A bronze tablet at 6805 Penn Avenue, just east of Fifth Avenue, now marks the sight of this tree.

The first legally owned and registered blocks of pioneer property in our area were called “plantations,” instead of farms, and were given individual names following the tradition of great plantations in the Colonial South. This occurred because many of the officials active in this area were from Virginia. Some land was obtained by grants from state governments in return for services rendered on behalf of the state particularly military service.

The beautiful East Liberty valley, with its fertile land, appealed to many of the soldiers who passed through the area and many returned to build their homes and make their fortunes. Alexander Negley was the first permanent white settler in East Liberty. Conrad Winebiddle, John Beitler, Thomas Ross, and others followed. Early settlers came in covered wagons on widened Indian trails from the east: on the Philadelphia /Greensburg Turnpike, which became Penn Avenue, and on Frankstown Road / Frankstown Avenue. Two famous two story log houses were built. One was the Forsythe Log house built by revolutionary soldier Peter Perchment, built in the late 18th century and later moved to 5510 Penn Avenue by Thomas Mellon II as a museum (now the Babyland parking lot site).

The log house disappeared after Mr. Mellon’s death in 1946. Another log house built by Thomas Ross, a revolutionary soldier, still stands in our neighborhood covered with siding. It is hoped to be restored as the oldest two story log house in Pittsburgh from 1794. Early settlers started businesses: taverns along the Pike at Point Breeze and East Liberty, a general store on Penn, a grist mill along Negley Run.

Small coal mines opened beneath parts of our region to help supply the growing need for fuel and energy. Much of Pittsburgh is underplayed with seams of coal.

Manufacturing companies were established after energy from coal burning became abundant.

The area’s first iron foundry was begun in Shadyside, 1792.

As the 18th century ended, the area of East Liberty was well positioned for the tremendous growth and accumulation of wealth that would occur in the 19th century.

19th Century

From stagecoaches and Conestoga wagons to cable cars and streetcars, the 19th century was an era of movement of men and machines. In the very early 1800s, East Liberty was at the center of travel from east and west. It wasn’t long before Beitler’s Tavern, a large structure located where the Citizen’s Bank is now located, met the needs of weary travelers with food and beverage. The stagecoach drivers would blow their horns upon approaching the tavern, alerting the cook as to how many chickens to prepare.

The Negley family built several homes in the area. The first was a log house located on 278 acres and named Fertile Bottom. A second home, made of bricks, still stands in Highland Park. Jacob Negley, son of Alexander, built a home of yellow bricks for his wife, Barbara Winebiddle. No longer standing, that home was located at the intersection of Negley Avenue and Stanton Avenue and was named one of the three finest residences west of the Allegheny Mountains. They established institutions such as schools, hospitals and churches. A combination public school and part-time church was built in 1809 at Penn and Highland, East Liberty.

As traffic grew on Forbes Road, several prominent citizens led the way to pave the road with large stones and changed the name to the Philadelphia Pike, and later to Penn Avenue. In 1819, the first church, East Liberty Presbyterian Church, was built with the help of local citizens. The church was a two story brick building forty-four feet square. A small cemetery marked with white crosses was in the front yard. When the residents felt the need for a school, part of Beitler’s Tavern was rented for the purpose.

A single-track railroad from Pittsburgh to East Liberty was completed in 1851, and one year later the track was completed to Philadelphia. With travel from downtown Pittsburgh to East Liberty reduced to hours as opposed to an entire day, it wasn’t long before people were finding their way to this lovely village and building beautiful homes. With the influx of people came business and additional houses of worship, including St. Peter’s and Paul’s Church, the first Roman Catholic church, and St. James AME, the first African American church. Churches of many other denominations followed.

“Growing” is probably the most appropriate word to describe East Liberty between the end of the Civil War and the end of the 19th century. A racetrack, stockyards and businesses, including Kuhn Groceries, Henne Jewelry, and Mansmann’s Department Store, lined Penn Avenue and adjoining streets.

In 1861 Charles Lockhart started the Brilliant Oil Works near Washington Blvd. and Butler St. on the Allegheny River in East Liberty / Highland Park. It was the first commercial oil refinery in Allegheny County and the United States. In 1868, Charles Lockhart, its founder, together with J.D. Rockefeller, formed the first Standard Oil Company in America. The modern oil industry was born. Other companies that opened include Keystone Metal and Oswald Werner & Sons, both of which remain in the community today. At the end of the century, The City Deposit Bank served the community, as did Liberty Market, a favorite of women shoppers (now AAA in Motor Square Garden). In 1863 fear of an attack during the Civil War prompted numerous redoubts (dirt rifle trenches and cannon pit forts) to be built around Pittsburgh. Several were built in the East End. One still remains untouched in a wooded area called Ft. Croghan (not from the old trader Croghan, however).

A few of the early settlers up to the industrial era families are featured in the book, Stringtown on the Pike: Aiken, Baum, Beatty, Bissell, Carnegie, Collins, Croghan, Dickey, Dilworth, Forsythe, Frick, Guffey, Heinz, Heth, Hunt, King, Larimer, Lockhart, McCune, Mellon, Moitison, Negley, Peacock, Perchment, Ross, Roup, Schenley, Taub, Vilsack, Wilkins, Winebiddle, Westinghouse, Woolslayer…

On any given day, the activities of the busy community could be observed from bicycles and cable cars, and later, streetcars. During the Gay Nineties, residents of East Liberty had busy social lives that included racing at the track, dancing, skating, and visiting the circus. The Zoo opened in 1897 and quickly became another place for young people to visit. As the 19th century ended, East Liberty was reportedly the richest suburb in America. A “millionires’ row”, this community was home to families with names such as Carnegie, Heinz, Hunt, King, Lockhart, Mellon and Westinghouse.

Twentieth Century

Stringtown on the Pike, a publication that provides a fascinating history of this community, reports that “East Liberty rose to its peak or crest of progress in the early decades of the twentieth century. Industry was booming, schools were being rebuilt, and the social life of the community flourished as amusements, such as theatre and movies, were at an all time high.” The real estate business was leading the way as properties were bought and sold at a rapid pace, sometimes within the space of a few months.

On the heels of this prosperity, the automobile arrived. By 1906, there were 12 auto dealers in the East End. There were 3,000 cars in Pittsburgh at that time, of which 2,000 were in the East End. In 1913, the Gulf Oil Corporation opened a “supreme” service station for motorists. Note the historical marker on Baum Boulevard near St. Clair St.

The Lincoln Avenue Bridge opened. Arched and made of stone, it provided additional access for cars. Silver Lake, a favorite swimming hole for local residents, was located under the Lincoln Avenue Bridge.

East Liberty was bounded by College Avenue, Point Breeze, Highland Park, Allegheny Cemetery, and Squirrel Hill. The residents were soon to enjoy the comforts of electric lights and telephone service. In 1905, The Charity Hospital and the Carnegie Library opened. With business ranging from hotels to shoe repair shops, East Liberty was at the heart of significant growth. Margaretta High School, built in 1902 and now Peabody High School with additions, opened in 1911 and featured a series of stained glass windows created by the Rudy Brothers and was dedicated to learning.

The great theatre era began around 1913 with the opening of the Bijou Dream Nickelodeon, followed in quick succession by the Cameraphone, Regent, Liberty, Empire, Triangle, Haltis, and Sheridan Square Theaters. The Enright (seated 3,200 people) was named for Private Thomas Enright, one of the first casualties of WWI. Dick Powell opened at the Enright, with Gene Kelly and his brother, Fred, performing. Billings included such well-known actors and actresses as William Powell and Carole Lombard in “My Man Godfrey” and Mary Pickford in “Mistress Nell.” Lillian Russell performed and lived here. Silver Lake was drained in the late 1940s and made way for the Silver Lake Drive-in, the first outdoor theater within the city of Pittsburgh. Musicians Billy Strayhorn, Erroll Garner, Billy Eckstine, and Mary Lou Williams claimed East Liberty as home, although each traveled to New York to earn fame and fortune.

Businesses and non-profit organizations alike found homes in East Liberty. Businesses included the National Biscuit Company, Isaly’s, Stagno’s Bakers, and the first Sears & Roebuck Company store in Pittsburgh. The Salvation Army, which had been in the East End since the late 1800s, was joined by the Boy Scouts, YMCA and YWCA, the Home for Aged Colored People (still standing at Lemington & Lincoln Avenues), and Kingsley House, which opened in 1919. In 1921, the B’nai Israel Congregation purchased and occupied the property at 401 North Negley Avenue.

The next year, it broke ground for a synagogue on North Negley Avenue. As in many communities, hardships came to citizens of East Liberty, first with World War I and then with the Depression. The 107th Field Artillery answered the call in 1918. With the onset of World War II, East Liberty’s 107th Field Artillery saw action on both fronts. Trees Carlisle V.F.W. Post No. 166 honored men and women who provided outstanding service to their country from 1919 through 1966 and beyond. By the mid-1930s, construction had resumed in the East End. The Pittsburgh Theological Seminary was dedicated in 1954. The site on North Highland Avenue was a gift from the Lockhart-Mason family, whose residence once stood on the property. From the 1930s through the 1950s, East Liberty’s holiday parades continued to be favorite events for both young and old. In 1936 the parade was declared the nation’s largest Christmas parade, outdoing New York and other cities. However, the prosperity of past years had diminished and fires, including the fire at the Commerce Building in 1957, destroyed several landmarks. It wasn’t until the following decade that a general redevelopment would take place. 1,329 buildings were razed and replaced. Penn Circle, a circle around the business of East Liberty, was built; and Pennley Park Apartments were symbolic of the “new” East Liberty. In 1973, Vintage was founded and through several expansions from the mansion at 401 North Highland it expanded into the old Giant Eagle grocery store. Today it hosts a large historical mural for all to enjoy through the efforts of Vintage and the Grable Foundation. The 20th century ended with many of the dreams for the community never becoming a reality. However, new and exciting plans were underway in the East End and East Liberty as it moved into the 21st century.

Twenty-First Century

With the dawn of the new century, East Liberty welcomed The Home Depot, the first “home improvement warehouse” located within the boundaries of any major city in the United States. This was followed quickly by Whole Foods Market and Trader Joe’s. All have exceeded their market predictions. The Kingsley House is completing their new facility at the corner of East Liberty Boulevard and Frankstown Avenue. Plans are underway to return Penn Avenue, Highland Avenue, and the “circle” to their original traffic patterns. High-rises will come down and be replaced with more dignified one - two family dwellings. A sign naming the contractors of the new Kingsley facility reads: “renew hope, generate life.” This is the new mantra for all the East End and East Liberty.