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Perry South (Pittsburgh)
Encyclopedia
Perry Hilltop is a neighborhood on Pittsburgh
, Pennsylvania
's North Side.
The neighborhood takes its name from Perrysville Avenue, which "was a part of the Venango trail, an Indian path leading north of 'Allegheny Town'. Commodore Perry
used the Trail to carry supplies from Pittsburgh to Erie for his lake battle against the British during the War of 1812." Perrysville Avenue is an extension of Federal Street, the main north-south thoroughfare of old Allegheny City. Federal Street ends, and Perrysville Avenue begins, where the flat river plain gives way to a steep hill. Perry Hilltop is thus a hilltop neighborhood that runs along Perrysville Avenue from the river plain (on the south) to Riverview Park (on the north). The hill on which the neighborhood is built provides natural borders to the west (the Charles Street valley), to the east (the East Street valley), and to the south (Pleasant Valley).
The neighborhood was developed as a streetcar suburb
, so it consists almost exclusively of residential housing, with a small business district at the intersection of Perrysville Avenue and Charles Avenue. It experienced white flight
after 1960: from 1960 to 1970, the neighborhood's total population declined from 16,000 people to 13,000, while its African-American population, which had formerly been located almost exclusively in the Charles Steet valley, increased from 15% to 20%. From 1970 to 2000, the total population decreased to just 5,200 people, of whom 65% were African-American. Current residents have formed the Perry Hilltop Citizens Council in an effort to prevent decay and to improve the neighborhood's business district.
The southwestern corner of the neighborhood was once called Pleasant Valley, a small area that was nevertheless once considered to be a neighborhood in its own right. A 1977 report about Pleasant Valley states that "Pleasant Valley was formerly known as Snyder's Hollow and its stream was
a favorite ice skating spot. Primarily, the neighborhood was settled by Germans, Irish, Italians and Poles. Josh Gibson
, Hall of Fame catcher for the Homestead Grays
, a Negro National League team of the 1920's, lived there." Pleasant Valley consists of rowhouses which were built by the owners of the Pleasant Valley Street Railway - which operated the streetcars that first allowed Perry Hilltop to be developed. A series of these rowhouses, on Brightridge Street, have been listed with the National Register of Historic Places
.
, Central North Side, Fineview, Brightwood, Northview Heights, Observatory Hill
, Spring Hill
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Pittsburgh is the second-largest city in the US Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Allegheny County. Regionally, it anchors the largest urban area of Appalachia and the Ohio River Valley, and nationally, it is the 22nd-largest urban area in the United States...
, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
's North Side.
The neighborhood takes its name from Perrysville Avenue, which "was a part of the Venango trail, an Indian path leading north of 'Allegheny Town'. Commodore Perry
Commodore Perry
Commodore Perry may refer to:* Commodore Matthew Perry , United States Navy officer* Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry , United States Navy officer* Commodore Perry Owens , American gunfighter...
used the Trail to carry supplies from Pittsburgh to Erie for his lake battle against the British during the War of 1812." Perrysville Avenue is an extension of Federal Street, the main north-south thoroughfare of old Allegheny City. Federal Street ends, and Perrysville Avenue begins, where the flat river plain gives way to a steep hill. Perry Hilltop is thus a hilltop neighborhood that runs along Perrysville Avenue from the river plain (on the south) to Riverview Park (on the north). The hill on which the neighborhood is built provides natural borders to the west (the Charles Street valley), to the east (the East Street valley), and to the south (Pleasant Valley).
The neighborhood was developed as a streetcar suburb
Streetcar suburb
A streetcar suburb is a residential community whose growth and development was strongly shaped by the use of streetcar lines as a primary means of transportation. Early suburbs were served by horsecars, but by the late 19th century cable cars and electric streetcars, or trams, were used, allowing...
, so it consists almost exclusively of residential housing, with a small business district at the intersection of Perrysville Avenue and Charles Avenue. It experienced white flight
White flight
White flight has been a term that originated in the United States, starting in the mid-20th century, and applied to the large-scale migration of whites of various European ancestries from racially mixed urban regions to more racially homogeneous suburban or exurban regions. It was first seen as...
after 1960: from 1960 to 1970, the neighborhood's total population declined from 16,000 people to 13,000, while its African-American population, which had formerly been located almost exclusively in the Charles Steet valley, increased from 15% to 20%. From 1970 to 2000, the total population decreased to just 5,200 people, of whom 65% were African-American. Current residents have formed the Perry Hilltop Citizens Council in an effort to prevent decay and to improve the neighborhood's business district.
The southwestern corner of the neighborhood was once called Pleasant Valley, a small area that was nevertheless once considered to be a neighborhood in its own right. A 1977 report about Pleasant Valley states that "Pleasant Valley was formerly known as Snyder's Hollow and its stream was
a favorite ice skating spot. Primarily, the neighborhood was settled by Germans, Irish, Italians and Poles. Josh Gibson
Josh Gibson
Joshua Gibson was an American catcher in baseball's Negro leagues. He played for the Homestead Grays from 1930 to 1931, moved to the Pittsburgh Crawfords from 1932 to 1936, and returned to the Grays from 1937 to 1939 and 1942 to 1946...
, Hall of Fame catcher for the Homestead Grays
Homestead Grays
The Homestead Grays were a professional baseball team that played in the Negro leagues in the United States. The team was formed in 1912 by Cumberland Posey, and would remain in continuous operation for 38 seasons. The team was based in Homestead, Pennsylvania, adjacent to Pittsburgh.-Franchise...
, a Negro National League team of the 1920's, lived there." Pleasant Valley consists of rowhouses which were built by the owners of the Pleasant Valley Street Railway - which operated the streetcars that first allowed Perry Hilltop to be developed. A series of these rowhouses, on Brightridge Street, have been listed with the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
.
Surrounding Pittsburgh neighborhoods
California-KirkbrideCalifornia-Kirkbride (Pittsburgh)
California-Kirkbride is a neighborhood on Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania's North Side.The neighborhood consists of a wedge of land between the railroad tracks at the northern edge of Manchester and a steep hill at the southern edges of Brightwood and Perry Hilltop...
, Central North Side, Fineview, Brightwood, Northview Heights, Observatory Hill
Perry North (Pittsburgh)
Perry North is a neighborhood in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA's north city area. It lies within zip codes 15212 and 15214, and has representation on Pittsburgh City Council by the council member for District 1...
, Spring Hill
Spring Hill (Pittsburgh)
Spring Hill is a residential neighborhood on Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania's North Side. According to a 1977 Neighborhood Atlas, "Spring Hill received its name from the many springs in the area. Germans immigrated there from 1850 to 1920, giving the neighborhood a Bavarian atmosphere. Local street...