Homewood

Homewood

Homewood, located in the most eastern part of Pittsburgh, is bordered by East Liberty, Lincoln-Larimer, Shadyside and Point Breeze.

Southwest part of the neighborhood is bordered by the Martin Luther King Jr. East Busway which follows the old Pennsylvania Railroad line toward downtown Pittsburgh.

Founded in 1832 by Judge William Wilkins, the original land in the area was a large estate bordered by other wealthy neighbors such as Henry Clay Fricke and John Heinz.

Annexed by the city of Pittsburgh in December of 1884, Homewood at the time contained mostly wealthy estates.  Among the aforementioned, it included the Pittsburgh residences of industrialists Andrew and Thomas Carnegie until the late 1880’s.  In the early 1900s, German, Irish, Italian and African American families settled Homewood due to the growth of the area and preponderance of affordable housing. Homewood was becoming one of Pittsburgh’s most diverse neighborhoods.

Over the years, urban sprawl and relocation had a profound effect on the neighborhood, leading to economic downturn and hardship.  Unfortunately this once great and diverse neighborhood important to Pittsburgh suffered as a result.  Today there are many proud small business owners in the area, and many initiatives to help bring this vibrant and pivotal neighborhood back on it’s feet.

 

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