Forest Hills

forest hills

Forest Hills is a suburb of Pittsburgh located just east of the city.  It is bordered by Wilkinsburg, Churchill, Wilkins Township, Chalfant, North Braddock, and Braddock Hills.  Along with East Pittsburgh, Edgewood, Rankin, Swissvale and Turtle Creek, all of the neighborhoods above combine with Forest Hills as part of the Woodland Hills School District.  Not long after the construction of Fort Pitt, land grants through the area that is now this Pittsburgh neighborhood were handed out to settlers.




Forest Hills

When Allegheny County was formed from parts of Westmoreland and Washington Counties in1788, it was divided into 2 townships.  The area that now includes Forest Hills was known as Pitt Township until 1812 when it was renamed Wilkins Township.  In 1919, Forest Hills was incorporate as a borough from split from Wilkins and Braddock townships.




In the mid 1860’s coal miningbeganand the Armstong Mine of the Duquesne Coal Company was established.  By 1905 the mine was near depletion and a street railway was cut through Ardmore Boulevard from East Pittsburgh.  This railway provided needed transportation and aided in the residential growth of Forest Hills. Gas, electric, water and telephone services were provided to the borough by 1913 and the current Borough Building was constructed at the corner of Marion Ave. and Ardmore Boulevard in 1922.

Forest Hills




The neighborhood began acquiring lands for public parks, to include Forest Hills Park, with the Annual Community Day on July 4th as one of the biggest events.  There are over 50 acres of park and recreation area in this quaint neighborhood. In 1914 Woodside School was constructed as the first school in the borough. Today Forest Hills is part of the larger Woodland Hills School District, a merger of 12 total communities. George Westinghouse constructed an experimental atom-smasher facility in Forest Hills in 1937.   In 1923 he opened a special radio facility to experiment with long distance radio trasmission as well.

Forest Hills




Today Forest Hills is known for quiet, hilly and tree-lined streets with a wide variety of beautiful architecture.  Ardmore Boulevard is the commercial district, and is currently undergoing a renaissance with new businesses finding value in the neighborhood and proximity to the City of Pittsburgh.




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