A view of the Saw Mill Run Valley looking towards the Oak Street (Whited) Viaduct around 1909. The dirt path
to the right is the Library Road Extension which passed through the valley to Nobles Lane.

Prior to the construction of Saw Mill Run Boulevard, a trip along the Saw Mill Run corridor involved traveling along a series of connecting roads from Overbrook (Fairhaven) through to the West End. The boulevard was created in 1929, part of the "City Beautiful" Bond Issue of 1928. This initiative saw the creation of several highways around the city that linked major local roadways.

Built in several stages, the South Hills highway was completed from Stewart Avenue, in Overbrook, to Banksville Road in 1932, and extended to Carson Street in the West End by 1954.

The Esso service station at the intersection of Colerain, Nobles Lane
and Saw Mill Run Boulevard, shown here in 1936.

Today, Saw Mill Run Boulevard is a major South Hills roadway, part of State Route 51, and a stretch of asphalt that local residents are quite familiar with. Here is a random collection of images showing the Saw Mill Run corridor and the roadway that bears that name.

For many more photos and a comprehensive history,
visit: Saw Mill Run Boulevard.

Click on images for larger pictures

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The Saw Mill Run corridor near Timberland Avenue and Bausman Street in 1909 (left). This section of the roadway was
then known as Kaiser Avenue. Visible is the line of the Pittsburgh and Castle Shannon Railroad on the far hillside.
On the right is a view of the intersection of Library Road and Saw Mill Run, in Fairhaven (Overbrook) in 1909.
The roadway from this point through to Whited Street was then known as the Library Road Extension

  
A new drainage culvert at the lower end of Bausman Street (left), and an open field across the street along Saw Mill Run,
below the West Side Belt Railway tracks. The photo on the right shows where Misaki's Restaurant is located today.

  
Two photos of the drainage culvert built in 1909 at the lower end of Bausman Street.

Fairview School was built in 1907, at the corner of Hillview Avenue and Kingwood Street, in Fairhaven. It was renamed
Overbrook School No. 1 in 1930. Fairview School was closed in 1974 and the building razed in 1976.

  
A view of the Bausman Street Tressel, as seen from Timberland Avenue (left), and homes along
Saw Mill Run, near the present-day intersection with the Liberty Tunnels, in 1917.

  
The Bausman Street Tressel (left), and the intersection of Warrington Avenue and Saw Mill Run (right), in 1918.
At the time Warrington extended to West Liberty Avenue. Some maps have it extending through to Edgebrook Avenue.

  
A home at the corner of Warrington Avenue and Saw Mill Run in 1918 (left), and the intersection of
West Liberty Avenue and Saw Mill Run, showing homes above along Richter Street, in 1925.

An inbound trolley on Warrington Avenue after turning off West Liberty Avenue in 1921.

  
A view from West Liberty Avenue to Warrington Avenue in 1925 (left). Visible is the old Bell House Tavern, which
was built in 1850. To the right is a home along Saw Mill Run, near the intersection with Bausman Street.

  
A steam shovel in front of Green and Evans Lumber Company, near the West Liberty Avenue intersection, in 1925 (left);
At right, a P&WVRR train passes along Saw Mill Run, between West Liberty Avenue and Timberland, in 1925.

  
New sewer pipes stand ready to be installed along Saw Mill Run in 1925. This field is across from Bausman Street.

  
Sewer pipes, ready to be installed along Saw Mill Run, in 1925. The pipes were manufactured onsite (right).

  
The Green and Evans Lumber Company (left), and a view from West Liberty Avenue towards Warrington Avenue, in 1925.

Approaching the intersection with West Liberty Avenue and the Liberty Tunnels on April 30, 1929.

  
Construction of the intersection of Saw Mill Run Boulevard and Library Road in 1929. This is a six-street junction,
merging Stewart and Hillview Avenues, Glenbury and Ivyglen Streets, and Library Road with Saw Mill Run Boulevard.

  
Saw Mill Run Boulevard, near Library Road (left), and Library Road, near Saw Mill Run, in 1930.

  
The intersection of Saw Mill Run Boulevard and Library Road in 1930 (left) and 1933 (right).

  
Homes along Edgebrook Avenue and the newly completed Saw Mill Run Boulevard, in January of 1930.

  
A car being serviced at the Saw Mill Run Garage (left), and a view of the P&WVRR tracks and the Pittsburgh
Railways streetcar line along the Saw Mill Run Corridor, as seen from near Overbrook School, in 1934.

  
An Amoco station next to Whited Street (left), and an Esso station next to Colerain Street, in 1934.

  
A view of the back of Overbrook School, showing the bridge over Saw Mill Run Creek to the Overbrook streetcar
stop (left), and the Overbrook VFW Post, showing the streetcar line in the background, in 1934.

The Pittsburgh Railways streetcar line, and the P&WVRR tracks along the Saw Mill Run corridor, in 1934.

  
A busy day at the Esso service station, located at the corner of Saw Mill Run Boulevard and Nobels Lane (left),
and a view of Saw Mill Run Boulevard from Maytide Street looking towards Library Road, in 1936.

  
The intersection of Saw Mill Run Boulevard and Maytide Street (left), and the Overbrook Firehouse, in 1936.

Kunkel's Tavern, located at Hillview and Saw Mill Run Boulevard.

  
Looking towards the Whited Street intersection (left), and a girl standing near the corner of Maytide Street, in 1936.

  
Activity at the Overbrook Firehouse (left), and the Overbrook Market (right), in 1936.

A pedestrian waits for traffic to pass before crossing Saw Mill Run Boulevard at Maytide Street in 1936.

  
Pedestrians crossing Saw Mill Run Boulevard, at the intersection with Overbrook Boulevard, in 1936.

  
Buildings at the intersection of Nobels Lane and Colerain Street in 1936.

  
A traffic island with many signposts (left), and a view towards the Whited Street intersection, in 1938.

The A&P Supermarket at 890 Saw Mill Run opened on May 12, 1938, across from Bausman Street.
Today this is the Red, White and Blue Thrift Store.

Page's Pittsburgh Dairy was located at 1623 Saw Mill Run Boulevard at Fine Way in Carrick from 1938 to 1954,
then operated under the name "Country Belle" until the plant closed in 1975. The delivery truck
shown here is parked in Oakland, near the Carnegie Library, circa 1940.

Page's Pittsburgh Dairy, shown here on October 29, 1941.

  
Homes at 1632/1642 Saw Mill Run Boulevard, near the Whited Street/Colerain Street intersection - October 29, 1941.
The Oak Bridge, for streetcar traffic, can be seen in the background.

  
Fred's Auto Sales in Overbrook in 1949 (left), and a Schneiders Dairy truck in flood waters near Library Road in 1950.

Kunkel's Tavern, located at Hillview and Saw Mill Run Boulevard. Photo provided by Pat Theobald.

  
Saw Mill Run Boulevard, near the Library Road intersection, after the Thanksgiving Day Blizzard of 1950.

  
Men push an automobile stuck in the snow after the Blizzard of 1950 (left), and cars driving through flood waters, in 1956.
Flooding has always been a problem at the Library Road intersection and along the Saw Mill Run corridor.

Saw Mill Run Boulevard in August 1952. Workers are installing a divider on the
highly traveled roadway from Edgebrook Avenue to Bausmann Street.

  
Workers placing concrete slabs for the reconstructed bridge between Bausman and the tunnels on July 3, 1954.

The busy tunnel intersection, looking south up West Liberty Avenue (left) and at Bausman Street on March 19, 1956.

  
A view of Saw Mill Run Boulevard (the West End Bypass) near it's terminus at the West End in 1954.

  
Saw Mill Run Boulevard at the Fort Pitt Tunnels/Parkway West exchange (left), and a group of homes
nestled beneath the Mount Washington hillside near the interchange, in 1957.

Looking towards the Whited Street intersection and the Oak Viaduct in 1960.

President John F. Kennedy and his motorcade pass along Route 51 near the intersection with Glenbury Street
on October 13, 1962. This photo was taken only two days before the start of the Cuban Missile Crisis.

  
Traffic at the Stewart Avenue intersection (left), and the Gulf service station that stood at that location, in 1964.
Stewart is the official terminus of Saw Mill Run Boulevard. From this point on it is refered to as Clairton Boulevard.

  
The Gulf service station at the Stewart Avenue intersection in 1964. Long gone are the days of 23 cent gasoline!

Bernie's Garage, shown here on May 24, 1965, was located along Saw Mill Run Boulevard near West Liberty Avenue.

  
Sandy's Drive-In (left), and Biff Burger, were fast food restaurants along Saw Mill Run Boulevard in Overbrook. Sandy's stood near Englert Street and Biff Burger was at 2304 Saw Mill Run Boulevard. Both are shown on May 24, 1965.

The Country Belle dairy plant on Saw Mill Run Boulevard, on May 24, 1965.

  
The "Paris After Dark" nightclub, at Parkfield Street, and the Veteran's Thrift Stort at 890 Saw Mill Run Boulevard.
The after-hours club closed in 1971, and the Veteran's Store is now the Red, White and Blue Store.
Shown on May 24, 1965, the thrift store was originally an A&P Market, opened in 1938.

  
May 24, 1965 - Barton Motor Company (left), looking southeast towards Englert Street. The image to the right was taken
from Ivyglen Street, at the Rt51/Rt88 intersection, showing a used car dealership at 2501 Saw Mill Run Boulevard
and, across the road stands the historic Kunkel's Tavern at the bottom of Hillview Street.

Hahn's Warehouse, located on West Saw Mill Run Boulevard, next to the main roadway, in 1967.
The building sits on the hillside next to the portal bridge at Woodruff Street.

  
Saw Mill Run Boulevard at the intersection with Warrington Avenue on October 26, 1970.

The Palm Garden Trestle that carried streetcar traffic over Saw Mill Run Boulevard in 1970.

  
Mensingers Stone Quarry (left), near West Liberty Avenue, in 1913. This is the spot where the Liberty Tunnels were cut;
A slag train (right) prepares to dump it's lava-like cargo at Brown's Dump near present-day Century III Mall.

For many more photos and a comprehensive history,
visit: Saw Mill Run Boulevard.

The Oak Viaduct next to the Esso service station, at Nobels Lane and Saw Mill Run Boulevard, in 1938. The bridge
was built in the 1870s for the Pittsburgh & Castle Shannon Railroad, then in the early 1900s was reconditioned
for streetcar traffic. The bridge was replaced in the early-2000s for use by the "T" light rail system.