|
Homes stand in the distance on Winterhill
and Plainview Avenues, as seen from Wenzell Avenue in Beechview, in 1913.
That's Brookline Boulevard (now Bodkin Street) going uphill to the right from
West Liberty Avenue to Pioneer Avenue.
A great place to view vintage photos of
Pittsburgh and it's many communities is through the University of Pittsburgh
online digital archive. There are over 300 photos of Brookline, and most of them
have been used on this website. There is also a zoom feature, which allows a
more detailed glimpse of different locations in each photo. Shown here are
the zoom-ins of images already posted on the Brookline Connection. One master
photo can be made into multiple separate images. Shown here are the pictures
within the pictures.
Residential development began to take
hold in Brookline in the early 1900s. The first housing plans were the
Fleming Place Plan, the Hughey Farms Plan and the Paul Place Plan. By the
1920s the neighborhood had grown considerably, and the need for better
infrastructure and roads led the city to embark upon a massive project
to upgrade it's outlying communities. Many of these photos show Brookline
streets during this modernization effort. The photos give a good glimpse
into what residential life was like in the early years of the
20th century.
Brookline Random Street Scenes (Aidyl to Freedom)
Click on images
for larger pictures
<><><><> <><><><>
<><><><> <><><><>
<><><><> <><><><>
Gallion Avenue
 
A view of Gallion between Pioneer and Beaufort
Avenues (left), and a home at the corner of Gallion and Beaufort, in 1916.
The children to the left are standing in the Brookline Elementary School
garden.
 
Beaufort Avenue rising from Gallion towards
Berwin (left), and a home on the corner of Beaufort and Gallion, in 1916.
 
A Gallion Avenue home at the bottom of
Wedgemere Avenue, and the walkway, "The Short Cut," that goes through
to Berwin Avenue (left), and a view of Gallion Avenue (to the right), as seen
from Rossmore Avenue, in 1925.
<><><><> <><><><>
<><><><> <><><><>
<><><><> <><><><>
Glenarm Avenue
 
A two-car garage along Glenarm and the
home at the corner of Berwin Avenue (left), and a view
of homes along Glenarm Avenue, across from the Berwin Avenue
intersection, in 1930.
<><><><> <><><><>
<><><><> <><><><>
<><><><> <><><><>
Jillson Avenue
 
A view of Jillson Avenue and other streets in
the Fleming Place Plan, as seen from Vodelli Street in Beechview,
in 1921 (left), and a view of homes at the corner of Jillson and
Shawhan Avenue (right) in 1935.
 
Homes along Jillson Avenue in 1935.
 
The lower intersection of Jillson Avenue and
Brookline Boulevard in 1963 (left) and 1966.
<><><><> <><><><>
<><><><> <><><><>
<><><><> <><><><>
Kenilworth Avenue
 
Homes along Kenilworth Avenue, both inside
the Boulevard Loop (left), and outside the loop (right), in 1935.
When the Boulevard was rerouted onto the trolley loop, Kenilworth Avenue
was cut in two.
There is also third section of Kenilworth Avenue along Pioneer
Avenue.
Some Kenilworth Avenue homes inside the
Boulevard Loop, off of Jillson Avenue, in 1915.
<><><><> <><><><>
<><><><> <><><><>
<><><><> <><><><>
LaMarido Street
Mrs. Mildred Stewart of LaMarido Street
prepares for a drive in the snow (circa 1935).
 
Mrs. Mildred Stewart and Donald Glunt
on LaMarido Street in 1954.
Reverend Stewart and his son John on LaMarido
Street in 1954.
 
LaMarido Street in 1967.
LaMarido Street, looking down towards the
intersection with Hartranft Street, in 1978.
<><><><> <><><><>
<><><><> <><><><>
<><><><> <><><><>
Lineal Avenue
 
Homes along Lineal Avenue, near Timberland
Avenue, in 1909.
<><><><> <><><><>
<><><><> <><><><>
<><><><> <><><><>
Mayville Avenue
Looking towards the home at 761 Mayville
Avenue in 1949, near the corner with LaMoine Street.
<><><><> <><><><>
<><><><> <><><><>
<><><><> <><><><>
Milan Avenue
The Kapsch family lived at 1114 Milan
Avenue. Joseph and Amelia Kapsch both immigrated from
Europe and settled in Brookline in 1906. They were farmers and the family
was one
of the original twelve members of Resurrection Parish. The picture shows
some of the Kapsch children, at home with their donkey in 1909.
The Kapsch family home at 1114 Milan Avenue
in 1911.
<><><><> <><><><>
<><><><> <><><><>
<><><><> <><><><>
Northcrest Drive
Northcrest Drive, under construction in 1960,
looking towards Pioneer Avenue.
<><><><> <><><><>
<><><><> <><><><>
<><><><> <><><><>
Norwich Avenue
903 Norwich Avenue, in 1928, shortly
after construction.
 
The home at 905 Norwich Avenue (left) in 1927
during construction. The foundation of 903 Norwich
can also be seen to the left. At right is the Tintelnot family vehicle in
1928.
Children sled riding along Norwich Avenue,
near Queensboro Avenue, on March 12, 1934.
The Stengel brothers, James Gillespie and
other members of James Cowan's Boy Scout Troop collecting
scrap goods and other items for the war effort along Norwich Avenue in
1945.
<><><><> <><><><>
<><><><> <><><><>
<><><><> <><><><>
Oakridge Street
The 1200 block of Oakridge
Street, looking towards Merrick from Breining Street, in 1963.
 
The backyard of a Creedmoor Avenue home,
as seen from Oakridge Street (left), and a view
looking uphill towards the intersection with Creedmoor Avenue,
in 1919.
 
A manhole cover at the Oakridge/Chelton
intersection (left), and a view of Oakridge Street
between Chelton Avenue and Creedmoor Avenue, in 1919.
The home at 1644 Oakridge Street was one
of four homes built on the Oakridge extension in Brookdale.
<><><><> <><><><>
<><><><> <><><><>
<><><><> <><><><>
Pioneer Avenue
 
Train cars on the loading platform at the
lower end of Pioneer Avenue in 1915.
 
Walking board sidewalks were commonplace
along Pioneer Avenue in 1916.
 
Homes across from the Woodbourne Avenue
intersection (left), and the home at the corner of Woodbourne, in 1916.
 
Homes across from the Berkshire Avenue
intersection (left), and the home at the corner of Berkshire, in 1916.
 
A Pioneer Avenue home (left), and a view of
the roadway between Kenilworth Avenue and Dorchester Avenue, in 1916.
A view of West Liberty Elementary School and
homes along Pioneer, Plainview and Woodward Avenues,
as seen from Shiras Avenue in Beechview, in 1921.
 
Views from Kenilworth Avenue showing the
McNeilly Road intersection (left), and the condition of the roadway between
Kenilworth and Waddington, in 1916. St. Pius parish church and BRC
school are today located where the trees stand.
 
The walkway between Berkshire and Woodbourne
in 1916 (left), and a home at the lower end of Pioneer Avenue in 1924.
 
A mailbox hangs on a telephone pole near
Fordham Avenue in 1921 (left), and a view from Ray Avenue looking
towards Metz Way in 1924. The square building on the left is Pioneer Avenue's
Little Store.
 
The Lang home on the lower end of Pioneer
Avenue, near the present-day intersection with Cadet Avenue (left), and a
view towards Capital Avenue and Dunster Street, in 1924. The Lang's were
prominent landowners in the early
days and owned much of the land along lower Pioneer Avenue, which was once
called Lang Avenue.
Pioneer Avenue between Gayly Way and
Bellbrook Avenue, near the automobile, in 1924.
 
Looking from Chrylser Avenue towards Dunster Street
(left), and a home near the Ray Avenue steps, in 1924.
 
A view from Ray Avenue towards Dabney Way (left),
and homes between Gayly Way and Bellbrook Avenue, in 1924.
 
A view from Gayly Way towards Bellbrook Avenue
(left), and a train car at the loading platform on lower Pioneer, in 1924.
The home on the hillside is the Miller homestead, located along Richter Street
on the other side of the tracks.
 
A view of lower Pioneer Avenue (left), and
a Marion steam shovel of the Booth and Flinn Company, in 1924.
 
A home near Capital Avenue (left), and a
truck making it's way down lower Pioneer Avenue, in 1924.
 
A view of the lumber yard next to the Sauter Place
homes below Pioneer Avenue (left), and the Miller homestead,
located near the lower end of Pioneer along Richter Street on the other side of
the P&WVRR train tracks. The
lumber yard and Sauter Place homes stand on the present-day location of the
Matthews Bronze complex.
Pioneer Avenue homes across from the
intersection with Rossmore Avenue in 1925.
 
The Miller homestead on Richter Street, on
the other side of the railroad tracks at the lower end of
Pioneer Avenue (left), and the busy intersection of Pioneer and Brookline
Boulevard, in 1924.
In this photo from April 1933, a baseball field
stands at the location that will, six years later, be the entrance
to Moore Park. West Liberty Elementary School stands at the top of Pioneer Avenue.
The Bob 'O Link Golf Driving Range was also located near this spot.
 
The Hunter estate at the intersection of
Brookline Boulevard and Pioneer (left), and a view from the boulevard to
Woodbourne Avenue, in 1935. Brookline Elementary School can be seen in the
photo on the right. The Hunter
family were prominent landowners in the early days. Bodkin Street was once known
as Hunter Avenue.
The Sunoco gas station at the intersection of
Brookline Boulevard and Pioneer Avenue, in 1935.
 
Women wait to cross Brookline Boulevard at
Pioneer (left), and homes near the Jillson Avenue intersection, in 1935.
A view of Pioneer Avenue, near the
intersection with Brookline Boulevard, in June 1936.
 
Cars parked in the Moore Park lot (left) and
a roller on the field that will soon be the site of the playground, in 1938.
Moore Park was built between 1938 and 1940 by the Works Project Administration,
which was one of
President Franklin Roosevelt's New Deal initiatives. The WPA built several
parks in Pittsburgh.
The Texaco Station on the corner of
Brookline Bouleard and Pioneer Avenue in 1965.
<><><><> <><><><>
<><><><> <><><><>
<><><><> <><><><>
Plainview Avenue
Mrs. Kalbaugh stands by her station wagon
on Plainview Avenue, near Stetson Street, in 1958.
<><><><> <><><><>
<><><><> <><><><>
<><><><> <><><><>
Queensboro Avenue
 
Homes along Queensboro Avenue, between Bayridge
Avenue and Woodbourne Avenue, in 1924.
 
Sewer line repair at the corner of Queensboro
Avenue and Berkshire Avenue (left) and looking up
the hill towards the intersection of Queensboro Avenue and Bayridge Avenue
in 1933.
 
A young boy and his dog sit on the doorstep of
their Queensboro Avenue apartment (left) and manhole
covers at the intersection of Brookline Boulevard and Queensboro Avenue
in 1933.
A young man sitting on the steps at
the intersection of Queensboro and Bay Ridge Avenue.
<><><><> <><><><>
<><><><> <><><><>
<><><><> <><><><>
Reamer Street
Tommy Zucco, Rick Cozza, Lenny Zucco and Bill
Charlton playing baseball in their yard at 1501 Reamer Street
in the Summer of 1956. Behind them is the alleyway called East Roseville Street.
<><><><> <><><><>
<><><><> <><><><>
<><><><> <><><><>
Rossmore Avenue
 
Homes between Wedgemere Avenue and Flatbush
Avenue (left), and a tree growing in the middle of the road, in 1925.
 
Rossmore Avenue as seen from Flatbush Avenue
(left), and a home between Pioneer and Wedgemere Avenue, in 1925.
 
Homes near the intersection with Pioneer
Avenue (left), and Glenarm Avenue (right), in 1925.
Homes along Rossmore Avenue, near the intersection
with Wedgemere Avenue, in 1925.
 
Homes at the intersection with Wedgemere
Avenue (left), and a view from Wedgemere towards Pioneer Avenue, in 1925.
 
A view of Rossmore Avenue, as seen from Flatbush
Avenue (left) and Pioneer Avenue (right), in 1925.
 
Homes along each side of Rossmore Avenue,
near the intersection with Flatbush Avenue, in 1925.
A Pontiac GTO convertible parked along the
800 block of Rossmore Avenue in 1967.
 
Homes near Rossmore Avenue in 1925. I haven't been
able to pinpoint their location.
Bill Matthews outside his Rossmore Avenue
home after a heavy snowfall on Saint Patrick's Day in March 1993.
<><><><> <><><><>
<><><><> <><><><>
<><><><> <><><><>
Sageman Avenue
The newly built home of the Mellett family
at the corner of Sageman and Sussex Avenues in September 1954.
<><><><> <><><><>
<><><><> <><><><>
<><><><> <><><><>
Shawhan Avenue
A view of Shawhan Avenue homes, and Brookline
Elementary School, as seen from Vodelli Street in Beechview, in 1913.
The homes and streets in this photo make up the Fleming Place Plan, one of the
first housing developments in Brookline.
 
The home at the corner of Jillson and Shawhan
Avenues (left), and other Shawhan Avenue homes, in 1935.
 
Homes along Shawhan Avenue in 1935. Pioneer
Avenue homes are also visible in the photo on the left.
Residents of Shawhan Avenue gather to
celebrate the paving of their street. It was one of the last of the old
Brookline streets to be paved. This was the section of the street
between Jillson Avenue and Aidyl Avenue.
The ceremony took place on August 29, 1962, and was attended by Thomas Lamb
(19th Ward Legislator)
and a few of the longest residing homeowners on the street, Thomas Hughes,
Mr. and Mrs. Emanuel Kallas, and Mrs. Minnie Meier.
<><><><> <><><><>
<><><><> <><><><>
<><><><> <><><><>
Templeton Avenue
A view of new homes along Templeton Avenue, and
the Hughey estate, as seen from Wenzell Avenue in Beechview, in 1913.
<><><><> <><><><>
<><><><> <><><><>
<><><><> <><><><>
Timberland Avenue
 
Homes on Timberland Avenue, along Saw Mill
Run, in 1909, behind the present-day Red, White and Blue Thrift Store.
 
A wagon along Timberland Avenue (left), and
homes next to the Timberland Bridge, in 1909. The bridge connected
Timberland Avenue with homes along Cadet and Lineal Avenues on the other
side of the train tracks.
 
The Timberland Avenue Bridge and the road
leading down towards Saw Mill Run in 1909.
 
A home along Timberland Avenue (left), and
the attached family dairy buildings (right), in 1909.
 
A field close to Timberland Avenue, along
Saw Mill Run (left), and the Timberland Avenue Bridge, in 1909. The photo
on the right shows the Saw Mill Run valley, the dirt roadway and
the Pittsburgh and Castle Shannon Railroad line.
 
The P&WVRR tracks pass under the Timberland
Avenue Bridge in 1918 (left), and Timberland Avenue homes in 1925.
<><><><> <><><><>
<><><><> <><><><>
<><><><> <><><><>
Wedgemere Avenue
 
The Brookline Methodist Church (left) in 1909,
at the corner of Wedgemere and Fitch Way, and an Independence Day
parade procession turns off Brookline Boulevard onto Wedgemere in 1916. At the
bottom of Wedgemere
was, from 1914 to the early-1920s, a park that was a popular place for community
gatherings.
 
Kids playing along Wedgemere Avenue (left),
and a view of the Rossmore Avenue intersection, in 1925.
 
Front porches of homes along Wedgemere
Avenue in 1925.
 
Homes along Wedgemere between Rossmore
and Gallion (left), and the intersection of Wedgemere and Rossmore, in 1925.
<><><><> <><><><>
<><><><> <><><><>
<><><><> <><><><>
Wenzell Avenue
 
A view of Wenzell Avenue, as seen from Pioneer
Avenue (left), and the Kerr family mansion near West Liberty, in 1909.
 
The intersection of West Liberty Avenue and
Wenzell in 1913 (left), and a wagon of the
South Hills Ice Company being repaired at Kerr's Wagon Repair shop, in 1915.
<><><><> <><><><>
<><><><> <><><><>
<><><><> <><><><>
Whited Street
This is the home at 2306 Whited Street, the
third house up from Marloff Place. Shown here in 1941, the house
was constructed in 1939. It was the first home built along this section of
Whited. The plot of land
was purchased from the Marloff family, who owned the farm house in the distance
to the right.
Other homes followed as the Marloffs sold off lots for development.
A home that once stood at the bottom of Whited
Street, at 1700 Saw Mill Run Boulevard, where the Jack Maggs Agency
stands today. The home became the site of an Amoco gas station in the 1930s and
was torn down in the early-1950s.
This stately home once stood across the street from the large estate home shown
in the photo below.
This stately home along Oak Street (1900
Whited Street), was built in the 1850s and still stands today. With the
railroad line directly behind it, the home was used for many years as a rest stop
for passengers. It was also a
place to rent carriages for funerals. For many years it was the home of the mother
of a renowned psychic.
Most recently it was used as a restaurant, Larry's Roadhouse. Presently it is under
reconstruction to be
used as a meeting and banquet hall. It is rumored that the over 160-year old
mansion is haunted.
The corner of Whited and Jacob Streets on
March 16, 1957. A train from the Pittsburgh and West Virginia
Railroad is crossing the trestle, built in 1909, on it's way towards Castle
Shannon. In the early-1980s the
South Busway was built, and the bridge at Whited Street and South Bank
forever obscured this view.
<><><><> <><><><>
<><><><> <><><><>
<><><><> <><><><>
Winterhill Avenue
Homes at the corner of Winterhill Avenue
and Pioneer Avenue in 1935.
<><><><> <><><><>
<><><><> <><><><>
<><><><> <><><><>
Woodbourne Avenue
 
Homes along Woodbourne Avenue, as seen
from Brookline Boulevard (from present-day Gordon's Bar), in 1916.
 
A view from Sussex Avenue towards Queensboro
Avenue (left), and Woodbourne Avenue homes near Sussex, in 1924.
 
Homes along Woodbourne Avenue near Oakridge
Street (left), and a view from Sussex to Oakridge, in 1924.
 
An automobile parked across from Freedom
Avenue (left), and a view of Woodbourne from Sussex to Pioneer, in 1924.
 
Children stand outside the home at 1403 Woodbourne
Avenue in 1924 (left) and 1934. On the right is young Bob Fornear.
A view of Woodbourne Avenue, from the
intersection with Freedom Avenue looking towards Oakridge Avenue, in 1924.
 
Homes along Woodbourne Avenue, near the intersection
with Oakridge Street in 1924.
 
Homes along Woodbourne Avenue, between Freedom
Avenue and Oakridge Street, in 1924.
 
Homes along Woodbourne Avenue, near the
intersection with Cedric Avenue (left) and Oakridge Street (right), in 1924.
 
The intersection of Woodbourne and Queensboro
Avenue (left), and homes between Sussex and Queensboro, in 1924.
 
Road conditions along Woodbourne Avenue in 1924.
A sewer line had been run and the street would soon be paved in brick.
A family in their horse and buggey approach
the intersection with Sussex Avenue in 1924.
<><><><> <><><><>
<><><><> <><><><>
<><><><> <><><><>
Woodward Avenue
 
A street sign stands at the intersection of
Woodward Avenue and Brookline Boulevard (Bodkin Street) in 1909 (left),
and homes along Woodward Avenue, as seen from West Liberty Avenue at Stetson
Street, in 1912.
 
Homes along Woodward Avenue, as seen from
Saranac Avenue in Beechview, in 1921 (left) and 1922.
<><><><> <><><><>
<><><><> <><><><>
<><><><> <><><><>
In the late 1800s and early 1900s, Brookline
had mining operations scattered throughout the valleys. There were several
mines along Edgebrook, McNeilly (Elwynn) and Saw Mill Run. This could be a
a mine along Elwynn Street, shown in 1910.
Brookline Random Street Scenes (Aidyl to Freedom) |
