Field Guides

Urban Ecology

Unseen Pattern

INTRODUCTION - CENTRAL OAKLAND

The name first appeared in 1839 in a local paper, Harris’ Intelligencer. Oakland developed rapidly following the Great Fire of 1845 in Downtown Pittsburgh, with many people moving out to suburban territory.

Oakland Township became a part of the City of Pittsburgh in 1868. East to the Schenley land, development of a large area south of the Third Church Colony could be seen in around 1879. Edward Craft developed a large area that became known as Linden Grove. Walter C. Kidney mentions that although disorganized, closely spaced townhouses or row houses were constructured at the beginning of the 20th century.

Eugene O’Neil in 1890s developed the neighborhood to imitate the streets of Victorian England forming the Oakland Square. 67 houses were built in phases with open green space in front. Twenty-one years later, Mary Schenley gave the city 300 acres in Oakland for a park. Officials bought another 100 acres from her for “Schenley Park.”

THE PITTSBURGH JUNCTION RAILROAD

The Pittsburgh Junction Railroad was constructed in 1883 and opened for traffic in 1884. The charter covers the line between Laughlin Junction and Millvale. This line was then reconstructed from the end of the Neville Street tunnel to Millvale, culminating in 1921 in the opening of a new double track structure over the Allegheny River.

It has been a strong barrier between Schenley park and Central Oakland even before the park was donated to the city. This railway running between Oakland and Schenley Park is one of the sources for air and sound pollution as well.

THE INSTITUTIONS

After Schenley Park was formed, in 1905, Carnegie Institute of Technology opened to the north and the Western University of Pennsylvania relocated from Allegheny to Oakland in 1907 becoming University of Pittsburgh to the North West. This brought a rapid change in the neighborhood as well. Almost a century later, many students who decide to live off-campus reside in this neighborhood. At present, almost 75% of its population is between the ages of 18 and 24. The institutions have heavily influenced the development around it, thus influencing the built environment and the culture.

[un] natural native - Case of Garlic Mustard

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