2007

Click on any underlined title to see more detailed information on each program, including videos approved for recording by speaker.  If you have trouble playing any video, please let us know at email: sqhillhist@shhsoc.org

December
“STEEL AND ELECTRICAL MEN OF PITTSBURGH” – Westinghouse, Schwab, Carnegie, and Tesla.
Speaker: Quentin Skrabec, Associate Professor of Business at the University of Findlay

An experienced writer and biographer, Skrabec is a Pittsburgher with a strong background in the local stories and legends of the area.

November
HORSES IN PITTSBURGH
Speaker: Joel A. Tarr, Richard S. Caliguiri Professor of Urban and Environmental History and Policy at Carnegie Mellon University

Joel Tarr is the co-author of the book: The Horse in the City: Living Machines in the Nineteenth Century 

October
WHAT’S RIGHT ABOUT PITTSBURGH — HISTORICAL AND CURRENT VIEW
Speaker: Dr. Ellen Roth, President of Getting to the Point, Inc.

September
ADVENTURES IN PRESBYTERIA! (Including comments on Willa Cather)
Speaker: Chris Potter, Editor of “Pittsburgh City Paper”

August
No Meeting- Have a nice vacation month!

July
Billy Conn – The Pittsburgh Kid
Speaker: Author, Paul Kennedy

As a child, Paul heard tales of the days of the great Pittsburgh boxers, of the time when the Pittsburgh area owned five of the eight world titles between 1939 and 1941.

June
History of the Squirrel Hill Urban Coalition
Speaker: Wayne Gerhold, Treasurer of SHUC
(This was originally scheduled for February, but the bad weather forced us to cancel.)

The Squirrel Hill Urban Coalition was founded in 1972. It’s mission, as set forth in the By-Laws is “…to improve the 14th Ward of the City of Pittsburgh through educational and cooperative endeavors of individuals and groups from the area seeking to enhance the physical and social attributes of the community.”

Check out the Squirrel Hill Urban Coalition website for more information.

*No additional information or video is available for this program

June
Walking Tour
The Morrowfield Complex
This walk will focus on the vision developed at the end of WWI, by Thomas Watkins (a major real-estate developer) and several businessmen. They conceived of a community within a community. The Morrowfield complex (bounded by Forward, Murray, Shady, and Morrowfield Aves.) included numerous apartment houses, retail shops, a parking garage, a bowling alley, an 800-seat theater and one large 148 unit hotel and apartment building.

May
Walking Tour
Garden City Movement
The Squirrel Hill walk will focus on the variety of styles and architectural details in the houses and apartment buildings along our route. The diversity of residential housing within the four block area to the East of Wightman Street from Forbes Ave to Beacon Street will be explored. Historical perspectives and quality of urban life will be discussed. This walk will include Beacon Court, Watkins Properties on Forbes, Kamin Cottages, and Wendover Apartments.

May
Neill Log House (including slides)
Speaker: Dwight Fong, Volunteer Caretaker of Neill Log House.

The Neill Log House built between 1769 and the mid-1770s, once belonged to the family of Robert Neill, and later to Col. James O’Hara and his granddaughter Mary Schenley.

April
“Getting to know our neighbors!”
History of Mifflin Township, Western Pennsylvania’s First Township
Speaker: Daniel Burns President of the Mifflin Township Historical Society

Dan Burns is also the author of “Pittsburgh Rivers”.

*No additional information or video is available for this program

March
A New Era for Phipps Conservatory
Speaker: Richard Piacentini Executive Director, Phipps Conservatory & Botanical Gardens

In July 2003, Richard Piacentini talked to us about Phipps PAST and FUTURE. Well, the future included the new tropical garden which had its grand opening in December 2006. We welcome Richard back to tell us all about the changes that have been made and what more excitement to expect.

*No additional information or video is available for this program

February
Because of the winter storm this meeting was canceled.

January
The Bridges of Pittsburgh
Speakers: Author Bob Regan and Photographer Tim Fabian