2008

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
Rivers of Steel Natural Heritage Area
Speaker: Ron Baraff, Director of Museum

A multifaceted program, the Rivers of Steel National Heritage Area’s mission includes: historic preservation, cultural conservation, education, recreation and resource development.

November
Cable Street Cars in Pittsburgh
Speaker: Alan Fowler, SHHS Member

The brief (1888-1897 )history of the San Francisco-like cable cars in Pittsburgh will be discussed, but not that of the more familiar inclines. The three lines that operated, one as close to Squirrel Hill as Fifth Avenue, will be the center of the talk. The technology, national history, and reasons for their disappearance will be covered.

October
Getting to Know Our Neighbors: East End/ East Liberty
Speaker: Alfred Mann, Vice-President of the East End/East Liberty Historical Society

In January 2008, the East End/East Liberty Historical Society published a book through Acadia Publishing. “Pittsburgh’s East Liberty Valley”

September
Pittsburgh’s Abandoned Mines
Speakers: Jim Holden and Jim Welsh from the MSI Program District Mining Operations California District Office, PA Department of Environmental Protection

August
No meeting- Have a nice vacation month.

August 14, 2008 Meeting our Chairperson: Mike Ehrmann
On Thursday, Mike will be at the Barnes and Noble on Murray Avenue to discuss our book!! Stop in to see him and ask questions. Time: 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm

July
History of the Pittsburgh Pirates with comments on the Squirrel Hill Connection
Speaker: Dave Finoli, Author of the book Pittsburgh Pirates, Images of Baseball

For 122 years, few major league teams have given their fans more thrills than the Pittsburgh Pirates. Beginning as the Pittsburgh Allegheny’s in the old American Association, Pittsburgh has boasted thirty five Hall of Famers, five world champions, nine National League pennant winners and nine Eastern Division titles. All the treasured memories, from Honus Wagner’s all around excellence, to Mazeroski’s remarkable 1960 World Series blast, to the grace Roberto Clemente showed on and off the field that has been immortalized since his heroic and tragic death, are captured in this book.

June
Bagpiping from A to Z
Speaker: George Balderose, Executive Director of the Balmoral School of Piping and Drumming

Walking Tour
Squirrel Hill Business District

Walking Tour
The Morrowfield Complex
For more information on this event see June 2007

May
WQED fm89.3: A Pittsburgh Institution for 35 Years
Speaker: Jim Cunningham,Senior Executive Producer and Host of the WQE fm89.3 QED Morning Show

WQED Pittsburgh, honored with the 2007 and 2006 Mid-Atlantic Emmy Award for Station Excellence and 12 other Emmy Awards, was founded in 1954 as the nation’s first community-supported tv station.

April
Henry Hobson Richardson and the Allegheny County Courthouse and Jail
Speaker: William Garrett,

Bill Garrett has been leading tours of Pittsburgh for the Pittsburgh History & Landmarks for a decade.

From Pittsburgh History & Landmarks: In 1883, Boston architect henry Hobson Richardson won the competition to design the Allegheny County Courthouse and Jail. Construction began in 1884. The Jail was completed in 1886 (and was renovated in 1999 to house the Allegheny County Family Courts); the Courthouse was finished in 1888.

March
HISTORY OF CHATHAM UNIVERSITY (with extensive architectural commentary)
Speaker: Dr. Elisabeth Roark, Associate Professor of Art and Art History, Chatham University

February
Meeting Canceled due to bad weather

January
HISTORY OF RODEF SHALOM CONGREGATION AND THE JEWISH REFORM MOVEMENT
Speaker: Rabbi Daniel Young, Associate Rabbi