2019

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
The Irrepressible Sophie Masloff
Speaker: Barbara Burstin, SHHS Member and on the faculty of CMU and Pitt

November
The New Pittsburgh City Archives: Highlights of the Collection
Nick Hartley is the City Archivist for the City of Pittsburgh. Previously, Mr. Hartley was an archivist at the Library and Archives of the Heinz History Center, where he processed record collections of industrial corporations from Western Pennsylvania. rial corporations from Western Pennsylvania.

* No video is available for this program

October
Prohibition Pittsburgh
Speaker: Richard Gazarik, Journalist

September
Getting To Know Our Neighbors: The History of Hazelwood
Speaker: JaQuay Edward Carter, Founding President, Greater Hazelwood Historical Society of PittsburghLocation

August
The History of The Frick Pittsburgh, the Fricks and Clayton
Speaker: Amanda Dunyak Gillen, Director of Learning & Visitor Experience
Amanda will present a program about the Frick family and its most important legacies in the city—their mansion and art museum in Point Breeze.

July
History of the Squirrel Hill Poetry Workshop and a Reading by the Poets
Facilitator:  Rosaly DeMaios Roffman
The poets/speakers will include (as scheduling permits):  M. Soledad Caballero, Ann Curran, Ziggy Edwards, Nancy Esther James, Don Krieger, Christine Doreian Michaels, Rosaly DeMaios Roffman, Joanne Matone Samraney, Shirley Stevens and Arlene Weiner.

The Squirrel Hill Poetry workshop began in 1978 to bring together local poets for reading and a discussion of each other’s work.

* No video is available for this program

June
Catahecassa Springs Eternal 
Speaker: Matthew Falcone, President of Preservation Pittsburgh
Matthew will discuss the history of Catahecassa Fountain (and Snyder Spring), a prominent feature of Schenley Park and recent addition to the City’s Register of Historic Places, as well as its future prospects.

Walking Tour of Chatham University
Time: 9:45 am -12.00pm
Meeting Place: Mellon Hall, Woodland Road
Note: Portions of this campus are quite hilly

May
Walking Tour of Squirrel Hill Business District (With Special Focus on 1970 -1990)
Time: 9:45 am – 12.00
Meeting Place, Church of the Redeemer, 5700 Forbes Avenue

Gene Kelly and the Jewish Community of Squirrel Hill
Speaker: Eric Lidji, Director of the Rauh Jewish Archives, Senator John Heinz History Center

Before he revolutionized the movie musical with films such as “An American in Paris” and “Singin’ in the Rain,” Gene Kelly was a young entertainer who was willing to take any job he could get in order to help support his family.

*No video is available for this program

April
A History of the Dollar Savings Bank
Speaker: Joseph Smith, Senior Vice President of Marketing, Dollar Bank and Dorothy Spangler, Multi-Media Production Specialist at Dollar Bank

The Dollar Bank presentation to the Squirrel Hill Historical Society will feature several chapters of Dollar Bank’s history. Founded in 1855, Dollar Bank is the oldest bank in Pittsburgh.  Our presentation will feature several stories of our founder, Charles Colton, and the initial courage of our first board members to establish a mutual bank.

Walking Tour of Hill District (featuring both black and jewish sites)
Time: 9:45am – 12:15pm
Meeting Place: Hill District Carnegie Library, 2177 Centre Ave, Pittsburgh, 15129
Tour Guide: Terri Baltimore, Director of Neighborhood Engagement for the Hill House Association (our October 2018 speaker)

Proceeds from this tour will be donated to the Hill House.  The Hill House is a non-profit organization serving Hill District residents through community engagements, arts, culture and senior services.

*No additional information or video is available for this event

March
The History of Kennywood Park
Speaker: Andy Quinn, Kennywood Park historian and Community Relations Director
Andy will talk about the historic amusement park that so many generations of Pittsburghers have enjoyed.

February
The History of Allderdice High School
Speaker: Mina T. Levenson
Mina will discuss the history of Squirrel Hill’s most illustrious public school, Taylor Allderdice High School. Generations of graduates have made their mark in the world after spending their formative adolescent years at the grand old high school.

January
The History of Squirrel Hill’s Public Elementary Schools
Speaker: Helen Wilson, SHHS Co-Vice President
Helen has found that people who attended public elementary schools in Squirrel Hill have vivid memories of them. She will use photos, maps, and other images to present a wealth of information about the history of those schools.