The SHHS gets questions, both broad and specific, about Squirrel Hill’s history. We are delighted to offer assistance with your research. We have found the following websites to be useful, so check them out yourself, and enjoy the search.
Squirrel Hill Historical Society website
You might not be aware of all the information on the SHHS website. Explore the menu options! One of the best—and most fun—option is the SQUIRREL HILL NEWS NEWSPAPERS, published weekly from 1935 to 1970. Click on the link “Squirrel Hill News Newspapers” to access them. Another link with a lot of information is the MEMBERS PAGE, which has all the monthly SHHS Newsletters since 2014. (The Members Page is password protected, so you need to be a member to access it.)
Historic Pittsburgh
This is the University of Pittsburgh’s phenomenal website about Pittsburgh’s history. It has searchable books, directories, maps, photos, and many other resources.
Pittsburgh Historic Maps
This website has been retired and is no longer operational. The websites below can be used in its place.
- Pittsburgh and Homestead District Historic Maps
This website has been created by SHHS member and professional mapmaker Lauren Winkler to replace the Pittsburgh Historic Maps website. It is similar in format, having a sequence of Pittsburgh maps that overlay each other so you can see how an area developed through time. It has maps of Pittsburgh and vicinity, including neighboring Homestead, from 1855-1993.
To use, when you open the site, you’ll see a box with choices of maps. Click on the box “Pittsburgh Maps” to select it and other boxes you’d like to view. Then click on the small arrow to the left of the “Pittsburgh Maps” box. A list of maps from various times will appear. Selecting other boxes will take you to maps of Homestead. - PGH Historic Maps and Imagery
This website was created by the City of Pittsburgh’s Mapping Department. It has historic maps, city council maps, and much more information. - Interactive Apps, Maps & Dashboards
This is the link to the City of Pittsburgh’s main dashboard created by the GIS Team of the Department of Innovation & Performance that has a variety of mapping tools and links.
PennState University Libraries “Index to Pittsburgh PA and Allegheny County Sanborn Maps Volumes”
This website has interactive Sanborn maps of Pittsburgh and Allegheny County maps, and also other maps and aerial photos.
Pittsburgh Jewish Newspaper Project, CMU
The Pittsburgh Jewish Newspaper Project has more than one hundred years of Jewish newspapers published in Pittsburgh, beginning in the 1890s.
Jewish Genealogy Society of Pittsburgh
This website has family information including births, engagements, marriages, obituaries, and a wide variety of social and business news along with photographs.
Rauh Jewish Archives
The Heinz History Center’s Rauh Jewish Archives website has information about the history of the Jewish community in Pittsburgh.
Squirrel Hill Urban Coalition
The Squirrel Hill Urban Coalition is a nonprofit community group dedicated to preserving, improving and celebrating the quality of life in the 14th Ward of the City of Pittsburgh. It deals mostly with current and future issues and projects in Squirrel Hill.
Turner Cemetery/Mary S. Brown-Ames U. M. Church Historical and Genealogical Website
This website presents the results of research on Turner Cemetery, 3424 Beechwood Boulevard, containing the remains of the earliest settlers of Squirrel Hill, and the early history of Squirrel Hill South.
Google News Archives
This free website has hundreds of newspapers, including a number of Pittsburgh newspapers beginning in the early 1800s.
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Archives
This archive has a monthly subscription fee, but the keyword search is free and will give you some information, such as date and page number of an item you are looking for. If you subscribe, you can access full articles in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, The Pittsburgh Press, and the Pittsburgh Sun-Telegraph, starting in 1877.
Homestead Hebrews
This website traces the history of the Jews of Homestead, with articles, plat maps and other information about a community whose history has close ties to Squirrel Hill.
Don’s List
This free website has Allderdice, Schenley, Peabody, Fifth Avenue and many other high-school yearbooks, along with census information, military records, and other information.
Pittsburgh City Archives Digital Collections
The City Archives are maintained by the Records Management Division of the Office of the City Clerk and City Council. The collections contain meeting minutes, reports, correspondence, photographs, maps and more from over 200 years of Pittsburgh government activity. Hundreds of thousands of pages from these collections can be explored using the links on the website.
Local Historical Organizations
East Liberty Valley Historical Society
Lawrenceville Historical Society
Oakmont Historical Society
Pittsburgh History & Landmarks Foundation
Preservation Pittsburgh
Rivers of Steel
Senator John Heinz History Center
Whiskey Rebel Central
Young Preservationists Association of Pittsburgh