Helen Wilson, editor and author, describes our new book on July 11, 2017, after a regular meeting of the Squirrel Hill Historical Society.
Squirrel Hill a Neighborhood History (2017) is a new book by SHHS members Helen Wilson, Michael Ehrmann, Wayne Bossinger, Betty Connelly, and Dr. Barbara Burstin, published by “The History Press”.
Pittsburgh’s Squirrel Hill neighborhood began on the frontier of western Pennsylvania 250 years ago and developed into a vibrant urban community. Early settler John Turner, half brother of renegade Simon Girty, survived capture by Native Americans and experienced firsthand the change from dangerous wilderness to established farming community. Wealthy landowners Henry Clay Frick and Mary Schenley bestowed Squirrel Hill its grand public parks. Hyman Little, Herman Kamin and countless others moved to the hill and made it Pittsburgh’s premier Jewish community, with a tightknit cluster of synagogues, temples and a thriving business district. The Squirrel Hill Historical Society and editor Helen Wilson explore the fascinating history of one of Pittsburgh’s historic neighborhoods.
Squirrel Hill Historical Society 