Laura Zurowski/Mis.Steps
@mis-steps.bsky.social
A hardy fool, living on a hill. Photographing and writing about Pittsburgh's city steps, parks, playgrounds, and greenways. Hails from divine Providence, RI. See more at mis-steps.com/blog/.
The ambient sound of flowing traffic is ever-present, and the remains of old Belgian block pavers are nearby, offering a mix of old and new that is quintessentially Pittsburgh.
November 30, 2025 at 6:24 PM
The ambient sound of flowing traffic is ever-present, and the remains of old Belgian block pavers are nearby, offering a mix of old and new that is quintessentially Pittsburgh.
Pittsburgh Water and Sewer established a station here, and the rest of the area became passive green space. Several trees were planted about 15 years ago, and they’re now large enough to accommodate bird feeders that a neighbor likely maintains.
November 30, 2025 at 6:24 PM
Pittsburgh Water and Sewer established a station here, and the rest of the area became passive green space. Several trees were planted about 15 years ago, and they’re now large enough to accommodate bird feeders that a neighbor likely maintains.
The Run, like lots of Pittsburgh, is very different from how it was 100 years ago. Today, Saline Street is a dead end, but back before the highway, the road continued to Monitor Street in Squirrel Hill. As times changed, the buildings that once lined this section of the street were removed.
November 30, 2025 at 6:23 PM
The Run, like lots of Pittsburgh, is very different from how it was 100 years ago. Today, Saline Street is a dead end, but back before the highway, the road continued to Monitor Street in Squirrel Hill. As times changed, the buildings that once lined this section of the street were removed.
While the highway dates to the early 1950s, residents of The Run have lived “under a bridge,” so to speak, since 1891. For those who think today’s bridges are in bad shape (they are, no doubt about it), do a quick internet search for the 1921 Greenfield Bridge collapse (photo from 1911). YIKES!
November 30, 2025 at 6:21 PM
While the highway dates to the early 1950s, residents of The Run have lived “under a bridge,” so to speak, since 1891. For those who think today’s bridges are in bad shape (they are, no doubt about it), do a quick internet search for the 1921 Greenfield Bridge collapse (photo from 1911). YIKES!
Schenley Park looms high above the area known as Four Mile Run (often called “The Run” by locals). In addition to the park, the neighborhood also lies below a segment of I-376 and the latest version of the Greenfield Bridge. 🧵
November 30, 2025 at 6:19 PM
Schenley Park looms high above the area known as Four Mile Run (often called “The Run” by locals). In addition to the park, the neighborhood also lies below a segment of I-376 and the latest version of the Greenfield Bridge. 🧵
And here's a look back to the conditions of 1923 - train and trolley tracks everywhere!
November 27, 2025 at 5:12 PM
And here's a look back to the conditions of 1923 - train and trolley tracks everywhere!
For several years, Friends of the Riverfront, along with city officials and community members, have worked to extend the Three Rivers Heritage Trail from Hazelwood Green to Carrie Furnace. If all goes well, the Melanchton Street pedestrian bridge, which is behind the HAL, will be rebuilt.
November 27, 2025 at 5:08 PM
For several years, Friends of the Riverfront, along with city officials and community members, have worked to extend the Three Rivers Heritage Trail from Hazelwood Green to Carrie Furnace. If all goes well, the Melanchton Street pedestrian bridge, which is behind the HAL, will be rebuilt.
Today, the HAL is a hub of community activity located a block away from what will become a vital segment of the proposed Hazelwood to Carrie Furnace trail.
November 27, 2025 at 5:05 PM
Today, the HAL is a hub of community activity located a block away from what will become a vital segment of the proposed Hazelwood to Carrie Furnace trail.
Constructed in the closing years of the 1890s, the car barn was a vital piece of the City’s transportation system, serving as a storage and maintenance facility for streetcars on several trolley lines. The barn was dismantled in the 1960s, but the brick office building was preserved and renovated.
November 27, 2025 at 5:04 PM
Constructed in the closing years of the 1890s, the car barn was a vital piece of the City’s transportation system, serving as a storage and maintenance facility for streetcars on several trolley lines. The barn was dismantled in the 1960s, but the brick office building was preserved and renovated.
The Hazelwood Healthy Active Living Center (HAL) building has a rather curious history. The structure was once part of the Glenwood car barn operated by the Pittsburgh Railways Company. 🧵
November 27, 2025 at 5:02 PM
The Hazelwood Healthy Active Living Center (HAL) building has a rather curious history. The structure was once part of the Glenwood car barn operated by the Pittsburgh Railways Company. 🧵
But 100 years ago, this park was just getting started! The map from 1923 shows the land had been acquired by the City of Pittsburgh but the park and pool were yet to come. Everything takes time (true then, true today).
November 23, 2025 at 3:05 PM
But 100 years ago, this park was just getting started! The map from 1923 shows the land had been acquired by the City of Pittsburgh but the park and pool were yet to come. Everything takes time (true then, true today).
Watching them, it’s easy to understand why lounging poolside is so popular; it’s the only flat space in the park where minimal exertion is the norm! As winter approaches, the June 2026 opening day for city pools feels a million years away…
November 23, 2025 at 3:02 PM
Watching them, it’s easy to understand why lounging poolside is so popular; it’s the only flat space in the park where minimal exertion is the norm! As winter approaches, the June 2026 opening day for city pools feels a million years away…
Ambling along, I notice two men, perhaps a Gen Z-er with his Gen X dad, taking advantage of the cardio workout offered by the long flight of city steps that connects the athletic field to the seating. There’s not a whiff of machismo here, just the resigned huff and puff of running up and down.
November 23, 2025 at 3:01 PM
Ambling along, I notice two men, perhaps a Gen Z-er with his Gen X dad, taking advantage of the cardio workout offered by the long flight of city steps that connects the athletic field to the seating. There’s not a whiff of machismo here, just the resigned huff and puff of running up and down.
Magee Park is known for its community pool, but once the summer ends and children are back to school, the daytime vibe quiets down… but not entirely. Plenty of families live nearby, and parents and caregivers with toddlers take full advantage of the playground.🧵
November 23, 2025 at 2:58 PM
Magee Park is known for its community pool, but once the summer ends and children are back to school, the daytime vibe quiets down… but not entirely. Plenty of families live nearby, and parents and caregivers with toddlers take full advantage of the playground.🧵
And for those who love the 1923 maps (me!), it's curious to note that there was once a brickyard where the athletic field is today. Also, lots of city steps that are no longer a part of the neighborhood. :-(
November 20, 2025 at 3:37 PM
And for those who love the 1923 maps (me!), it's curious to note that there was once a brickyard where the athletic field is today. Also, lots of city steps that are no longer a part of the neighborhood. :-(
Creating a strong community requires both funding and boots-on-the-ground action. Perhaps this is why the athletic field, park, and playground remain vibrant and valued spaces for Greenfield residents. Everyone and everything has a useful place, and when you’re playing the right role, magic happens.
November 20, 2025 at 3:35 PM
Creating a strong community requires both funding and boots-on-the-ground action. Perhaps this is why the athletic field, park, and playground remain vibrant and valued spaces for Greenfield residents. Everyone and everything has a useful place, and when you’re playing the right role, magic happens.
But recognition is also due to Bud Hammer, for whom the park is named. Hammer was a local school janitor and baseball coach who taught an entire generation of young ‘burghers the skills needed to be champions on (and more importantly) off the field.
November 20, 2025 at 3:30 PM
But recognition is also due to Bud Hammer, for whom the park is named. Hammer was a local school janitor and baseball coach who taught an entire generation of young ‘burghers the skills needed to be champions on (and more importantly) off the field.
So bragging that former Dallas Cowboys and Green Bay Packers head coach Mike McCarthy is a financial contributor is certainly expected.
November 20, 2025 at 3:29 PM
So bragging that former Dallas Cowboys and Green Bay Packers head coach Mike McCarthy is a financial contributor is certainly expected.
While Greenfield has a few bustling streets, it’s primarily a residential neighborhood wedged between Oakland, Hazelwood, Squirrel Hill, and Schenley Park. As this is Pittsburgh, it’s hilly (LOL) but more importantly, it has a home-spun quality that reminds me of Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood. 🧵
November 20, 2025 at 3:28 PM
While Greenfield has a few bustling streets, it’s primarily a residential neighborhood wedged between Oakland, Hazelwood, Squirrel Hill, and Schenley Park. As this is Pittsburgh, it’s hilly (LOL) but more importantly, it has a home-spun quality that reminds me of Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood. 🧵
While it takes some effort to reach the bluff overlooking the river, it’s well worth it. Pack some refreshments and plan to stay for a bit. Hays Woods could easily become a favorite place to explore and relax.
November 13, 2025 at 2:19 PM
While it takes some effort to reach the bluff overlooking the river, it’s well worth it. Pack some refreshments and plan to stay for a bit. Hays Woods could easily become a favorite place to explore and relax.
Beyond a porta-potty near the entrance, you won’t find any amenities, but there are a variety of trails. Some are utility access roads that are easier to traverse, and others are footpaths that wind through fields and wooded hillsides.
November 13, 2025 at 2:16 PM
Beyond a porta-potty near the entrance, you won’t find any amenities, but there are a variety of trails. Some are utility access roads that are easier to traverse, and others are footpaths that wind through fields and wooded hillsides.
Hays Woods is Pittsburgh’s newest and largest park, and chances are, you’ve never even heard of it! Located at the far southeastern edge of the City on a bluff overlooking the Monongahela River, Hays is 626 acres of preserved greenway. 🧵
November 13, 2025 at 2:15 PM
Hays Woods is Pittsburgh’s newest and largest park, and chances are, you’ve never even heard of it! Located at the far southeastern edge of the City on a bluff overlooking the Monongahela River, Hays is 626 acres of preserved greenway. 🧵
Moments of tranquility are punctuated by the sound of the whistle and vibrations on the ground and in the air. Here comes another freight train.
November 10, 2025 at 1:58 PM
Moments of tranquility are punctuated by the sound of the whistle and vibrations on the ground and in the air. Here comes another freight train.
When all is quiet on the Norfolk Southern and CSX lines, there’s a shaded, mossy-roofed pavilion with a bird nest in the rafters and a picnic table for those who want to sit and eat a sandwich, or have a smoke, or talk on the phone without everyone else hearing the conversation.
November 10, 2025 at 1:57 PM
When all is quiet on the Norfolk Southern and CSX lines, there’s a shaded, mossy-roofed pavilion with a bird nest in the rafters and a picnic table for those who want to sit and eat a sandwich, or have a smoke, or talk on the phone without everyone else hearing the conversation.
In some places, the line between the people and the railroad authority is clearly defined and prominent. In Hays, that’s not the case. And so, it’s not surprising that in this small, lightly careworn park, which was enclosed in regulation-grade fencing, people have made their way to the tracks.
November 10, 2025 at 1:56 PM
In some places, the line between the people and the railroad authority is clearly defined and prominent. In Hays, that’s not the case. And so, it’s not surprising that in this small, lightly careworn park, which was enclosed in regulation-grade fencing, people have made their way to the tracks.