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Brookline (Pittsburgh)
Encyclopedia
Early settlement
Brookline was a part of the larger West Liberty BoroughWest Liberty Borough
West Liberty Borough was a borough in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, United States from 1876 to 1909. West Liberty Borough was incorporated on March 7, 1876 from the western part of Lower St. Clair Township. The borough was a small village along the Pittsburgh and Washington Road near Mount...
before its absorption into
Pittsburgh in 1908. Early in its history, the area was mostly inhabited by miners and farmers. At the turn of the century, when the mining industry in the area declined, only farms were left.
Dawn of the 20th century
With the dawn of the 20th century brought many technological advances that helped the South HillsSouth Hills (Pennsylvania)
The South Hills is a term generally used to collectively describe the southern suburbs of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and the neighborhoods in the City of Pittsburgh south of the South Side Slopes. The city neighborhoods include Knoxville, Mt. Oliver, Allentown, Banksville, Beechview, Brookline,...
of Pittsburgh flourish. First, the transportation of coal from the area opened up the Pittsburgh & Castle Shannon Railroad Co. to install lines going to the area. This included a tunnel to be bored from downtown Pittsburgh, through Mt. Washington
Mount Washington (Pittsburgh)
Mount Washington is a neighborhood in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania's south city area. It has a zip code of 15211 and has representation on Pittsburgh City Council by both the council members for District 3 and District 2 .It is known for its steep hill overlooking the Pittsburgh skyline, which was...
, and to exit right above South Hills Junction
South Hills Junction (PAT station)
South Hills Junction is a station on the Port Authority of Allegheny County's light rail network. This station served as the original "merge point" of the inbound Beechview and Overbrook branches of the light rail system, just before the run under Mount Washington through the Mount Washington...
. With the age of automobiles looming, a few decades later the Liberty Tunnel
Liberty Tunnel
The Liberty Tunnels are a pair of tunnels located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania that allow motorists to travel between the South Hills of Pittsburgh and the city, through Mt. Washington...
was completed. This helped create a boom in the South Hills areas.
Trolley service
Brookline was linked by streetcar to downtown Pittsburgh in 1905 by Pittsburgh RailwaysPittsburgh Railways
Pittsburgh Railways was one of the predecessors of the Port Authority of Allegheny County. It had 666 PCC cars, the third largest fleet in North America. It had 68 street car routes, of which only three are used by the Port Authority as light rail routes...
who built a single line south along West Liberty Avenue, turning east on a private right of way and then following Brookline Boulevard to Saw Mill Run. This initial line was cut back to Edgebrook Avenue a year later, but in 1909 the track was doubled and a loop put in near the end of Witt Street. In 1915 the line was extended south along West Liberty Avenue to Dormont
Dormont, Pennsylvania
Dormont is a borough in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, United States and is part of the Pittsburgh Metro Area. The population was 8,593 at the 2010 census and is the most densely populated municipality in Allegheny County. Dormont is a home to a diverse population including young professionals,...
where it linked with the 42 Dormont line. The 39 Brookline service closed in 1966.
Surrounding communities
BaldwinBaldwin Township, Pennsylvania
Baldwin Township is a township in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 1,992 at the 2010 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of , all of it land...
(a neighboring township
Township
The word township is used to refer to different kinds of settlements in different countries. Township is generally associated with an urban area. However there are many exceptions to this rule. In Australia, the United States, and Canada, they may be settlements too small to be considered urban...
), Beechview
Beechview (Pittsburgh)
Beechview is a neighborhood in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania's South Hills area. It has a zip code of 15216, and has representation on Pittsburgh City Council by both the council member for District 4 and for District 2 . Beechview was founded in 1905. It is Pittsburgh Fire Bureau Zone 4-10 and...
, Dormont
Dormont, Pennsylvania
Dormont is a borough in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, United States and is part of the Pittsburgh Metro Area. The population was 8,593 at the 2010 census and is the most densely populated municipality in Allegheny County. Dormont is a home to a diverse population including young professionals,...
(a neighboring borough
Borough
A borough is an administrative division in various countries. In principle, the term borough designates a self-governing township although, in practice, official use of the term varies widely....
), Mt. Lebanon
Mt. Lebanon, Pennsylvania
Mt. Lebanon is a home rule municipality, formerly a township, in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 33,137 at the 2010 census....
(a neighboring municipality
Municipality
A municipality is essentially an urban administrative division having corporate status and usually powers of self-government. It can also be used to mean the governing body of a municipality. A municipality is a general-purpose administrative subdivision, as opposed to a special-purpose district...
), Overbrook
Overbrook (Pittsburgh)
Overbrook is a neighborhood on Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania's South Hills area. It has a zip codes of 15227, 15234 and 15210 and has representation on Pittsburgh City Council by the council member for District 4 . Originally called Fairhaven, the name was changed to Overbrook when breaking away from...
, Carrick
Carrick (Pittsburgh)
Carrick is a south neighborhood of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania in the United States. It is served by two zip codes, 15210 and 15227, and has representation on Pittsburgh City Council by the council member for District 4 with a part in District 3.Located between the suburbs of the South Hills and...
, Bon Air
Bon Air (Pittsburgh)
Bon Air is a neighborhood in the south portion of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Its two zip codes are 15226 and 15210, and it is represented in the Pittsburgh City Council by the council member for District 4 ....