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Highland Park (Pittsburgh)
Encyclopedia
Highland Park is both a large municipal
park
and a racially diverse, mostly residential neighborhood in the northeastern part of Pittsburgh
, Pennsylvania
.
The neighborhood has 6,749 residents according to the 2000 United States Census
. It occupies 748 acres (3 km²) built around the 380 acres (1.5 km²) park (also called Highland Park), and is bordered by the neighborhoods of East Liberty
and Larimer
to the south, Morningside
to the west, Lincoln-Lemington-Belmar to the east, and the Allegheny River
to the north. Unlike much of the rest of the city, the houses in Highland Park are spaced more generously apart. The neighborhood is well-served by public transportation. A few small, locally-owned stores and restaurants can be found on Bryant Street, its central business district.
Highland Park (the public park) encompasses the northern region of the neighborhood. Its main entrance is clearly marked by two bronze sculptures by Giuseppe Moretti
atop Ionic
columns on each side of the road. Its Stanton Avenue entrance features another Moretti pair of sculptures on grand pedestals, depicting two groups of lean, heroic youths taming wild horses.
The park, which contains two of the city's large water reservoirs, offers picnic groves, a Babbling Brook water feature, Lake Carnegie for fishing, the city's only long-course swimming pool, two sand volley ball courts, tennis courts, walking trails, and playgrounds. The Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium
are also within the park, as is the Washington Boulevard Bike Track, a banked half-mile oval loop for bicyclists.
Alexander Negley, who was the first permanent white settler in 1778, owned the land that is now Highland Park. His property was a 300 acres (1.2 km²) farm on the banks of the Allegheny River, but it was later expanded by his son, Jacob Negley. During the 19th century, Jacob and his descendants sold off portions of the land to farmers. A 190-year-old farmhouse, which has been used as a park office and summer campsite, still stands. The park was founded in 1889, and opened in 1893 after Pittsburgh Director of Public Works, Edward Bigelow, spent more than $900,000 in city funds to buy the land, parcel by parcel, from farmers. The park entrance is designed as a grand Victorian entryway, which included a large fountain with a reflecting pool and formal gardens.
On August 30, 2007, the Highland Park Residential Historic District
, in Morningside
, roughly bounded by Highland Park (the public park), Heth's Run and Heth's Avenue, Chislett Street, Stanton Avenue, and Jackson Street, was officially listed on the National Register of Historic Places
.
Urban park
An urban park, is also known as a municipal park or a public park, public open space or municipal gardens , is a park in cities and other incorporated places to offer recreation and green space to residents of, and visitors to, the municipality...
park
Park
A park is a protected area, in its natural or semi-natural state, or planted, and set aside for human recreation and enjoyment, or for the protection of wildlife or natural habitats. It may consist of rocks, soil, water, flora and fauna and grass areas. Many parks are legally protected by...
and a racially diverse, mostly residential neighborhood in the northeastern part of Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Pittsburgh is the second-largest city in the US Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Allegheny County. Regionally, it anchors the largest urban area of Appalachia and the Ohio River Valley, and nationally, it is the 22nd-largest urban area in the United States...
, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
.
The neighborhood has 6,749 residents according to the 2000 United States Census
United States Census
The United States Census is a decennial census mandated by the United States Constitution. The population is enumerated every 10 years and the results are used to allocate Congressional seats , electoral votes, and government program funding. The United States Census Bureau The United States Census...
. It occupies 748 acres (3 km²) built around the 380 acres (1.5 km²) park (also called Highland Park), and is bordered by the neighborhoods of East Liberty
East Liberty (Pittsburgh)
East Liberty is a culturally diverse neighborhood in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania's East End. It is bordered by Highland Park, Morningside, Stanton Heights, Garfield, Friendship, Shadyside and Larimer, and is represented on by Patrick Dowd...
and Larimer
Larimer (Pittsburgh)
Larimer is a neighborhood in the East End of the City of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania in the United States. The neighborhood takes its name from William Larimer, who grew up in nearby Westmoreland County and, after making a fortune in the railroad industry, built a manor house overlooking East Liberty...
to the south, Morningside
Morningside (Pittsburgh)
Morningside is a neighborhood on Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania's east end. It has two zip codes, 15201 and 15206, and has a representation on Pittsburgh City Council by the council member for District 7 . It is bordered by the neighborhoods of Highland Park to the east, Stanton Heights to the west and...
to the west, Lincoln-Lemington-Belmar to the east, and the Allegheny River
Allegheny River
The Allegheny River is a principal tributary of the Ohio River; it is located in the Eastern United States. The Allegheny River joins with the Monongahela River to form the Ohio River at the "Point" of Point State Park in Downtown Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania...
to the north. Unlike much of the rest of the city, the houses in Highland Park are spaced more generously apart. The neighborhood is well-served by public transportation. A few small, locally-owned stores and restaurants can be found on Bryant Street, its central business district.
Highland Park (the public park) encompasses the northern region of the neighborhood. Its main entrance is clearly marked by two bronze sculptures by Giuseppe Moretti
Giuseppe Moretti
Giuseppe Moretti was an Italian émigré sculptor who became known in America for his public monuments in bronze and marble. Most notable among his works is Vulcan in Birmingham, Alabama, which is the largest cast iron statue in the world...
atop Ionic
Ionic order
The Ionic order forms one of the three orders or organizational systems of classical architecture, the other two canonic orders being the Doric and the Corinthian...
columns on each side of the road. Its Stanton Avenue entrance features another Moretti pair of sculptures on grand pedestals, depicting two groups of lean, heroic youths taming wild horses.
The park, which contains two of the city's large water reservoirs, offers picnic groves, a Babbling Brook water feature, Lake Carnegie for fishing, the city's only long-course swimming pool, two sand volley ball courts, tennis courts, walking trails, and playgrounds. The Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium
Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium
The Pittsburgh Zoo is one of only six major zoo and aquarium combinations in the United States. Located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania's Highland Park, the zoo sits on of park land where it exhibits more than 4,000 animals representing 475 species, including 20 threatened or endangered species.The...
are also within the park, as is the Washington Boulevard Bike Track, a banked half-mile oval loop for bicyclists.
Alexander Negley, who was the first permanent white settler in 1778, owned the land that is now Highland Park. His property was a 300 acres (1.2 km²) farm on the banks of the Allegheny River, but it was later expanded by his son, Jacob Negley. During the 19th century, Jacob and his descendants sold off portions of the land to farmers. A 190-year-old farmhouse, which has been used as a park office and summer campsite, still stands. The park was founded in 1889, and opened in 1893 after Pittsburgh Director of Public Works, Edward Bigelow, spent more than $900,000 in city funds to buy the land, parcel by parcel, from farmers. The park entrance is designed as a grand Victorian entryway, which included a large fountain with a reflecting pool and formal gardens.
On August 30, 2007, the Highland Park Residential Historic District
Highland Park Residential Historic District
The Highland Park Residential Historic District is a historic district in the Morningside neighborhood of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States. Many of the houses in this district were built from the 1870s into the 1900s, and the district is listed on the National Register of Historic Places....
, in Morningside
Morningside (Pittsburgh)
Morningside is a neighborhood on Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania's east end. It has two zip codes, 15201 and 15206, and has a representation on Pittsburgh City Council by the council member for District 7 . It is bordered by the neighborhoods of Highland Park to the east, Stanton Heights to the west and...
, roughly bounded by Highland Park (the public park), Heth's Run and Heth's Avenue, Chislett Street, Stanton Avenue, and Jackson Street, was officially listed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places listings in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
This is a list of the National Register of Historic Places listings in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.This is intended to be a complete list of the properties and districts on National Register of Historic Places in the city of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States...
.