Happy 230th Bday Pitt! an illustrated history of Pitt's main buildings
- Thread starter CrazyPaco
- Start date
The following is a physical history of the university, particularly its main buildings. It was pieced together from multiple sources.
1787 (or earlier) – 1790? (3-13 years)
An artist's interpretation of the log cabin that the Pittsburgh Academy originated in. It sat on a plot of land bounded by the Boulevard of the Allies (then 2nd Ave), 3rd Ave, Cherry Way, and Smithfield St. The structure may have existed and housed a school as far back as 1770, which, if we were dating our University as the University of Pennsylvania does, would actually mean Pitt could claim to be 247 years old.
1790?-1830 (30-40 years)
In the 1790s, a two-story brick building for the Academy was constructed on the corner of 3rd facing Cherry Way. Shown here, it is labeled as the "President's House", as it became the home of the university "Principal" when a new building was constructed in 1830. The institution also maintained a prep academy for many years after it became a University in 1819 (and really, still does today in the form of the Falk School, although the Falk School had other origins).
1830-1845 (15 years)
In 1830, the university constructed a three-story building fronting 3rd St and adjacent to the prior academy buildings on the original plot. It was considered the finest and most stately building in the region. (The 1833 oil painting by Russell Smith is in the Carnegie Museum of Art)
1845-1846 (1 year)
Following the Great Fire of 1845 that destroyed the university’s main building and most of its records (along with 20 other square blocks of Pittsburgh), the university temporarily held class in the basement Trinity Church on 6th Ave (the current Trinity Cathedral was built on the same site in 1872).
1846-1849 (4 years)
Selling the original land, a new building was constructed on Duquesne Way near where the old Horne’s Department Store location was. Only four years later, in 1849, this building also was destroyed by fire and nearly shuttered the university permanently. This rendition appeared in the university's student yearbook, but it is anyone's guess if this depiction is at all accurate. I know of no contemporaneous images.
1855-1882 (27 years)
By 1855, the university had erected a new fire-proof, 16-room brick and slate roof building on the corner of Ross and Forbes (then Diamond St) on where is now the City-County building. The University built another building connected behind it (seen to the left next to Fourth Ave Baptist Church) to house the preparatory school. It sold the building to Allegheny County in 1882 for use as a courthouse as the prior one was destroyed in yet another fire.
1882-1889 (7 years)
The university moved to two former theological seminary buildings (College Hall, the former U.P. Theological Seminary at 133 North Ave (now Trinity Lutheran Church) and Preparatory Hall and Lab at 204 North Ave) on North Avenue in Allegheny City (today the North Side).
1889-1909 (10 years)
The university moved into two new buildings, Main Hall (or University Building, right 1889) and Science Hall (1890) which were located on Observatory Hill adjacent to the original Allegheny Observatory (behind Main Hall) which the university had taken over about 22 years prior. Today, this is the former site of Triangle Tech near Perrysville Ave.
Another view of Main Hall. The old Allegheny Observatory can be seen here on the far right. After the new observatory was built, it was used as the school’s first indoor athletic training facility.
1909-1936 (27 years)
Outgrowing its North Side location, in 1907 the university began looking to consolidate its schools (departments were scattered throughout the city) and expand. It settled on a hillside plot in Oakland and began moving departments there with construction of State Hall in 1909. Thaw Hall, which still stands along O'Hara Street, was built the following year in the same Acropolis Plan neoclassical style. State Hall was torn down in 1971 and Chevron Science Center was constructed on the plot.
The Cathedral of Learning first classes held 1931. The university's main library opened there in 1936, and the Cathedral was formally dedicated 1937. This year marks the 80th anniversary of that dedication.
1787 (or earlier) – 1790? (3-13 years)
An artist's interpretation of the log cabin that the Pittsburgh Academy originated in. It sat on a plot of land bounded by the Boulevard of the Allies (then 2nd Ave), 3rd Ave, Cherry Way, and Smithfield St. The structure may have existed and housed a school as far back as 1770, which, if we were dating our University as the University of Pennsylvania does, would actually mean Pitt could claim to be 247 years old.
1790?-1830 (30-40 years)
In the 1790s, a two-story brick building for the Academy was constructed on the corner of 3rd facing Cherry Way. Shown here, it is labeled as the "President's House", as it became the home of the university "Principal" when a new building was constructed in 1830. The institution also maintained a prep academy for many years after it became a University in 1819 (and really, still does today in the form of the Falk School, although the Falk School had other origins).
1830-1845 (15 years)
In 1830, the university constructed a three-story building fronting 3rd St and adjacent to the prior academy buildings on the original plot. It was considered the finest and most stately building in the region. (The 1833 oil painting by Russell Smith is in the Carnegie Museum of Art)
1845-1846 (1 year)
Following the Great Fire of 1845 that destroyed the university’s main building and most of its records (along with 20 other square blocks of Pittsburgh), the university temporarily held class in the basement Trinity Church on 6th Ave (the current Trinity Cathedral was built on the same site in 1872).
1846-1849 (4 years)
Selling the original land, a new building was constructed on Duquesne Way near where the old Horne’s Department Store location was. Only four years later, in 1849, this building also was destroyed by fire and nearly shuttered the university permanently. This rendition appeared in the university's student yearbook, but it is anyone's guess if this depiction is at all accurate. I know of no contemporaneous images.
1855-1882 (27 years)
By 1855, the university had erected a new fire-proof, 16-room brick and slate roof building on the corner of Ross and Forbes (then Diamond St) on where is now the City-County building. The University built another building connected behind it (seen to the left next to Fourth Ave Baptist Church) to house the preparatory school. It sold the building to Allegheny County in 1882 for use as a courthouse as the prior one was destroyed in yet another fire.
1882-1889 (7 years)
The university moved to two former theological seminary buildings (College Hall, the former U.P. Theological Seminary at 133 North Ave (now Trinity Lutheran Church) and Preparatory Hall and Lab at 204 North Ave) on North Avenue in Allegheny City (today the North Side).
1889-1909 (10 years)
The university moved into two new buildings, Main Hall (or University Building, right 1889) and Science Hall (1890) which were located on Observatory Hill adjacent to the original Allegheny Observatory (behind Main Hall) which the university had taken over about 22 years prior. Today, this is the former site of Triangle Tech near Perrysville Ave.
Another view of Main Hall. The old Allegheny Observatory can be seen here on the far right. After the new observatory was built, it was used as the school’s first indoor athletic training facility.
1909-1936 (27 years)
Outgrowing its North Side location, in 1907 the university began looking to consolidate its schools (departments were scattered throughout the city) and expand. It settled on a hillside plot in Oakland and began moving departments there with construction of State Hall in 1909. Thaw Hall, which still stands along O'Hara Street, was built the following year in the same Acropolis Plan neoclassical style. State Hall was torn down in 1971 and Chevron Science Center was constructed on the plot.
The Cathedral of Learning first classes held 1931. The university's main library opened there in 1936, and the Cathedral was formally dedicated 1937. This year marks the 80th anniversary of that dedication.
[ISPOILER][/ISPOILER]
Last edited:
Paco
Thanks for posting the most interesting history/development of the University of Pittsburgh from its founding in 1787 to the present day.
Fantastic.
HAIL TO PITT!!!!
Thanks for posting the most interesting history/development of the University of Pittsburgh from its founding in 1787 to the present day.
Fantastic.
HAIL TO PITT!!!!
CrazyPaco,
If I could meet one poster on this board and just have a conversation, it would be you. I really appreciate all you do and your respect for everything Pitt.
H2P
If I could meet one poster on this board and just have a conversation, it would be you. I really appreciate all you do and your respect for everything Pitt.
H2P
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