Father Pitt

Author: Father Pitt

  • J & K Building, Allegheny West

    834 Ridge Avenue

    This building, in a Deco Gothic style, appears to have been part of the Western Theological Seminary, and perhaps an expert in Allegheny West history can shed some light on it. Old Pa Pitt published a picture of it once before, but recently he noticed the concrete flaking away from the obliterated date stones by the door.

    Entrance
    MCMXXXII just visible

    This is the stone to the right of the door. The date was purposely obliterated (why do people do that?), but it is clearly legible now through the later layer of concrete: 1933, which, judging by the architectural style, would be just right for the date of the building itself.

    1872

    The stone to the left of the door bore the date 1872, and Father Pitt must admit to being ignorant of its significance. It is not one of the various dates usually claimed as the foundation of the Western Theological Seminary, which in 1884 claimed to have been founded in 1825. Perhaps a historian from its successor, the Pittsburgh Theological Seminary, can enlighten us.

    Floral decoration
    Canon PowerShot SX150 IS.

    This floral ornamentation is carved in the stone that frames the main entrance.

  • Ziegler Block, Mexican War Streets

    Ziegler Block
    Composite of six photographs.

    This substantial building in the narrow Mexican War Streets was probably put up in the 1890s; it belonged to I. Ziegler from the beginning of the twentieth century at least through 1923, and it was built on land marked as belonging to F. Ziegler in 1890. It is a whole little civilization unto itself, with a three substantial rowhouses, two storefronts, and apartments.

    1300–1306 Buena Vista Street
    Nikon COOLPIX P100.
    Doorways
    Sony Alpha 3000 with 7Artisans 35mm f/1.4 lens.
    Lanterns
    Door to No. 1304
    Perspective view

  • More Apple Blossoms

    Apple blossoms

    Early in the morning, with some crabapples thrown in.

    Crabapple blossoms
    Apple blossoms
    Crabapple blossoms

    And then the sun came up…

    Apple blossoms in morning sun
    Fuji FinePix HS10.

  • The North Side of Rocklynn Place, Mount Lebanon

    37 Rocklynn Place
    Samsung Digimax V4.

    The southern side of Rocklynn Place (originally Rockwood Avenue) was part of the St. Clair Terrace plan. The northern side was sold off as individual lots a little bit later in the 1920s, and some splendid houses went up, some of which we see here. The pictures were taken with two different cameras, one of which was set to monochrome just because it makes one think of the picture differently to know that color will not be a factor.

    37 Rocklynn Place
    Kodak EasyShare Z1285.
    27 Rocklynn Place
    25 Rocklynn Place
    33 Rocklynn Place
    33 Rocklynn Place
    45 Rocklynn Place
    49 Rocklynn Place

  • Apple-Blossom Time

    Apples above; crabapples below.

    Nikon COOLPIX P100.

  • Like New on Hoodridge Drive, Mount Lebanon

    201 Hoodridge Drive

    Seven rooms and two baths: this house (obviously photographed a few weeks ago) is at the more modest end of Hoodridge Drive, but it is in good taste and almost completely unaltered since it was built in 1935. We know that because, when it was “just completed,” it was pictured in a Press real-estate feature. Although the microfilm reproduction is very poor, we can still see enough to tell that nothing material has changed.

  • Made in USSR

    So the lens says, though the camera says “Sony.” Father Pitt happened to be in Beechview today, so here is a typical Beechview streetscape as seen by an old Soviet “Индустар” (“Industar”) lens, a copy of the Zeiss Tessar, mounted on a Sony Alpha 3000 camera.

  • Grape Hyacinths in the Rain

    Muscari neglectum
    Grape Hyacinths
    Nikon COOLPIX P100.

  • The Chesapeake and the Chamberlin, Shadyside

    The Chesapeake and the Chamberlin

    A pair of identical apartment buildings, now known by their addresses (5758 Howe and 5754 Howe). They were built in 1908; the architect was C. J. Rieger. Though they have lost their cornices (which, to judge by the size of the scars, must have been elaborate), the rest of the details are well preserved, showing a Renaissance or Baroque style flavored with Art Nouveau.

    Entrance
    Entrance, closer
    Ornament
    Lion’s head
    Female cameo
    Male cameo
    Chesapeake and Chamberlin
    Nikon COOLPIX P100.

  • Tulips in the Rain

    Tulip with raindrops
    Tulip with raindrops
    Tulip with raindrops
    Nikon COOLPIX P100.