8 Things You Probably Didn't Know about Pittsburgh
Why in the world was Abraham Lincoln trying to hide his hands when he visited our city in 1861? PittGirl's history obsession provides the answer to that question and seven more.
Why didn’t Honus Wagner sign his real name to his first baseball contract? What color was our first mayor’s hair? How old is Pittsburghese? What did Pittsburgh have to do with the Wright Brothers’ first flight? And why in the world was Abraham Lincoln trying to hide his hands when he visited our city in 1861? Lucky for you, my history obsession means I have real answers to all of those questions and more. Here’s a list of eight things you probably didn’t know about Pittsburgh.
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Pittsburgh was home to the world’s first floating heliport. Opened with fanfare on July 27, 1962, the 550-ton helipad anchored on the Monongahela near Wood Street allowed fliers to reduce the trip to the airport to just seven minutes for $6.35. That’s almost $50 in today’s money — but still, can we get our helipad back, Mr. Peduto?
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Denny Street in Lawrenceville is named after our first mayor, Ebenezer Denny, the red-haired Revolutionary War hero. Incidentally, as the youngest ensign in the battle, Denny was selected to plant the ceremonial flag after victory at Yorktown — but some soldier named Baron von Steuben walked up, took it from Denny and did it himself. That’s probably the first time a person was called “a complete and total jagoff.”
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Speaking of which, Pittsburghese is much older than you think. A search of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette’s archives shows a reporter referring to a “gum-band” in 1931. “Redd-up” appeared in 1906, and Uncle Sam was declared to be “nebby” in 1887. A sidewalk was “slippy” in 1880. While you won’t find “jagoff” until 1981, an 1876 article refers to school boys “jagging” each other. And the earliest appearance of “you’ns,” which would one day become our beloved “yinz,” was way way back in 1871.
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We like to boast that New York City was built with Pittsburgh steel, but here’s a lesser-known fact we should be shouting from Mount Washington: The plane the Wright Brothers used in their first flight was built with an engine that had an aluminum crankcase, the first time that particular material would be used in aircraft construction. The raw aluminum was acquired from the Pittsburgh Reduction Company, which you may know by its modern name … Alcoa.
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Tunnel claustrophobia? After the city opened the Liberty Tubes in 1924 — with no ventilation system in place — a strike by streetcar drivers resulted in a pretty awful traffic jam. Vehicles idling inside caused passengers and drivers to be overcome by the fumes. Some staggered out; some frantically honked their horns in panic. And 33 men, women and children were knocked unconscious. That very day, a telegram was wired to New York City, summoning a tunnel ventilation expert. Smart idea.
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When Abraham Lincoln paid a visit to Pittsburgh back in 1861, the reaction from residents would rival any chaos wrought by, say, modern One Direction fans. Thousands thronged his route, and 4,000 more stood in the pouring rain at the Monongahela House, where he was to stay. Pittsburghers crowded him in the reception area so tightly that he never made it to the parlor to be greeted by the mayor. Instead, someone brought a chair on which he stood and briefly spoke. As he attempted to take his leave from a throng the next day, a reporter noted how comical he looked trying to conceal his hands from those trying to grab one for an enthusiastic shake. But there was one man — a mill worker, soot covering his face — who fought his way to the president. Abe reached out and gave that man’s hand a hearty shake — and by the account of it, made that guy’s year.
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The first Negro League ballpark to be designed, built and owned by an African-American was located in Pittsburgh’s Hill District at the intersection of Bedford Avenue and Junilla Street. Gus Greenlee, a well-known Hill District businessman, built Greenlee Field, home of the Crawfords, in 1932. The 7,500-seat stadium was used for baseball, boxing and even football practices.
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Speaking of baseball, famed Pirates slugger Honus Wagner’s first baseball contract wasn’t in his name. Growing up poor in what was then the city neighborhood of Chartiers, he and his brothers got in the habit of swapping identities as they played the local circuit, jumping from league to league to earn up to $10 per game. Honus, Al and William Wagner would play under each others’ names if one could not make a game due to scheduling or other issues — thus ensuring they still got paid. Honus’s first baseball contract? He signed it as William Wagner, and the rest is history … and one very valuable baseball card.
