PHOTO: NATA_RASS – STOCK.ADOBE.COM

It’s time to formally nominate names for the inaugural 10-member class of the new Pittsburgh Walk of Fame.

The Pittsburgh Walk of Fame will be established along the five blocks of The Terminal building in the Strip District to honor people with ties to southwestern Pennsylvania who have made an impact on American culture.

Nominations will be taken through the end of January. The nomination may be someone who is living or deceased, but they must either have been born in or have spent their formative or creative years in the 10 counties in southwestern Pennsylvania: Allegheny, Armstrong, Beaver, Butler, Fayette, Greene, Indiana, Lawrence, Washington and Westmoreland. In addition, their accomplishments must have had a national impact on America’s cultural heritage.

Your nominations may be emailed to nominate@pittsburghwalkoffame.org or sent by letter to Pittsburgh Walk of Fame, P.O. Box 8127, Pittsburgh, PA 15217. Please also include the nominee’s field of expertise and/or major accomplishment, the person’s connection to the Pittsburgh region and the person’s national impact on American culture. You must also include your contact information.

The inaugural class is expected to be inducted in the fall of 2025. Each honoree will have a star and description of their accomplishment.

Pittsburgh Magazine conducted its own readers’ poll in November to see who you might pick. Here were the top five vote-getters in order of the most votes: Fred Rogers, Gene Kelly, Michael Keaton and August Wilson, and there was a tie for fifth place between Rachel Carson and Andy Warhol.

The idea for a Walk of Fame for Pittsburgh has been pushed by Nancy Polinsky Johnson, the former owner and publisher of Shady Ave magazine. She was partly inspired to create one for Pittsburgh after a visit to St Louis, which has 170 local names on its own Walk of Fame. She secured nonprofit status for the organization and has assembled a 10-member board of directors.