Schenley Park
Schenley Park | |
---|---|
Type | Municipal park |
Location | Schenley Drive and Panther Hollow Road,Pittsburgh,Pennsylvania,United States |
Coordinates | 40°26′04″N79°56′34″W/ 40.4344°N 79.9428°W |
Area | 456 acres (185 ha) |
Created | October 30, 1889 |
Operated by | City of Pittsburgh Parks & Recreation (CitiParks), Department of Public Works |
Status | Open all year |
Website | Official website |
Architect | Edward Manning Bigelow |
Architectural style | Multiple styles |
NRHP referenceNo. | 85003506[1] |
Significant dates | |
Added to NRHP | November 13, 1985 |
Designated PHLF | 1989[2] |
Schenley Park(/ˈʃɛnli/) is a large municipal park inPittsburgh,Pennsylvania,United States.It is located between the neighborhoods ofOakland,Greenfield,andSquirrel Hill.It is also listed on theNational Register of Historic Placesas ahistoric district.[3][4]In 2011, the park was named one of "America's Coolest City Parks" byTravel + Leisure.[5]
The park is made up of 300 acres (120 ha) donated byMary Schenleyin 1889 and another 120 acres (49 ha) that the city subsequently purchased from her. Another 36 acres (15 ha) were acquired at a later date, bringing the park's total size to 456 acres (185 ha), and making it the second largest municipal park in Pittsburgh, behindFrick Park.
The park borders the campuses ofCarnegie Mellon Universityand theUniversity of Pittsburgh,and technically Carnegie Mellon University is actually within Schenley Park.
Facilities
[edit]Schenley Park features a grand entrance,Schenley Plaza,and several miles of hiking trails and a large pond inPanther Hollow.Across from thePhipps ConservatoryisFlagstaff Hill,a popular place to watch outdoor movies in the summer.
In the early days of Schenley Park, the area known as "The Oval" was used for horse racing. Today, it has 13 tennis courts, an all weather running track, and a soccer field. There is also an ice skating rink, public swimming pool, and an 18-hole disc golf course nearby.
Schenley Park also contains theBob O'Connor Golf Course.The golf course includes an indoor practice facility where golfers can play a "virtual"round onPebble Beachand other famous courses.
Cross country running meets are held in the park. It is the home course for theCarnegie Mellon Universitymen's and women's cross country teams.[6]The 1921USA Cross Country Championshipswere held in the park.
Annual events
[edit]Since 1983, Schenley Park has been home to avintage motor sports carrace, thePittsburgh Vintage Grand Prix,that takes place annually in mid-July. Additionally, since 1993, the park has been home to the Komen PittsburghRace for the Cure,an annual fundraising event for breast cancer andMother's Daytradition with more than 35,000 participants.[7]Carnegie Mellon University's annualSpring Carnivalcontests its Sweepstakes, a buggy race, on Tech Avenue, Schenley Drive, and Frew Street.
History
[edit]In 1842, Mary Elizabeth Croghan of Pittsburgh, who was 15 at the time,elopedwith 43-year-old CaptainEdward Schenley.The couple moved to England. Mary's father attempted to terminate her inheritance in a lawsuit, but was unsuccessful. Mary's maternal grandfather, GeneralJames O'Hara,bequeathed to her a parcel of land known as the "Mt. Airy Tract."
Mary's wealth attracted the attention of several land developers in the Pittsburgh area as well asEdward Bigelow,the Director of the Department of Public Works in Pittsburgh. In 1889, Bigelow learned that the agent of a land developer planned to travel to London to attempt to purchase the land from Mary. Bigelow sent anEast Libertylawyer by train toNew York Citywhere he then boarded asteamerbound for England. The lawyer beat the real estate agent by two days.
After negotiations with Mary, Bigelow's lawyer entered into an agreement to give 300 acres (120 ha) of the Mt. Airy Tract to the city of Pittsburgh with an option to purchase 120 acres (49 ha) more, under the conditions that the park be named after her and never be sold. The city agreed and immediately purchased the additional land.
Bigelow began to develop the newly renamed Schenley Park for recreational uses. He hired William Falconer to lead thePhipps Conservatory & Botanical Gardenswhich was built in 1893. In 1895,Andrew Carnegiebuilt theCarnegie Museum and Music Hall,establishing Oakland and Schenley Park as a cultural icon.
Forbes Field,the home field of thePittsburgh Pirates,was adjacent to Schenley Park during its lifespan (1909–1970).
Recent developments
[edit]- In 2001, after extensive renovations, the Schenley Park Visitor Center opened in one of the park's original buildings. The building had previously served as a tool shed, the home of the Pittsburgh Civic Garden Center, and a nature museum, until closing in the late 1980s.
- In spring 2006, theSchenley Plazaarea was converted to its original use as a grand entrance to Schenley Park. Although it was originally designed as a grand entrance, it had been used as a parking lot for many years. The new park area features a carousel and several small food stands.
- In 2022, Judge John McVay approved the removal of theChristopher Columbus statuein Schenley Park. The bronze and granite statue is 13-feet tall, and has stood in the park since 1958. City of Pittsburgh officials decided to remove the statue in 2020 due to Columbus’ association with racism and colonialism. The Italian Sons and Daughters of America challenged this decision, but McVay’s 2022 ruling stated that the city was free to take down the statue.[8][9]
Gallery
[edit]-
TheWestinghouse Memorialin Schenley Park
-
Panther Hollow Bridgeseen from Panther Hollow Lake in Schenley Park
-
Bob O'Connor Golf Course clubhouse
See also
[edit]Notes
[edit]- ^"National Register Information System – (#85003506)".National Register of Historic Places.National Park Service.March 13, 2009.
- ^Historic Landmark Plaques 1968-2009(PDF).Pittsburgh, PA: Pittsburgh History & Landmarks Foundation. 2010.RetrievedJuly 28,2011.
- ^"National Register Information System".National Register of Historic Places.National Park Service.March 15, 2006.
- ^"National Register of Historic Places Inventory - Nomination Form: Schenley Park"(PDF).1979–1984.RetrievedJune 8,2010.[dead link]
- ^Tep, Ratha (April 2011)."America's Coolest City Parks".Travel+Leisure.RetrievedApril 17,2011.
- ^"2013 UAA Cross Country Championships".athletics.cmu.edu.RetrievedSeptember 12,2018.
- ^"History".Pittsburgh Affiliate of Susan G. Komen for the Cure. Archived fromthe originalon May 14, 2009.RetrievedJune 8,2010.
- ^Wiggins, Jamie (October 4, 2022)."Judge approves removal of Schenley Park Columbus statue".Pittsburgh City Paper.
- ^Reed Ward, Paula (October 3, 2022)."Judge: Pittsburgh officials have right to remove Christopher Columbus statue in Schenley Park".Trib Live.
References
[edit]- Patricia Lowry (2006).Schenley Plaza Dedication: story by Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.Retrieved June 4, 2006.
- Toker, Franklin (1994) [1986].Pittsburgh: An Urban Portrait.Pittsburgh:University of Pittsburgh Press.ISBN0-8229-5434-6.
- Ben Muessig (2006).Sk8er (un)appreciation: story by Pittsburgh Tribune-Review.Retrieved February 17, 2007.
External links
[edit]- Official website
- Schenley Park Map
- Tour of the Schenley Park's bridges
- Historic American Buildings Survey(HABS) No. PA-46, "Robert Neal Cabin, Schenley Park, Pittsburgh, Allegheny County, PA",3 photos, 3 measured drawings, 2 data pages, supplemental material
- Schenley Park
- Carnegie Mellon Tartans
- College cross country courses in the United States
- Cross country running courses in Pennsylvania
- Defunct college football venues
- Historic American Buildings Survey in Pennsylvania
- Historic districts on the National Register of Historic Places in Pennsylvania
- Motorsport venues in Pennsylvania
- Parks in Pittsburgh
- Pittsburgh History & Landmarks Foundation Historic Landmarks
- Pittsburgh Panthers football
- Urban forests in the United States
- Urban public parks
- Works Progress Administration in Pennsylvania
- National Register of Historic Places in Pittsburgh
- 1889 establishments in Pennsylvania
- Protected areas established in 1889