Washington's Landing
Encyclopedia
Washington's Landing is an island in the Allegheny River
in Pittsburgh in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania
. It is officially considered part of the Troy Hill
neighborhood.http://www.city.pittsburgh.pa.us/cp/assets/census/2000_census_pgh_jan06.pdf
The island was originally named Herrs Island, after an early owner, Benjamin Herr. Herr used the island for farming. Later, the island was used extensively for industrial purposes, including stockyards, saw mills, soap works, and the Pennsylvania Railroad
.
reputedly slept on the island after his raft capsized in the Allegheny River
while on a diplomatic mission to the French
at Fort Le Boeuf
near Lake Erie
during the French and Indian War
. This story led to the renaming of the island on October 24, 1987.
The island is now a showcase project of urban redevelopment for the City of Pittsburgh. It now a mixed use community, home to townhomes and business parks, as well as a marina, the Three Rivers Rowing Association, and the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy.
crew race. The Three Rivers rowing club also maintains their boathouses on the island.
Allegheny River
The Allegheny River is a principal tributary of the Ohio River; it is located in the Eastern United States. The Allegheny River joins with the Monongahela River to form the Ohio River at the "Point" of Point State Park in Downtown Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania...
in Pittsburgh in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
. It is officially considered part of the Troy Hill
Troy Hill
Troy Hill is a neighborhood in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania's North Side. It has a zip code of 15212, and has representation on Pittsburgh City Council by the council member for District 1 ....
neighborhood.http://www.city.pittsburgh.pa.us/cp/assets/census/2000_census_pgh_jan06.pdf
Herrs Island
Pennsylvania Railroad
The Pennsylvania Railroad was an American Class I railroad, founded in 1846. Commonly referred to as the "Pennsy", the PRR was headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania....
.
Washington's Landing
George WashingtonGeorge Washington
George Washington was the dominant military and political leader of the new United States of America from 1775 to 1799. He led the American victory over Great Britain in the American Revolutionary War as commander-in-chief of the Continental Army from 1775 to 1783, and presided over the writing of...
reputedly slept on the island after his raft capsized in the Allegheny River
Allegheny River
The Allegheny River is a principal tributary of the Ohio River; it is located in the Eastern United States. The Allegheny River joins with the Monongahela River to form the Ohio River at the "Point" of Point State Park in Downtown Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania...
while on a diplomatic mission to the French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
at Fort Le Boeuf
Fort Le Boeuf
Fort Le Boeuf, , was a fort established by the French in 1753 on a fork of French Creek, in present-day Waterford, in northwest Pennsylvania...
near Lake Erie
Lake Erie
Lake Erie is the fourth largest lake of the five Great Lakes in North America, and the tenth largest globally. It is the southernmost, shallowest, and smallest by volume of the Great Lakes and therefore also has the shortest average water residence time. It is bounded on the north by the...
during the French and Indian War
French and Indian War
The French and Indian War is the common American name for the war between Great Britain and France in North America from 1754 to 1763. In 1756, the war erupted into the world-wide conflict known as the Seven Years' War and thus came to be regarded as the North American theater of that war...
. This story led to the renaming of the island on October 24, 1987.
Rehabilitiation
As a result of the industrial activity, Herrs Island was a brownfield site. By the 1970s most industrial activity on the island had left. During the 1980s and 1990s a major redevelopment effort was undertaken.The island is now a showcase project of urban redevelopment for the City of Pittsburgh. It now a mixed use community, home to townhomes and business parks, as well as a marina, the Three Rivers Rowing Association, and the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy.
Head of the Ohio
Since 1987 the island and piers have hosted the starting point for the annual Head of the OhioHead of the Ohio
The Head of the Ohio, also known as HOTO, is a rowing race held on the penultimate complete weekend of October each year on the Ohio River and Allegheny River, at Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The race is named the "Head" of the Ohio because it is a head race...
crew race. The Three Rivers rowing club also maintains their boathouses on the island.