West Park, Pittsburgh
Encyclopedia
Allegheny Commons is a municipal park located in Pittsburgh's
North Side
. The park surrounds the neighborhood of Allegheny Center
. Dating to 1867, it is the oldest park in the city of Pittsburgh.Note, however, that it did not become part of Pittsburgh until the annexation of Allegheny, Pennsylvania
in 1907.
The park was once free grazing land which surrounded the first 32 blocks of Allegheny City
in John Redick's 1784 town plan. It was re-made into a municipal park in the 1860s by landscape architects hired by Allegheny City
.
Allegheny Commons Park has three main parts, all of which are in the Allegheny Center
neighborhood: Allegheny Commons Park West Park, Allegheny Commons Park North Park, and Allegheny Commons Park East Park. The West Park portion is the largest of the three, and it has housed the National Aviary
since 1952.
From 1826 to 1880 the first prison west of the Atlantic Plain
operated in the present day park. It was demolished in 1880 and in 1882 a new prison
bearing its name was completed a few blocks west along the Ohio River
.
During Charles Dickens
visit to the city March 20-22 1842, he visited the prison and some scholars believe he based the classic A Christmas Carol
on conditions at the facility.
The site is famous for housing 118 Confederate soldiers
after their capture in Morgan's Raid
a dozen miles to the west. It held them from August 5, 1863 until they were transferred to a military fort in New Jersey
on March 18, 1864. Although conditions were good for the time, at least eight confederates died during the winter, one while attempting escape. http://www.lhs15201.org/articles_b.asp?ID=8
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Pittsburgh is the second-largest city in the US Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Allegheny County. Regionally, it anchors the largest urban area of Appalachia and the Ohio River Valley, and nationally, it is the 22nd-largest urban area in the United States...
North Side
Northside (Pittsburgh)
North Side refers to the region of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, located to the north of the Allegheny River and the Ohio River...
. The park surrounds the neighborhood of Allegheny Center
Allegheny Center (Pittsburgh)
Allegheny Center is a neighborhood on Pittsburgh's North Side. Its zip code is 15212, and it has representation on Pittsburgh City Council by both council members for District 6 and District 1 .-History:...
. Dating to 1867, it is the oldest park in the city of Pittsburgh.Note, however, that it did not become part of Pittsburgh until the annexation of Allegheny, Pennsylvania
Allegheny, Pennsylvania
Allegheny City was a Pennsylvania municipality located on the north side of the junction of the Allegheny and Ohio rivers, across from downtown Pittsburgh. It was annexed by Pittsburgh in 1907...
in 1907.
The park was once free grazing land which surrounded the first 32 blocks of Allegheny City
Allegheny, Pennsylvania
Allegheny City was a Pennsylvania municipality located on the north side of the junction of the Allegheny and Ohio rivers, across from downtown Pittsburgh. It was annexed by Pittsburgh in 1907...
in John Redick's 1784 town plan. It was re-made into a municipal park in the 1860s by landscape architects hired by Allegheny City
Allegheny, Pennsylvania
Allegheny City was a Pennsylvania municipality located on the north side of the junction of the Allegheny and Ohio rivers, across from downtown Pittsburgh. It was annexed by Pittsburgh in 1907...
.
Allegheny Commons Park has three main parts, all of which are in the Allegheny Center
Allegheny Center (Pittsburgh)
Allegheny Center is a neighborhood on Pittsburgh's North Side. Its zip code is 15212, and it has representation on Pittsburgh City Council by both council members for District 6 and District 1 .-History:...
neighborhood: Allegheny Commons Park West Park, Allegheny Commons Park North Park, and Allegheny Commons Park East Park. The West Park portion is the largest of the three, and it has housed the National Aviary
National Aviary
The National Aviary, located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, is America's only independent indoor nonprofit aviary. It is also America's largest aviary, and the only accorded honorary "National" status by the United States Congress.-Location and features:...
since 1952.
Western Penitentiary
Atlantic Plain
The Atlantic Plain is one of eight distinct United States physiographic regions. This major division consists of the Continental Shelf and Coastal Plain physiographic provinces. It is the flattest of the U.S. physiographic divisions and stretches over in length from Cape Cod to the Mexican border...
operated in the present day park. It was demolished in 1880 and in 1882 a new prison
State Correctional Institution - Pittsburgh
State Correctional Institution - Pittsburgh is a low-to-medium security correctional institution, operated by the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections, located about five miles west of Downtown Pittsburgh and within city limits. The facility is on the banks of the Ohio River, and is located on...
bearing its name was completed a few blocks west along the Ohio River
Ohio River
The Ohio River is the largest tributary, by volume, of the Mississippi River. At the confluence, the Ohio is even bigger than the Mississippi and, thus, is hydrologically the main stream of the whole river system, including the Allegheny River further upstream...
.
During Charles Dickens
Charles Dickens
Charles John Huffam Dickens was an English novelist, generally considered the greatest of the Victorian period. Dickens enjoyed a wider popularity and fame than had any previous author during his lifetime, and he remains popular, having been responsible for some of English literature's most iconic...
visit to the city March 20-22 1842, he visited the prison and some scholars believe he based the classic A Christmas Carol
A Christmas Carol
A Christmas Carol is a novella by English author Charles Dickens first published by Chapman & Hall on 17 December 1843. The story tells of sour and stingy Ebenezer Scrooge's ideological, ethical, and emotional transformation after the supernatural visits of Jacob Marley and the Ghosts of...
on conditions at the facility.
The site is famous for housing 118 Confederate soldiers
Confederate States of America
The Confederate States of America was a government set up from 1861 to 1865 by 11 Southern slave states of the United States of America that had declared their secession from the U.S...
after their capture in Morgan's Raid
Morgan's Raid
Morgan's Raid was a highly publicized incursion by Confederate cavalry into the Northern states of Indiana and Ohio during the American Civil War. The raid took place from June 11–July 26, 1863, and is named for the commander of the Confederates, Brig. Gen...
a dozen miles to the west. It held them from August 5, 1863 until they were transferred to a military fort in New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
on March 18, 1864. Although conditions were good for the time, at least eight confederates died during the winter, one while attempting escape. http://www.lhs15201.org/articles_b.asp?ID=8