Help save history in your community by identifying, exploring, and documenting significant places.

"East Carson Street is a lot noisier than the side streets where houses are. We heard an ambulance and lots of cars and trucks." —student quote

South Side History & Architecture Days

Have you ever wondered how old your neighborhood is, or why the streets are named as they are? Have you ever wondered how a building stands up, or why it is made out of a certain material, or why the rooms inside are the way they are?

Students discover answers to these questions during the South Side History & Architecture Days field trip. The field trip takes place inside and around the South Side branch of the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh, designed in 1909 by Alden & Harlow (a famous Pittsburgh architectural firm). They learn that buildings, just like people, have to (1) stand up; (2) look good; and (3) be useful. They are introduced to architectural terms and help restore a Victorian house. They figure out if a triangle or square is a more rigid structure, build with blocks, and tour the neighborhood and discuss how it has changed over time. Students create a main street mural that they take back to school and display in the hallway. They learn that architecture is a team effort, requiring a “client,” “architect,” and “contractor” to work in harmony, and that historic buildings--just like antiques—increase in value if they are cared for over time.

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