Halloween history lessons - the dungeons and spooky caves of Pittsburgh - #2

October 11, 2:38 PMPittsburgh History ExaminerDev Meyers

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Photo Courtesy of Flickr Creative Commons License bcarlson15210 title Sunset in Mt. Oliver

Sunset in Mt. Oliver

Continued from lesson 1

There is a set of city steps just west of 123 Pius street leading to "18th Street extension, then to the  Browsville Plank Road.  There are two inclines to the west of this site, later known as the Mount Oliver and Knoxville inclines, both originally associated with coal mines.  To the east of this site is the ravine that later became South Side Park, on Ormsby land.  The mine on St. Patrick street runs south, eventually to Carrick, but crosses two other ravines on trestles to do so.
  The Knoxville / Mt. Oliver inclines (now closed) ran parallel for a bit through land occupied by the "National Brewing" Company.  This may be a building later owned by Eichleay, a company that moved heavy equipment and entire buildings intact.  They employed Andy Warhol's father. 

Given the geology of the area, a coal mine might run south from 123 Pius Street.  There should be a coal mine entrance very near the south end of the Mt. Oliver Incline.  Can you locate that on the map?

Many thanks to the Carrick-Overbrook Historical Society  for contributing to this Halloween History lesson series.

Special invitation to teachers and students - we hope you will become involved in the Halloween history lessons.  Please feel free to post to the comment boards at the bottom and if you need any assistance with the reference materials that are connected to the article to please email me through the link in my bio.

Lesson 1

Lesson 2

Lesson 3

Lesson 4