- Hazelwood (Pittsburgh)
Infobox Pittsburgh neighborhood
name = Hazelwood
caption =
locator_
caption =
locator_
population1990 = 6456
population2000 = 5334
latd = 40.409
longd = 79.941
area_sqmi = 1.583Hazelwood is a
neighborhood of Pittsburgh,Pennsylvania in theUnited States . It is represented on [http://www.city.pittsburgh.pa.us/council/ Pittsburgh City Council] by Douglas Shields. It is bordered by Greenfield and Oakland on the north,Squirrel Hill and Glen Hazel on the east, and theMonongahela River on the south and west.Early history
In
1758 a large tract of woodland was purchased for $10,000 under the Stanwix Treaty made with the Native-Americans. This area would include Hazelwood and Greenfield of the 15th ward.Hazelwood takes its name from the hazelnut trees which once flourished along the Monongahela river. The first settlers were of Scottish descent and settled what was known as Scotch Bottom. This area ran from Four Mile Run (lower Greenfield) to Six Mile Ferry, four and six miles from the Point (where the Allegheny and Monongahela Rivers merge) respectively. Among the first settlers, was John Woods, a politician who built his 'Hazel Hill' estate in
1784 . That house still stands, the second oldest stone building in Pittsburgh after The Fort Pitt Blockhouse. Eventually, large farms were cut out of the wooded hills attracting more residents and supplying the area with further wealth.Industrial age
The first track of railroad was built by Mr. B. F. Jones, of the Pittsburgh and Connellsville Railroad and later of Jones and Laughlin. Unlike most lines, this railroad was built inland as to respect the residents concern of maintaining the rivers aesthetic value. This railroad would later separate Hazelwood into two sections, coining the local term 'below the tracks'. In
1869 Hazelwood was incorporated into the city, and by the following year the railway had spurred iron and steel industries, railroading, boatbuilding and the river trade.By the late 1800s Hazelwood was a bustling town. In the 1950s the neighborhood was host to over 200 businesses. It had become home to large Hungarian, Italian, Slovak, Carpatho-Rusin, Polish, and Irish populations. With the construction of the Civic Arena in the Hill District large
African-American populations made Hazelwood a home.In the 1980s the steel industry began to decline. As the industry packed up, so did business and many residents. Like many areas in the rust-belt, Hazelwood fell into disrepair.
Jones and Laughlin Steel Company closed its last furnace in the 1990s.Recently, Hazelwood has been working to improve as a community. Many abandoned buildings have been razed, and new ones constructed in their place.
Hazelwood and Glen Hazel are family-oriented neighborhoods, with many community activities focusing on youth programs. The neighborhoods are noted for their numerous churches and the active roles they play in building community spirit and pride in their residents.
Facts
*Playwright
August Wilson lived in Hazelwood as a teenager.ee also
*
List of Pittsburgh neighborhoods References
Further reading
*cite book | author=Toker, Franklin | title=Pittsburgh: An Urban Portrait | location=Pittsburgh | publisher=University of Pittsburgh Press | origyear=1986 | year=1994 | id=ISBN 0-8229-5434-6
* [http://www.clpgh.org/exhibit/neighborhoods/hazelwood/haze_n4.html#laid Hazelwood: History]External links
* [http://www.city.pittsburgh.pa.us/cp/maps/flash.html Interactive Pittsburgh Neighborhoods Map]
* [http://www.city.pittsburgh.pa.us/cp/maps/hazelwood.html Hazelwood Map]
* [http://www.clpgh.org/exhibit/neighborhoods/hazelwood/haze_n42.html Scotch Bottom & Hazelwood History]
* [http://www.hazelwoodhomepage.com/index.html Hazelwood Initiative]
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