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History:

Pittsburgh History

Archives, Libraries, and Museums Associations, Organizations, and Institutes Background Biographical Resources Books Directories Government Documents Internet Guides Journals

Journals and Magazine Articles Maps Newspapers Oral Histories Pictorial Resources Records of Businesses, Individuals, and Organizations Statistics

Archives, Libraries, and Museums

Below is a list of some of the archives, libraries, and museums in Pittsburgh that are relevant to the history of Pittsburgh. For a comprehensive list of Pittsburgh libraries, see: Pittsburgh Area Libraries (Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh). The Greater Pittsburgh Museum Council has a directory with links to their 70 museum council members. If you need help finding others, please ask at the Hunt Library reference desk.

• Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh
  • The Pennsylvania Department
  • The William R. Oliver Special Collections Room
  A particularly valuable resource for anyone interested in the history of Pittsburgh, the public libraries have many historical Pittsburgh newspapers and journals, books, census materials, and older reference works. Carnegie Mellon faculty, staff, and students can borrow materials by getting a Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh library card at the Main Library lending desk. Library Cards are free to residents of Allegheny County (bring proof of address), as well as out-of-town college students residing in the county (bring your Carnegie Mellon ID card and proof of local address).

• Carnegie Mellon University Libraries
  • Architecture Archives
  • University Archives
    • Allen Newell Collection
    • Herbert Simon Collection
    • Senator H. John Heinz III Archives
      • Heinz Electronic Library Interactive Online System (HELIOS)

• Carnegie Museums of Pittsburgh

• Fort Pitt Museum

• Frick Art & Historical Center

• Historical Society of Western Pennsylvania: Library and Archives
  Located in Senator John Heinz Pittsburgh Regional History Center, this is a non-circulating collection of materials documenting life in Western Pennsylvania. Finding aids for some collections can be found in Historic Pittsburgh: Finding Aids.

• Indiana University of Pennsylvania: Libraries
  • Special Collections & University Archives
    • Manuscript Collection

• Johnstown Flood Museum

• Meadowcroft Museum of Rural Life
  A site of the Historical Society of Western Pennsylvania which preserves the history of life on the land in Western Pennsylvania over the past 14,000 years. The 200 acre outdoor museum includes one of the oldest archaeological sites in North America and a recreated nineteenth century village.

• Pittsburgh History and Landmarks Foundation
  • James D. Van Trump Library
    Books, manuscripts, periodicals, historic site survey data, photographs and other visual documentation (slide collections and shows), maps and plat books, renderings and blueprints, and other materials pertaining to the foundation's activities, regional history, Allegheny County Historic Buildings Survey, African American History Survey, architecture, historic preservation, urban planning, engineering and technological development, interior design, and landscape design. Open to members and staff, though non-members may use the Library upon payment of a $10 fee. Students of high school level and above may use the Library at no charge (valid student identification required).

• The Pittsburgh Theological Seminary
  • The Clifford E. Barbour Library
    The Frank Dixon McCloy Room contains the seminary archives and historical materials directly related to the seminary's history. The library also houses materials related to the Associate, Associate Reformed, United Presbyterian, and Presbyterian (USA) congregations, synods, and general assemblies.

• Roman Catholic Diocese of Pittsburgh
  • Archives and Records Center
    • Guide to Historical Records Holdings

• Senator John Heinz Pittsburgh Regional History Center
  Dedicated to preserving and presenting regional history.

• Soldiers and Sailors National Military Museum and Memorial
  Includes a library, primarily of Civil War books donated by veterans when the hall opened in 1910, though the library has been expanding to include volumes on other wars in which Allegheny County veterans participated. Archival records include a large collection of GAR post records, annual encampment volumes, reunion publications, original and/or copies of Civil War letters and diaries. The hall photograph collection includes thousands of images from all wars, with strengths in the Civil War and World War II. Library access is by appointment.

• University Library System, University of Pittsburgh
  Consists of 14 libraries located on or near the University's campus. Carnegie Mellon faculty, staff, and students can borrow materials from most of these libraries by getting a "Special Borrower" card from the Hillman Library lending desk. Faculty and staff must show their Carnegie Mellon ID card while students must show their Carnegie Mellon ID and proof of current registration (the PAT bus sticker can serve this function).
  • Archives Service Center
    Finding aids for some collections can be found in Historic Pittsburgh: Finding Aids.
    • Archives of Industrial Society
      • Archives of Industrial Society Collections and Research Guides
    • UE/Labor Collections
    • University Archives
    • The Dick Thornburgh Archival Collection

• Western Pennsylvania Genealogical Society Library
  Housed in the Pennsylvania Department of the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh, this non-circulating collection supports the research of general and Western Pennsylvania genealogy.

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Associations, Organizations, and Institutes

Below are some groups relevant to Pittsburgh history. For additional listings, see History: Associations, Organizations, and Institutes. For additional Pittsburgh listings, see: Pittsburgh Organizations (Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh). If you need help locating others, please ask at the Hunt Library reference desk.

• Allegheny City Society
  Preserving, promoting, and interpreting the history of Allegheny City and Pittsburgh's North Side. Membership information, publications, images, etc.

• American Association for State and Local History
  Interested in improving the study of state and local history in the United States and Canada, and assisting historical organizations in improving their public services. Membership information, publications, annual meeting information, links to other sites, etc.

• Derry Area Historical Society
  Interested in discovering, collecting, recording, and preserving their local history and genealogy. Membership information, publications, list of area historical societies, some photos, etc.

• Donora Historical Society
  Membership and services information, links to other sites.

• Elizabeth Township Historical Society
  Membership, meeting, services, information, publications, etc.

• Historical Society of Western Pennsylvania
  Membership information, exhibits, etc. Operates the Senator John Heinz Pittsburgh Regional History Center.

• Homestead and Mifflin Township Historical Society
  Membership information, publications, events, histories of Clairton, Dravosburg, Homestead, Jefferson, Lincoln Place, Mifflin Township, Munhall, and Monongahela Valley History. Some histories have maps and images.

• Johnstown Area Heritage Association
  Links to the Johnstown Flood Museum, with links to images, facts, archives, etc.; Johnstown Heritage Discovery Center, etc.

• Lawrenceville Historical Society
  Membership and publications information, information on Lawrenceville people, places and events, etc.

• Manchester Historical Society
  Brief history of Manchester, contact information, links to other sites, etc.

• Monroeville Historical Society
  Monroeville history, information about the municipality, historical properties information, etc.

• Pittsburgh History and Landmarks Foundation
  Non-profit historic preservation group serving Allegheny County. Dedicated to identifying and preserving the architectural landmarks, historic neighborhoods, and historic designed landscapes of Allegheny County. Also educates people about this region's architectural heritage and urban landscape design history

• Society for the Preservation of the Duquesne Incline
  Dedicated to the restoration and rehabilitation of the cars, equipment, and the stations of the Duquesne Heights/Mount Washington inclines, and to establish the inclines as a reliable commuter facility and a popular visitor attraction. Membership information, history of the Duquesne Incline.

• Southwestern Pennsylvania Heritage Preservation Commission
  Information about the organization. Indiana University of Pennsylvania offers a link to SPHPC publications, as well as the to the SPHPC Heritage Archives.

• Squirrel Hill Historical Society
  Events, resources, newspaper articles, history, etc.

• U. S. Army Corps of Engineers: Pittsburgh District
  Historical bulletin, images, history of the Pittsburgh district, etc.

• Washington County Historical Society
  Programs, activities, and services, etc.

• Western Pennsylvania Geneaological Society
  Dedicated to the study and preservation of family history. Membership information, programs, publications, genealogy classes, etc.

• Westmoreland County Historical Society
  Educational organization dedicated to acquiring and managing resources related to the history of Westmoreland County. Membership, history, services and resources, etc.

• Westsylvania Heritage Corporation
  Publications, links to other sites, etc.

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Background

Sometimes you may need some information to get more familiar with your topic. Below are some materials that can provide brief histories, facts, dates, etc. on topics in Pittsburgh history. Additional resources are listed at History: Background.

• Abramson, Rudy and Jean Haskell, eds. Encyclopedia of Appalachia. Knoxville: University of Tennessee Press, c2006.
  HUNT REF-1 F106 .E53 2006

• Allegheny County Parks (R. Jay Gangewere)
  Article from Carnegie Magazine, July/August 1986 describing the history of the parks, with park maps and links.

• Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh: History 1895 - 1969 (Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh)

• Chronology (Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh)
  Timeline of Pittsburgh history.

• Dictionary of Pennsylvania History. Murrieta, CA: U.S. History Publishers, c2006.
  HUNT REF-1 F147 .D53 2006

• Encyclopedia of Pennsylvania, 1999. 3rd. ed., s.v. "Pittsburgh."
  HUNT REF-1 F147 .E52 1999

• Glasco, Lawrence A. "Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania." in Encyclopedia of African-American Culture and History, ed. Jack Salzman, David Lionel Smith, Cornel West, vol. 4, 2157-2159. New York: Macmillan Library Reference, c1996.
  HUNT REF-1 E185 .E54 1996

• History of the Duquesne Incline, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania (The Duquesne Incline)

• History of the Pittsburgh District (U. S. Army Corps of Engineers: Pittsburgh District)

• Key Events in Pittsburgh History (WQED)
  Timeline of major events in Pittsburgh's history

• Miner, Curtis. "Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania." in Encyclopedia of Urban America: The Cities and Suburbs, ed. Neil L. Shumsky, vol. 2, 567-570. Santa Barbara, Calif.: ABC-CLIO, c1998.
  HUNT REF-1 HT123 .E5 1998

• Pittsburgh: A Bicentennial Tribute 1758-1958. (Rose Demorest, Pennsylvania Department, Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh)

• Pittsburgh: A Century (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)
  Timeline of Pittsburgh's history.

• This is the Strip: Early Industrial History (Neighbors in the Strip)

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Biographical Resources

Below are some resources for finding information on people involved in Pittsburgh's history. Relevant biographies may also be in some of the resources listed at History: Biographical Resources. If you need help finding biographical information, please ask at the Hunt Library reference desk.

• Elkus, Leonore R., ed. Famous Men & Women of Pittsburgh. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania: Pittsburgh History & Landmarks Foundation, c1981.
  HUNT STACKS-2 F159 .P653 A23 1981

• Harper, Frank C. Pittsburgh of Today, its Resources and People. 4 vols. New York: The American Historical Society, Inc., 1931.
  HUNT STACKS-2 F159 .P6 H27
  HUNT REF-1 F159 .P6 H27
  Biographies are in volumes 3-4.

• Pittsburgh Magazine: Pittsburghers of the Century
  Browse an alphabetical list of over 450 biographies of individuals who had an impact on Pittsburgh and the region.

• Reed, George Irving, ed. Century Cyclopedia of History and Biography: Pennsylvania. 2 vols. Chicago, Century Pub. Co., 1904.
  HUNT REF-1 920.0748 C39

• Rook, Charles Alexander, et al., eds. Western Pennsylvanians: A Work for Newspaper and Library Reference. Pittsburgh: Western Pennsylvania Biographical Association, 1923.
  HUNT REF-1 920.0748 W52
  Full text: Western Pennsylvanians: A Work for Newspaper and Library Reference. (Historic Pittsburgh, Digital Research Library, University of Pittsburgh)
  Includes history of Pittsburgh and some major industries as well as biographies of western Pennsylvanians.

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Books

Below are resources for finding books on Pittsburgh history topics. To get the books you need, first check Cameo to see if they are in the University Libraries. If they are not, you have several options. Since Carnegie Mellon faculty and students have borrowing privileges at some University of Pittsburgh Libraries and the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh, you can go to those libraries and get the books yourself. Both catalogs are listed below so you can search and see if the books you need are available. Otherwise, you can use Interlibrary Loan. If you need help using any of these resources, or in developing a search strategy for your topic, please ask for assistance at the Hunt Library reference desk.

• America: History and Life (Carnegie Mellon users only)
  1954-present (updated monthly).
  Citations and some abstracts to journal articles, dissertations, and book and media reviews on United States and Canadian history from prehistory to the present. Covers all historical topics, including foreign policy, and a variety of disciplines including popular culture, gender studies, anthropology, literature and folklore, etc. Also has a non-US history counterpart Historical Abstracts. To search both, once connected, click on Choose Databases and select both databases.

• Cameo
  Use this to find books in the Carnegie Mellon University Libraries. Search hint: to find the most relevant books on the history of Pittsburgh, search the keywords Pittsburgh or pittsburgh and history as a subject. Combine either of these with other relevant search terms to further limit your search.

• The Catalog (Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh)
  Use this catalog to find books in Pittsburgh's public libraries, which are a rich repository of resources. It also includes journal titles, records, some government documents, etc. Not all of the items in the libraries will be in the online catalog. For a comprehensive idea of the holdings, you may still have to look at card catalogs and card files. Search hint: type su pittsburgh or (su pittsburgh) and (su history) in the word search to do a subject keyword search, which retrieves the most relevant material. Combine either of these with other relevant search terms to further limit your search.

• Historic Pittsburgh: Full-Text Collection (Digital Research Library, University of Pittsburgh)
  Use this to find full text books from the early 19th and 20th centuries.

• Historical Society of Western Pennsylvania: Library and Archives
  Catalog of books, newspapers, manuscripts, and maps documenting life in Western Pennsylvania. Archival materials include personal and family papers, associations' records, and records of business and industry. Since the collection is non-circulating, you will need to go to this library in order to use any of its resources.

• PA's Past: Digital Bookshelf at Penn State (Penn State Libraries)
  Search or browse a Pennsylvania history collection consisting primarily of Pennsylvania county histories, atlases, and Civil War regimental histories.

• Pittcat (University of Pittsburgh Libraries)
  Library catalog of the University of Pittsburgh Libraries. Search hint: Use the keyword search and type pittsburgh or pittsburgh and history as a subject to retrieve the most relevant material. Combine either of these with other relevant search terms to further limit your search. You can limit your search to books by clicking on the Set Search Limits box at then end of the search form, and then selecting book from the Item Type: menu.

• Poole's Plus: The Digital Index of the Nineteenth Century (Carnegie Mellon users only)
  ca. 1800ss.
  Use this to find citations for nineteenth century books:
  Series II: Book Indices
  • 19th Century Books MARC Records

• Worldcat (Carnegie Mellon users only)
  1200-present (Updated daily).
  Use this to find citations to books, titles of journals, manuscripts, and other materials in libraries throughout the United States, as well as some international libraries. You can limit your search to books by selecting Book in the Type option. Search hint: search pittsburgh or pittsburgh and history as a subject to retrieve the most relevant material. Combine either of these with other relevant search terms to further limit your search. This database can also tell you which libraries have the books.

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Directories

Below are some directories that may be useful for Pittsburgh history topics. You can find additional ones by searching Pittsburgh (Pa) Directories in Pittcat (select Subject heading in the Author/Title/Subject search) or the Catalog of the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh (select Subject search). If you need help finding or using directories, please ask at the Hunt Library reference desk.

• Book of Business Lists (Pittsburgh, Pa.) Pittsburgh, Pa.: Pittsburgh Business Weekly Corp. 1984-1994.
  Print: 1985, 1987-1994.
  HUNT REF-1 HC107 .P42 P4932
  Continued by: Book of Lists (Pittsburgh, Pa.). Pittsburgh, Pa.: Pittsburgh Business Times, 1995-.
  Print: 1995-present.
  HUNT REF-1 HC107 .P42 P4932
  Shelved at reference desk.

• Corporations Review. [Pittsburgh, Pa.]: Publisher varies by date.
  Print: 1977, 1983-1986, 1993-2000.
  HUNT REF-1 658.1 C82
  Print: 2002
  ENGR&SCI Reference 658.1 C82

• A Directory of Orphanages For Allegheny County, Pennsylvania and Some Adjacent Counties (Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh)
  Names of the institutions, dates of existence, addresses, and the location of records, if known.

• Harris' Pittsburgh Business Directory for the Year 1837: Including the Names of All the Merchants, Manufacturers, Mechanics, Professional, & Men of Business of Pittsburgh and its Vicinity. Pittsburgh: Isaac Harris, 1837- . (Historic Pittsburgh, Digital Research Library, University of Pittsburgh)

• The Pittsburgh and Allegheny Blue Book. Cleveland, Ohio: M.B. Haven, 1887- .
  Print: 1889, 1892, 1895, 1897, 1899-1906, 1908, 1911-1912, 1926, 1929, 1938, 1950, 1960, 1962, 1966.
  UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH, ARCHIVES SERVICE CENTER F159 P6P7.
  Print: 1923, 1926, 1929,1932, 1936, 1938, 1940, 1942, 1948, 1950, 1952, 1954, 1956, 1958, 1960, 1962, 1964, 1966, 1968, 1970, 1972, 1975.
  UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH, HILLMAN LIBRARY F159 P6P7
  Full text: The Pittsburgh and Allegheny Blue Book, 1895. Pittsburgh: M.B. Haven, 1887- . (Historic Pittsburgh, Digital Research Library, University of Pittsburgh)

• The Pittsburgh Directory for 1815, Containing the Names, Professions and Residence of the Heads of Families and Persons in Business, in the Borough of Pittsburgh, with an Appendix Containing a Variety of Useful Information. Pittsburgh: Republished by the Colonial Trust Company, 1905. (Historic Pittsburgh, Digital Research Library, University of Pittsburgh)

• Pittsburgh Street Directory: As Revised Since the Consolidation of the Cities of Pittsburgh and Allegheny, 1916. Pittsburgh: Pittsburgh Printing Co., 1916. (Historic Pittsburgh, Digital Research Library, University of Pittsburgh)

• Winans, Margaret A. Social Directory for Greater Pittsburgh. Philadelphia: Lippincott, 1904, c1903. (Historic Pittsburgh, Digital Research Library, University of Pittsburgh)

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Government Documents

To find Pennsylvania state, Allegheny County, and city documents search Worldcat (Carnegie Mellon users only). Use either Pennsylvania, Allegheny County, or Pittsburgh as the author (change keyword search option to author) along with any additional keywords. For federal documents, see History and Policy: Government Documents. Reference librarians can help you with a search strategy and with finding documents.

Below are some documents concerning the city of Pittsburgh. Generally, each city department is responsible for the proper disposition of its own records. If you need help finding additonal documents, please ask at the Hunt Library reference desk.

• Allegheny (Pittsburgh, Pa.) Common Council and Select Council. City Common and Select Council Minutes. Harrisburg, Pa.: Division of Archives and Manuscripts, Bureau of Archives and History, Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission, 1979. Microfilm.
  CARNEGIE LIBRARY OF PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA DEPARTMENT MICROFORM r FILM P-71
  Covers minutes of meetings of the Allegheny City Common and Select Councils for the years 1840-1907. Original documents available at the Archives and Library, Senator John Heinz Pittsburgh Regional History Center MSS #205. For contents see: Guide to the Minutes of the Allegheny (Pa.) Select and Common Council, 1840-1907 MSS #205 (Digital Research Library, University of Pittsburgh).

• Allegheny County (Pa.) Office of Records Administration. Naturalization Records of Allegheny County, 1817-1899. Pittsburgh, PA: County of Allegheny, Office of Records Administration, [1994?]
  HUNT MFILM-3 974.885 N285

• Board of Public Education, School District of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Records: 1861-1980.
  CARNEGIE LIBRARY OF PITTSBURGH, THE WILLIAM R. OLIVER SPECIAL COLLECTIONS ROOM
  A gift from the Board of Public Education to Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh in 1989, the collection is divided into six subgroups: Office of the Board of Public Education (and predecessors), subdistrict school boards, Office of Business Affairs, Office of the Superintendent, and the Pittsburgh Public Schools. Documents include annual reports, publications, clippings, photographs, directories, maps, charts, diagrams and graphs, minute books, financial records, committee and department reports, courses of study, survey commission reports, school histories, and various school records, including enrollment, grade and attendance registers.

• City of Allegheny, PA. Records, 1824-1907.
  UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH, ARCHIVES SERVICE CENTER AIS 68:24
  The area is now the North Side of the city of Pittsburgh.

• City of Pittsburgh
  Links to all departments of city government, city documents, maps, statistics, etc.
  • Pittburgh's City Clerk's Office
    • Meetings and Minutes
      Links to City Council's Agendas, Schedules, and Minutes.

• [County and Municipal Records on Microfilm in the Pennsylvania State Archives]. Edited by Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission. Harrisburg, Pa.: Division of Archives and Manuscripts, Bureau of Archives and History, Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission, 1979. Microfilm.
  UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH, HILLMAN LIBRARY, MICROFORMS (2nd Floor) Microfilm F 51
  487 reels containing the records of various municipalities and counties in Western Pennsylvania. For contents, see Guide to County and Municipal Records on Microfilm in the Pennsylvania State Archives R CD3474.P46 1982.

• Current Urban Documents
  Print: 1972-1990.
  UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH, HILLMAN LIBRARY, MICROFORMS, (2nd floor).
  Microfiche of Allegheny County and Pittsburgh documents indexed in Index to Current Urban Documents (see below) from 1972 to 1990.

• HELIOS
  H. John Heinz III U.S. Senate Papers, 1977-91; U.S. House Papers, 1971-76, updated irregularly. Full text electronic access to major portions of the congressional papers of the late Senator H. John Heinz III of Pennsylvania.

• Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh. Annual Report. Pittsburgh, Pa.: The Authority.
  Print: 1934-53, 1988, 1993-94
  LIBRARY AND ARCHIVES, SENATOR JOHN HEINZ PITTSBURGH REGIONAL HISTORY CENTER
  Print: 1978-1999
  CARNEGIE LIBRARY OF PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA DEPARTMENT

• Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh. Records, 1937-1953.
  UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH, ARCHIVES SERVICE CENTER AIS 66:8
  Correspondence, financial reports, speeches, architectural drawings, memoranda, legal brief, publications, and other papers, relating to housing projects at Arlington Heights, Bedford Dwellings, and Terrace Village, public housing in Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, and Pittsburgh, to the legal case, Housing Authority vs. Sanctis Construction Company, and to Lester A. Zindel's service as comptroller of the authority (1939-53).

• Index to Current Urban Documents
  Online: 1995-present
  Print: v. 1, 1972-v. 28, 1999/2000.
  HUNT REF-1/INDEX
  Use this to find citations to publications of selected cities, counties, regional organizations, special districts, quasi-public organizations and state publications that treat a specific city or county. You can limit your search to Pittsburgh by selecting Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania from Search by Municipality: menu. Hillman Library, University of Pittsburgh, has microfiche copies of the Allegheny County and Pittsburgh documents cited in this database from 1972 to 1990. If you need others, use Interlibrary Loan.

• Pittsburgh (Pa.) [Borough Council Minutes] Harrisburg, Pa.: Division of Archives and Manuscripts, Bureau of Archives and History, Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission, 1979. Microfilm.
  CARNEGIE LIBRARY OF PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA DEPARTMENT MICROFORM r FILM P-70
  Covers council minutes from Pittsburgh boroughs that were later incorporated into the City of Pittsburgh. Beechview Borough Council minutes, 1905-1908. Beltzhoover Borough Council minutes, 1887-1898. Birmingham Borough Council minutes, 1847-1858. Brushton Borough Council minutes, 1890-1894. Carrick Borough Council minutes, 1907-1927. Chartiers Township Commissioners minutes, 1901-1920. East Birmingham Borough Council minutes, 1849-1873. Elliott Borough Council minutes, 1892-1904. Esplen Borough Council minutes, 1891-1905. Hays Borough Council minutes, 1912-1928. Knoxville Borough Council minutes, 1893-1926. Lawrenceville Borough Council minutes, 1834-1868. Montooth Borough Council minutes, 1897-1907. Ormsby Borough Council minutes, 1868-1872. Overbrook Borough Council minutes, 1920-1929. Lower St. Clair Township Board of Commissioners, 1900-1907. St. Clair Borough Council minutes, 1907-1922. Sheraden Borough Council minutes, 1894-1907. Spring Garden Borough Council minutes, 1883-1920. Union Township Board of Commissioners minutes, 1904-1918. West Liberty Borough Council minutes, 1904-1908. Westwood Borough Council minutes, 1912-1926.

• Pittsburgh (Pa.). City Council. The Budget.
  Print: 1953, 1955, 1957, 1959-60, 1967, 1974, 1978.
  LIBRARY AND ARCHIVES, SENATOR JOHN HEINZ PITTSBURGH REGIONAL HISTORY CENTER

• Pittsburgh (Pa.). City Planning Commission. Minutes and Special Reports, 1940-1959.
  UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH, ARCHIVES OF INDUSTRIAL SOCIETY AIS 76:17

• Pittsburgh (Pa.). Dept. of City Controller. Annual Report of the City Controller.
  Print: 1931, 1936, 1938, 1940, 1942-43, 1945-55.
  LIBRARY AND ARCHIVES, SENATOR JOHN HEINZ PITTSBURGH REGIONAL HISTORY CENTER
  Print: 1951-1963, 1966, 1968, 1970-1984.
  CARNEGIE LIBRARY OF PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA DEPARTMENT r 352 P67r
  Print: 1890, 1984, 1898-1900, 1905-1936, 1938-1947, 1950-1956, 1965-1971.
  UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH STORAGE
  Print: 1960-1984.
  UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH GSPIA/ECONOMICS LIBRARY HJ9013 P69d
  Continued by Comprehensive Annual Financial Report. (see below).

• Pittsburgh (Pa.). Dept. of City Controller. Comprehensive Annual Financial Report. Pittsburgh, Pa.: The Department, .
  Print: 1985-1999.
  CARNEGIE LIBRARY OF PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA DEPARTMENT rq HJ9013.P7 D1
  Continues Annual Report of the City Controller. (see above).

• Pittsburgh, Pa. Dept. of City Controller. Records, 1899-1941.
  UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH, ARCHIVES OF INDUSTRIAL SOCIETY AIS 76:18
  Council's finance committee minutes, 1907, 1911-1938; North Side street and sewer ledger, 1899-1938 (majority of information covers 1908-1914); real estate owned by the city not used for city purposes, wards 1-6, 15-18, 1937; Bureau of Water's report of appraisal, 1928; Audit of City Controller's Office of Accounts' special report, 1911; correspondence, 1922-1932; insolvencies, Pa. Trust Co., 1930s.

• Pittsburgh (Pa.). Dept. of Public Safety. Records, 1877-1928.
  UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH, ARCHIVES OF INDUSTRIAL SOCIETY AIS 71:10
  Yearly docket of building permits, monthly reports of building permits issued; record book of new additions; record book of alterations and repairs; complaint (violation) docket; record book of permits for wiring; includes three volumes of building permits (1894-1908) of Allegheny, Pa., before its annexation by the City of Pittsburgh.

• Pittsburgh (Pa.) Select Council and Common Council. Select and Common Council Records. Harrisburg, Pa.: Division of Archives and Manuscripts, Bureau of Archives and History, Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission, 1980. Microfilm.
  CARNEGIE LIBRARY OF PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA DEPARTMENT MICROFORM r FILM P-79
  Covers miscellaneous records of the Pittsburgh Select and Common Councils for the years 1804-1862. Also includes lists of electors and election results for some of these years.

• Pittsburgh School District (Pa.) Records, 1836-1937. UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH, ARCHIVES OF INDUSTRIAL SOCIETY AIS 69:18
  Minute books of school district boards, minute books of school board committees, account books, cash books, attendance reports, high school enrollment record book, immigrant enrollment books for elementary and secondary schools in the Pittsburgh area including Pittsburgh School District records for areas later incorporated into the city.

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Internet Guides

Below are some web sites listing other resources on Pittsburgh History. If you need help, please ask at the Hunt Library reference desk.

• The Pennsylvania Department: (Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh)
  • Pa Pitt's Master Index
  • Pittsburgh History

• Pittsburgh and Pennsylvania Links of Interest (Pittsburgh History and Landmarks Foundation)

• Western Pennsylvania Civil War Resources (James White)

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Journals

Below are major journals for Pittsburgh History. To find journal and magazine articles, use the databases listed at Pittsburgh History: Journal and Magazine Articles. For additional journals, see History: Journals

• Pennsylvania History
  Full text: v. 1, 1934-ca. v. 68, 2001.
  One volume will be added each year forward.
  Search the archive.
  Print: v.1, 1934-present.
  HUNT JOUR-3

• The Pennsylvania Magazine of History and Biography.
  Annual and cumulative indexes
  Print: v.92, 1968-present
  HUNT JOUR-3

• Western Pennsylvania History
  Print: v. 82, 1999-present
  HUNT JOUR-3
  Continues:
  Pittsburgh History
  Print: v.72, 1989-v. 81, 1998.
  HUNT JOUR-3
  Continues:
  The Western Pennsylvania Historical Magazine
  Print: v.55, 1972-v. 71, 1988
  HUNT JOUR-3
  Print: v.1, 1918-v. 54, 1971
  HUNT MFILM-3

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Journal and Magazine Articles

Below are resources that may help you find articles on Pittsburgh history topics. If you need help using these resources, or in constructing a search strategy for your topic, please ask at the Hunt Library reference desk.

• America: History and Life (Carnegie Mellon users only)
  1964-present (updated monthly).
  Citations and some abstracts to journal articles, dissertations, and book and media reviews on United States and Canadian history from prehistory to the present. Covers all historical topics, including foreign policy, and a variety of disciplines including popular culture, gender studies, anthropology, literature and folklore, etc. Also has a non-US history counterpart Historical Abstracts. To search both, once connected, click on Choose Databases and select both databases.

• JSTOR (Carnegie Mellon users only)
  Dates vary.
  Search or browse full text backfiles of selected academic journals.

• Making of America.
  A collaborative effort between the University of Michigan and Cornell University to use digital technology to preserve primary sources, and to make them accessible. These full text collections are especially strong the areas of education, psychology, American history, sociology, religion, and science and technology.
  • Making of America (Cornell University Library)
    Browse or search journals and books from the antebellum period through reconstruction.
  • Making of America. (University of Michigan)
    Browse or search books and journals materials from the antebellum period through reconstruction, 1850-1877.

• 19th Century Masterfile (Carnegie Mellon users only)
  ca. 1800-1900s.
  Search a variety of indices to find citations for nineteenth and early twentieth century periodicals:
  Series I: Poole's and other Multi-Title Periodical Indices:
  • Poole's Index to Periodical Literature (1802-1906)
  • Stead's Index to Periodicals (1890-1906)
  • Richardson's Index to Periodical Articles in Religion (1890-1899)
  • Cumulative Index to a Selected List of Periodicals (1896-1899)
  Series IV:Harper's Magazine and other Individual Title Indices
  • Harper's Magazine Index (1850-1892)
  • Library Journal Index (1876-1897)
  • Index to 19th Century Periodicals MARC records

• PAISArchive (Carnegie Mellon users only)
  1915-1976.
  Citations to periodicals, books, reports, government documents (mainly federal, some state) on all pulbic policy and social issues.

• Readers' Guide Retrospective (Carnegie Mellon users only)
  1890-1982.
  Online versions of the print index Readers' Guide to Periodical Literature. These databases contain citations to popular magazine and journal articles in all subject areas, including current events, fine arts, fashion, education, business, sports, health, nutrition and consumer affairs.

If full text links for journal articles are not provided, click on to see retrieval options. This is only for journal article citations, and may not be available in all databases. Otherwise, use Cameo to see if materials are in the Carnegie Mellon University Libraries. If they aren't, you can use the Interlibrary Loan options to either borrow or obtain a photocopy of the material.

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Maps

Below are some historic Pittsburgh map resources. Relevant maps may also be in some of the resources listed at History: Maps. If you need help finding maps, please ask at the Hunt Library reference desk.

• Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, 1895 (Livingston County MI Genealogical Web Site)

• Atlas of the County of Allegheny, Penna. Philadelphia: G.M. Hopkins, 1876. Reprint, [Pittsburgh, Pa.]: Historical Society of Western Pennsylvania, 1988.
  HUNT REF-1 ATLAS 912.74885 A881A

• Cuff, David J., et al., eds. The Atlas of Pennsylvania. Philadelphia: Temple University Press, 1989. HUNT REF-1 ATLAS G1260 .A86 1989

• Federation of Social Agencies of Pittsburgh and Allegheny County Bureau of Social Research. Social Facts about Pittsburgh and Allegheny County .... Vol. V, Selected Maps, Pittsburgh and Allegheny County. Pittsburgh: Bureau of Social research, Federation of Social Agencies of Pittsburgh and Allegheny County, c1945.
  HUNT REF-1 HN80 .P6 F43
  Kept in locked case at the reference desk.

• Fire Insurance Maps from the Sanborn Map Company Archives: Late 19th Century to 1990, Pennsylvania. Bethesda, Md.: University Publications of America, c1991.
  HUNT MFILM-3 912.73 S19P415A No. 1-40 ca. 1960-1980.
  See also Sanborn Fire Insurance Maps below. Sanborn Fire Insurance Maps may be helpful, too.

• Historic Pittsburgh: Maps Collection (Digital Research Library, University of Pittsburgh)
  Plat books of Pittsburgh, which show property owners, churches, cemeteries, mills, schools, roads, railroads, lakes, ponds, rivers, and streams. When completed, the project will show the changing urban landscape of Pittsburgh from early 1870s to the late 1930s.

• Homeowner's Guide to Mine Subsidence: Allegheny County: Municipality Mapping List (Department of Environmental Protection)

• Manufacturers Mutual Fire Insurance Company Industrial Site Maps: 1894-1954. Alexandria, Va.: Chadwyck-Healey, 1991.
  HUNT MFICHE-3 338.0973 M294 and Guide

• Map of 1764 Pittsburgh (WQED)
  PDF file

• Map of 1795 Pittsburgh (WQED)
  PDF file

• Map of 1825 Pittsburgh (WQED)
  PDF file

• Map of 1865 Pittsburgh (WQED)
  PDF file

• Map of 1916 Pittsburgh (WQED)
  PDF file

• Map of 1937 Pittsburgh (WQED)
  PDF file

• Map of 1978 Pittsburgh (WQED)
  PDF file

• Muller, Edward K., ed. A Concise Historical Atlas of Pennsylvania. Philadelphia: Temple University Press, 1989.
  HUNT REF-1 ATLAS 912.748 C744

• Pennsylvania Atlas & Gazetteer. Freeport, Me.: DeLorme Mapping Company, c1990.
  HUNT REF-1 REF/DSK 912.748 D362P3

• Sanborn Fire Insurance Maps: Pennsylvania. Teaneck, N. J.: Chadwyck-Healey, 1984.
  HUNT MFILM-3 912.73 S19P415 No. 1-73, ca. 1880-1950.
  See also Fire Insurance Maps from the Sanborn Map Company Archives above. This guide on the Sanborn Fire Insurance Maps may be helpful, too.

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Newspapers

Below are some resources for finding newspapers and newspaper articles on Pittsburgh history. If you need help with any of these resources, or with finding newspapers or newspaper articles, ask at the Hunt Library reference desk.

The Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh has an extensive collection of historical local newspapers. For a listing of newspapers published in Pittsburgh, see:

Gregory, Winifred, ed. American Newspapers, 1821-1936; A Union List of Files Available in the United States and Canada. New York: The H.W. Wilson company, 1937.
HUNT REF-1 016.071 A51

Currently, no indexes or databases exist to search historical Pittsburgh newspapers. Pittsburgh newspapers are available online for recent years only via the following databases:

• LexisNexis Academic (Carnegie Mellon users only)
  in the News, U.S. News category, Northeast Regional Sources you can search some Pennsylvania newspapers, including the:
  • Pittsburgh Post Gazette (1993-present)
  • Pittsburgh Tribune Review (2001-present)
  You can click on the source list for the Northeast Regional Sources and select those papers from the list, then click on paste to search to restrict your searching to those newspapers only.

• Pittsburgh Clipping File.
  ca. 1900 to present.
  Pennsylvania Department, Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh.
  File containinig thousands of articles from local newspapers covering a variety of historical and current topics and personalities of the Pittsburgh area.

• The Pittsburgh Jewish Newspaper Project (Carnegie Mellon University Libraries, The Rodef Shalom Congregation Archives, The Rauh Jewish Archives at the Senator John Heinz History Center, The Jewish Chronicle of Pittsburgh, and underwritten in part by the United Jewish Federation of Pittsburgh)
  Search or browse the full text of Pittsburgh Jewish newspapers. The Jewish Criterion is the first of three newspapers to be digitized in the project. When completed, the digital library will include the Jewish Criterion (1895-1962), the American Jewish Outlook (1934-1962) and the Jewish Chronicle (1962-present).

• Pittsburgh Post Gazette via NewsBank.
  1990-present.
  Access this full text database at the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh, or remotely via the with your Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh library card number. To get a card, go to the Main Library lending desk, 1st floor and show current Carnegie Mellon ID and proof of local residence (i.e. a bill or letter addressed to you in Allegheny County).

• ProQuest (Carnegie Mellon users only)
  Selecting Publications and typing in pittsburgh will let you see the Pittsburgh publications available:
  • New Pittsburgh Courier (1959-present)
  • Pittsburgh Business Times (1999-2004)
  • Pittsburgh Post Gazette (1993-present)
  • Small Business Pittsburgh (1994-present).
  You can then choose to browse or to search within one of these publications. To search all, choose the Advanced Search, change citation and abstract to publication title and type in pittsburgh.

Searching other newspaper databases may give some information on events happening in Pittsburgh:

• Historical New York Times (Carnege Mellon users only)
  Full text: 1851-ca. 1999.

• Historical Wall Street Journal (Carnegie Mellon users only)
  1890-1986

Pittsburgh newspapers in Hunt Library:

• Pittsburgh Gazette
  Print: July 29, 1786-May 29, 1820.
  HUNT MFILM-3
  Continued by Pittsburgh Gazette, and Manufacturing and Mercantile Advertiser (see below)

• Pittsburgh Gazette
  Print: 1825-1833.
  HUNT MFILM-3
  Continues Pittsburgh Gazette, and Manufacturing and Mercantile Advertiser (see below); Continued by Daily Pittsburgh Gazette.

• Pittsburgh Gazette, and Manufacturing and Mercantile Advertiser
  Print: v.36, new ser, no.1, June 5, 1820-1825.
  HUNT MFILM-3
  Continues Pittsburgh Gazette (see above); Continued by Pittsburgh Gazette (see above).

• Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
  Print: 1978-present.
  HUNT MFILM-3
  Paper kept until the microfilm arrives.
  Full text: 1993-present.
  Available: Proquest Direct (Carnegie Mellon users only)
  Absorbed Pittsburgh Press (see below) and continues Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Sun-Telegraph.

• Pittsburgh Press
  Print: 1960-1992
  HUNT MFILM-3
  Absorbed by Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (see above).

• Pittsburgh Tribune Review
  Print: 1995-present.
  HUNT MFILM-3
  Paper kept until the microfilm arrives; microfilm is filed under Tribune Review

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Oral Histories

• War & Conflict: Western Pennsylvanians and World War II (A Collaboration of Duquesne University & Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh)

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Pictorial Resources

Pictures of Pittsburgh may also be in some of the resources listed at History: Pictorial Resources. To find additional resources in Hunt Library, search pittsburgh and pictorial as a subject search in Cameo. If you need help finding pictures of historic Pittsburgh, please ask at the Hunt Library reference desk.

• Andrew Carnegie Image Collection (University Archives, Carnegie Mellon University)

• Benedict-Jones, Linda. Pittsburgh Revealed: Photographs since 1850. Pittsburgh, Pa.: Carnegie Museum of Art, 1997.
  HUNT FA-REF-4 779.9974886 P692
  HUNT STACKS-4 779.9974886 P692

• Bridges and Tunnels of Allegheny County and Pittsburgh, PA (Bruce S. Cridlebaugh)

• Bridging the Urban Landscape (Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh)
  About 600 historical photographs and images of Pittsburgh, including bridges and neighborhoods, accompanied by text.

• The Hetrick Collection (Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh)
  279 35mm color slides taken in the 1970s and 1980s by George D. Hetrick.

• Historic Pittsburgh Image Collections (Digital Research Library, University of Pittsburgh)

• The Photographers (Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh)
  Photographs of Pittsburgh, arranged by name of photographer.

• Photographic Archives (Senator John Heinz Regional History Center/Historical Society of Western Pennsylvania)
  Photographs of buildings, people, business and industry, sports, transportation, etc.

• Pittsburgh Walking Tours (Pittsburgh Department of City Planning)
  Brief history of the Historic Review Commission and tours of downtown Pittsburgh, historic neighborhoods, and interiors of city buildings.

• Schulz, Constance B. and Steven W. Plattner, eds. Witness to the Fifties: The Pittsburgh Photographic Library, 1950-1953. Pittsburgh: University of Pittsburgh Press, c1999.
  HUNT OVRSZQ-2 F159 .P643 S38 1999

• Teenie Harris: Documenting Our Past: The Teenie Harris Archive Project (Carnegie Museum of Art, Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh and the Department of History at the University of Pittsburgh)

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Records of Businesses, Individuals, and Organizations

Below are some resources that can help you find records, papers, correspondence, and other materials from businesses, individuals, and organizations involved in Pittsburgh's history. There are too many collections to list here. The listings at Archives, Libraries, and Museums may also be helpful for information about a particular repository or collection. To obtain archival materials, you usually must go to the repository that has the collection. If you need help finding archival collections, please ask for assistance at the Hunt Library reference desk.

• Archives USA (Carnegie Mellon users only)
  Contains information on the collections in archives throughout the United States. To find collections available in Pittsburgh, do a Collection Search and type in pittsburgh in the Repository City space. To limit your search, you can type in the name of an individual, business, organization or a subject term in the All keywords line.

• Historic Pittsburgh: Finding Aids (Digital Research Library, University of Pittsburgh)
  Search or browse over 200 guides describing some of the archival and manuscript collections held by the University of Pittsburgh and the Historical Society of Western Pennsylvania.

• Historical Society of Western Pennsylvania: Library and Archives (Historical Society of Western Pennsylvania)
  Search or browse for collections of the Society, located in the Senator John Heinz Pittsburgh Regional History Center. To search, scroll down to the Searching portion of the page and type the name of an individual, business, organization or even a subject. To limit your search to archival materials, at Restrict Search to: select Archival Collections. To browse by author, subject, personal name, organization or location, scroll down to the Browse portion of the page and select from the options listed.

• Pittcat (University of Pittsburgh Library System)
  Search for archival collections at the University of Pittsburgh. Once connected to Pittcat, select keyword search. Then, to limit your search to archival materials, click on Set Search Limits. In Item Type select Archive/Manuscript and then click Set Limits. Type in the name of an individual, business, organization or a subject term to find relevant archival collections.

• Worldcat (Carnegie Mellon users only)
  Comprehensive catalog for locating archival collections in the United States. Under Limit type to mark the box for Archival Materials. A free (accessible to all) version of OCLC for searching for archival material and manuscripts is available at NUCMC: National Union Catalog of Manuscript Collections.

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Statistical Resources

Historical statistics on Pittsburgh are too numerous to list here. Below are some of the more basic ones. Relevant statistics may also be in some of the resources listed at History: Statistical Resources. Ask at the Hunt Library reference desk if you need help finding statistics on your topic.

• Farmer, Paul,Christopher Shea, and Ed Wells, eds. Population, Social, Economic & Housing Data by Neighborhood, 1940 to 1990. 3 vols. Pittsburgh, Pa.: Dept. of City Planning, c1994.
  HUNT REF-1 304.6097488 P6923
  Kept in locked case at reference desk.

• Federation of Social Agencies of Pittsburgh and Allegheny County Bureau of Social Research. Social Facts about Pittsburgh and Allegheny County ... 5 vols. Pittsburgh: Bureau of Social Research, Federation of Social Agencies of Pittsburgh and Allegheny County, c1945.
  HUNT REF-1 HN80 .P6 F43
  Kept in locked case at the reference desk.

• Historic Pittsburgh Census Schedules
  Search the U.S. Census Schedules for the city of Pittsburgh from the years 1850, 1860, 1870, and 1880 and for Allegheny City from the years 1850, 1860, and 1870. Census Schedules contain information about specific individuals. With the Multiple Field Search you can search for occupation, i. e., find the number of individuals employed in a certain occupation, and even opt to limit that search by gender.

• Pennsylvania. Dept. of Commerce. Bureau of Statistics, Research, and Planning. Pennsylvania County Data Book. [Harrisburg]: Pennsylvania Dept. of Commerce.
  Data books for Allegheny, Beaver, Butler, Greene, Fayette, Washington, and Westmoreland counties.
  Print: 1985, 1995, 1999, 2001, 2003 (no 2003 for Washington), 2005
  HUNT REF-1 HA607 .A44 P46 [Allegheny County]

• Pennsylvania. Department of Commerce. Bureau of Statistics, Research and Planning. Pennsylvania Statistical Abstract. [Harrisburg]: Dept. of Commerce, 1958- .
  Print: 1958, 1961-1970, 1972, 1974-1978, 1980, 1983-1987.
  HUNT REF-1 HA607 .P4
  Print: 1958-1987.
  CARNEGIE LIBRARY OF PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA DEPARTMENT and LIBRARY CENTER REFERENCE 317.48 P39p
  Continued by :
  Pennsylvania State Data Center. Pennsylvania Abstract. Middletown, Pa.: Pennsylvania State Data Center, Institute of State and Regional Affairs, 1992- .
  Print: 1992-present.
  CD-ROM 1996, 1998
  HUNT REF-1 HA607 .P4
  

• Pittsburgh (Pa.). Bureau of Police. Statistical Report. Pittsburgh: The Bureau.
  Print: 1986-1993
  HUNT REF-1 352.2 P62S
  Print: 1971-1998.
  CARNEGIE LIBRARY OF PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA DEPARTMENT HV7605 .A37

• Pittsburgh (Pa.). Dept. of City Planning. A Community Profile of ... [Pittsburgh neighborhoods]. 72 v. Pittsburgh: The Dept., 1974.
  HUNT REF-1 309.174886 P691c
  Each volume also has a distinctive title for each neighborhood. Kept in file cabinets behind reference desk.

• Pittsburgh (Pa.). Dept. of City Planning. A Profile of Change: 1970-1980. 88 v. Pittsburgh: [Dept. of City Planning] 1984.
  HUNT REF-1 309.174886 P691C 1970/80
  Each volume also has a distinctive title for each neighborhood. Kept in file cabinets behind reference desk.

• Pittsburgh Neighborhood Atlas. 35 v. Pittsburgh: Pittsburgh Neighborhood Alliance, 1977.
  HUNT REF-1 309.174886 P69916
  Each volume also has a distinctive title for each neighborhood, An Atlas of the ....Neighborhood of Pittsburgh 1977. Kept in file cabinets behind reference desk.

• Woodwell, James R. The Social Geography of Allegheny County: Social, Economic, and Demographic Indicators for Allegheny County Municipalities and Pittsburgh City Neighborhoods. 4 vols. Pittsburgh, Pa.: University Center for Social and Urban Research, University of Pittsburgh, [1993].
  HUNT REF-1 304.6097488 W91S
  Kept in locked case at reference desk.

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History