Allegheny Commons is a

municipal park An urban park or metropolitan park, also known as a municipal park (North America) or a public park, public open space, or municipal gardens ( UK), is a park in cities and other incorporated places that offer recreation and green space to resi ...

located in Pittsburgh's North Side. The park surrounds the neighborhood of

Allegheny Center 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 (Downtown, North Shore) and District 1 (Northside). History In ...

. 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 City was a municipality that existed in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania from 1788 until it was annexed by Pittsburgh in 1907. It was located north across the Allegheny River from downtown Pittsburgh, with its southwest border formed by ...

, in 1907.

History

The park was once free grazing land whic
surrounded the first 32 blocks
of

Allegheny City Allegheny City was a municipality that existed in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania from 1788 until it was annexed by Pittsburgh in 1907. It was located north across the Allegheny River from downtown Pittsburgh, with its southwest border formed by ...

in John Redick's 1784 town plan. It was re-made into a municipal park in the 1860s by landscape architects hired by

. Allegheny Commons Park has three main parts, all of which are in the

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 The National Aviary, located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, is the only independent indoor nonprofit aviary in the United States. It is also the country's largest aviary, and the only one accorded honorary "National" statu ...

since 1952. A non-profit organization, The Allegheny Commons Initiative maintains the park acting as a liaison between it and the city through advocacy, fundraising, and project management.

Western Penitentiary

From 1826 to 1880, the first prison west of the

Atlantic Plain The Atlantic Plain is one of eight distinct United States physiographic regions. The Atlantic Coast of the United States comprises the coastal states of Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Maine, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, South Caro ...

operated in the present day park. It was demolished in 1880. In 1882 a

new prison The New Prison was a prison located in the Clerkenwell area of central London between c.1617 and 1877. The New Prison was used to house prisoners committed for examination before the police magistrates, for trial at the sessions, for want of bail ...

bearing its name was completed a few blocks west, along the

Ohio River The Ohio River is a long river in the United States. It is located at the boundary of the Midwestern and Southern United States, flowing southwesterly from western Pennsylvania to its mouth on the Mississippi River at the southern tip of Illino ...

Charles Dickens Charles John Huffam Dickens (; 7 February 1812 – 9 June 1870) was an English writer and social critic. He created some of the world's best-known fictional characters and is regarded by many as the greatest novelist of the Victorian e ...

visited the city from March 20–22, 1842, during his American tour. He visited the prison and some scholars believe conditions at the facility inspired elements of the classic ''

A Christmas Carol ''A Christmas Carol. In Prose. Being a Ghost Story of Christmas'', commonly known as ''A Christmas Carol'', is a novella by Charles Dickens, first published in London by Chapman & Hall in 1843 and illustrated by John Leech. ''A Christmas C ...

''. The site is famous for housing 118

Confederate soldiers The Confederate States Army, also called the Confederate Army or the Southern Army, was the military land force of the Confederate States of America (commonly referred to as the Confederacy) during the American Civil War (1861–1865), fighting ...

after their capture in

Morgan's Raid Morgan's Raid was a diversionary incursion by Confederate cavalry into the Union states of Indiana, Kentucky, Ohio and West Virginia during the American Civil War. The raid took place from June 11 to July 26, 1863, and is named for the commander ...

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 is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York; on the east, southeast, and south by the Atlantic Ocean; on the west by the Delaware ...

on March 18, 1864. Although conditions were good for the time, at least eight Confederates died during the winter, one while attempting escape.

Gallery

File:Gus_Kalaris.jpg, Gus Kalaris, owner of Gus and Yiayia's. File:Gus and Yiayia's Ice Ball Stand.jpg,

Gus and Yiayia's Gus and Yiayia's is a food cart located in Allegheny Commons Park in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Established in 1934, it is best known for serving ice balls for kids during summer. History This foodstand was originally established in 1917. Gus ...

is a historic shaved ice stand in Pittsburgh's Allegheny Commons Park. File:Karl Bodmer Travels in America (6).jpg, "Penitentiary near Pittsburgh" by Karl Bodmer, 1832–1839.

Notes

References

{{Pittsburgh parks Parks in Pittsburgh Urban public parks 1867 establishments in Pennsylvania Protected areas established in 1867

History

Western Penitentiary

Gallery

See also

Notes

References