Slide Shows

Although the technology is out-of-date, our slide shows are as popular as ever with senior centers, community groups, and schools. The slide shows include historic illustrations and present-day photos and vary from 20 to 40 minutes in length. They are available to school teachers, convention coordinators, and program chairmen for public and private organizations. Your group may either borrow a slide show or request that a volunteer from the Pittsburgh History & Landmarks Foundation present a slide lecture for your group.

To borrow a slide show:

• Call PHLF’s education department 412-471-5808 at least three weeks in advance of your requested date to reserve a slide show and to arrange a convenient time to pick up the slides.
• Members of PHLF may borrow a slide show with no rental fee: non-members must pay a $35 rental fee, or join PHLF.
• All borrowers are required to pay a $35 deposit which will be refunded when the slides are returned to PHLF in good condition.

To arrange for an illustrated lecture:

• Call Mary Lu Denny at 412-471-5808, ext. 527 at least two weeks in advance of your requested date.
• Every illustrated lecture presentation requires a $35 presentation fee and a $50 fee for non-members (no deposit is needed).
• PHLF’s volunteer will be responsible for presenting the illustrated lecture and for returning the slide show to PHLF.
• Following the slide show, the volunteer will entertain questions.

1. Architecture: The Building Art

Views of Pittsburgh architecture illustrate the three basic goals of architecture: building use, building structure, and building appearance.

2. A Tourist’s View of Pittsburgh

Also available on video

The words of aristocrats, commoners, authors, artists, politicians, and scientists compose this tourist’s view of Pittsburgh. It provides an entertaining history and profile of our ever-changing city.

3. Pittsburgh’s Industrial Past

Through historic drawings, advertisements, engravings, and photographs, viewers learn about the industries that helped make Pittsburgh the “Workshop of the World.”

4. Our Ethnic Neighborhoods and Congregations

This slide show is a capsule history of immigration in industrial Pittsburgh, and illustrates neighborhood development and many religious traditions.

5. Pittsburgh’s Bridges

This slide show discusses the types of bridges to be found in and near Pittsburgh and mentions, in particular, the bridges to be seen on a Three Rivers cruise.

3. The Builders of Pittsburgh

Some of the most famous builders of Pittsburgh are introduced in this slide show, and their architectural monuments are described.

7. An Eye for Architecture

This series of five slide shows focuses on the history and architecture of the Golden Triangle and four distinct neighborhoods: South Side, East Street Valley, East Liberty, and McKees Rocks.

8. The Allegheny County Courthouse and Jail

Here, Pittsburgh’s most famous buildings are described in their historic context. The career of the architect, H. H. Richardson, is outlined, and his great (if brief) influence on Pittsburgh’s architecture is described.

9. Pittsburgh Parks and Sculpture

The origin of our public park system is documented in this slide show; special attention is given to Schenley and Highland Parks.

10. Schenley Park

This slide show examines the park’s rich history and its landscape, buildings, and monuments, and focuses on the park’s significance and its need for restoration.

11. Pittsburgh’s Pioneer Past: The Neill Log House

This slide show places the Neill Log House, located in Schenley Park, in its historical and geographic context through a lively “then-and-now” series of modern photographs and historic engravings, paintings, maps, and artifacts.

12. The Mexican War Streets: A Neighborhood Restoration

This slide show charts the progress of the neighborhood restoration program of the 1960s and 70s in the Mexican War Streets on Pittsburgh’s North Side.

13. Station Square: An Urban Renaissance

Through a series of “before and after” views, this slide show illustrates the transformation of five historic Pittsburgh & Lake Erie Railroad buildings into Station Square. The Pittsburgh History & Landmarks Foundation initiated the adaptive-use project in 1976 with funding support from the Allegheny Foundation and served as prime developer of the site until 1994. Now, over three million people visit Station Square each year, enjoying the shops, restaurants, special events, and riverfront life.

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