# Homestead to McKeesport, Is there beauty in industrial ruins?



## crossracer (Jun 21, 2004)

This is a section of the Great Allegheny Passage that runs between Homestead Pa and McKeesport Pa. This is a bit of a history lesson and ride report. 

Growing up in this valley in the 70's i was used to the sight of huge steel plants lighting up the night and bealching smoke during the day. At its height McKeesport had about 50,000 people living in it, a vibrant down town, and jobs, jobs, jobs. All thru the valley up into Homestead was more and more steel mills. Today, they are all mostly gone. A few years ago they completed a trail up thru these areas. I havnt had a chance to ride it, but today i decided to go ride it as i was here visiting my mother. 

What i found was both beautiful, and ugly, progress, and remains. 

I started the ride in Homestead. They have created a huge shopping community, appartments, and restraunts on the site of one of the huge mills. There is very little left now, but there are a few clues. I parked at the Lowes at the one end of the shopping center, starting out i came to this sign. 

<a href="https://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v29/crossracer/?action=view&current=D6286962-800A-4B1C-9F53-99F3F5C31950-1894-00000340C3DD32F1.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v29/crossracer/D6286962-800A-4B1C-9F53-99F3F5C31950-1894-00000340C3DD32F1.jpg" border="0" alt="Uploaded from the Photobucket iPhone App"></a>

Funny i have driven by this before and never knew it was here. 

<a href="https://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v29/crossracer/?action=view&current=EACBB51C-DA85-4379-9099-DEA751F06DE8-1902-00000342BC4D67B4.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v29/crossracer/EACBB51C-DA85-4379-9099-DEA751F06DE8-1902-00000342BC4D67B4.jpg" border="0" alt="Uploaded from the Photobucket iPhone App"></a>

Its some kind of labyrinth, interesting, art where you never would have thought to look. 

The next sign was about the Homestead Strike, 

<a href="https://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v29/crossracer/?action=view&current=177FD2BD-1077-4568-AA33-7D2D362A9ACC-1902-000003434294C6E3.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v29/crossracer/177FD2BD-1077-4568-AA33-7D2D362A9ACC-1902-000003434294C6E3.jpg" border="0" alt="Uploaded from the Photobucket iPhone App"></a>

Moving onto the trail proper i found a well maintained, paved trail that had quite a bit of users on it. It was great seeing so many different people on it. I traveled a bit and caught sight of this. 

<a href="https://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v29/crossracer/?action=view&current=7D1B25C7-DFAB-44C2-936D-7AC991A0AB1E-169-00000013AA18368E.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v29/crossracer/7D1B25C7-DFAB-44C2-936D-7AC991A0AB1E-169-00000013AA18368E.jpg" border="0" alt="Uploaded from the Photobucket iPhone App"></a>

Next up was a series of rough homes across the railroad tracks. 

<a href="https://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v29/crossracer/?action=view&current=27DE7946-00F7-40A3-A435-9D627ADFB643-169-00000013B0DE7EFF.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v29/crossracer/27DE7946-00F7-40A3-A435-9D627ADFB643-169-00000013B0DE7EFF.jpg" border="0" alt="Uploaded from the Photobucket iPhone App"></a>

However we then get to the Rankin Bridge, recently repainted, doesnt look to bad in blue. 

<a href="https://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v29/crossracer/?action=view&current=7F37984F-B4F0-4ED6-873B-55EDF22FC9B2-169-00000013B6A832F8.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v29/crossracer/7F37984F-B4F0-4ED6-873B-55EDF22FC9B2-169-00000013B6A832F8.jpg" border="0" alt="Uploaded from the Photobucket iPhone App"></a>

General picture of the trail, with one of the two bridges that takes you up and ver the active railroad tracks. 

<a href="https://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v29/crossracer/?action=view&current=35EC6FCE-85E6-452D-8250-97EC8396C024-169-00000013BC612BA9.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v29/crossracer/35EC6FCE-85E6-452D-8250-97EC8396C024-169-00000013BC612BA9.jpg" border="0" alt="Uploaded from the Photobucket iPhone App"></a>

ANd check out what i found in this industrial wasteland, a few miles of this.

<a href="https://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v29/crossracer/?action=view&current=F077D29C-C73D-4852-9C8C-A8C3DFB1F978-169-00000013C9B74AD5.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v29/crossracer/F077D29C-C73D-4852-9C8C-A8C3DFB1F978-169-00000013C9B74AD5.jpg" border="0" alt="Uploaded from the Photobucket iPhone App"></a>

<a href="https://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v29/crossracer/?action=view&current=BEE5C886-3803-4028-AF2E-33716565EBF9-169-00000013C4967067.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v29/crossracer/BEE5C886-3803-4028-AF2E-33716565EBF9-169-00000013C4967067.jpg" border="0" alt="Uploaded from the Photobucket iPhone App"></a>

Another sign. 

<a href="https://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v29/crossracer/?action=view&current=CC7B2789-C333-4830-AF9E-80886FD653FA-169-00000013D1EA03E4.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v29/crossracer/CC7B2789-C333-4830-AF9E-80886FD653FA-169-00000013D1EA03E4.jpg" border="0" alt="Uploaded from the Photobucket iPhone App"></a>

close up of the text for the history buffs. 
<a href="https://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v29/crossracer/?action=view&current=FD314E0B-7290-4DB3-BF90-8EF8FFECF777-169-00000013D7CEB37E.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v29/crossracer/FD314E0B-7290-4DB3-BF90-8EF8FFECF777-169-00000013D7CEB37E.jpg" border="0" alt="Uploaded from the Photobucket iPhone App"></a>

Finally we reach the old railroad bridge into McKeesport. They redid this a few years ago and it looks great. 

<a href="https://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v29/crossracer/?action=view&current=6873E5F3-8737-4DB0-B859-1E9525BAA4B6-169-00000013DCACEE29.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v29/crossracer/6873E5F3-8737-4DB0-B859-1E9525BAA4B6-169-00000013DCACEE29.jpg" border="0" alt="Uploaded from the Photobucket iPhone App"></a>

<a href="https://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v29/crossracer/?action=view&current=915E1CFC-6396-4E15-85D6-1839E3D08F27-169-00000013E5E7F985.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v29/crossracer/915E1CFC-6396-4E15-85D6-1839E3D08F27-169-00000013E5E7F985.jpg" border="0" alt="Uploaded from the Photobucket iPhone App"></a>

Now the view i am going to show you is a after shot. All the land and buildings on the left are whats left of the steel mills. 


<a href="https://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v29/crossracer/?action=view&current=AC92CE05-D13C-4B52-95C5-2509A1C1F68D-169-00000013E0D17150.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v29/crossracer/AC92CE05-D13C-4B52-95C5-2509A1C1F68D-169-00000013E0D17150.jpg" border="0" alt="Uploaded from the Photobucket iPhone App"></a>

This is a small idea of how big and busy it used to be. 

<a href="https://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v29/crossracer/?action=view&current=nattubecolor-1.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v29/crossracer/nattubecolor-1.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>


<a href="https://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v29/crossracer/?action=view&current=1-2-BCB-25-ExplorePAHistory-a0j5y4-a_349.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v29/crossracer/1-2-BCB-25-ExplorePAHistory-a0j5y4-a_349.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

Coming down off the bridge i get to what i came to see. When they tore down the mills it exposed an old engine round house. Now the engines at the mill were little donkey engines, so they wearn't exactly huge. Something like this little guy

<a href="https://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v29/crossracer/?action=view&current=oct_atlas.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v29/crossracer/oct_atlas.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

And here is the roundhouse, in all its faded glory. 

<a href="https://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v29/crossracer/?action=view&current=31604D9D-9AEF-4C21-B13B-A3418B2CDAF6-169-00000013EADAAD6F.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v29/crossracer/31604D9D-9AEF-4C21-B13B-A3418B2CDAF6-169-00000013EADAAD6F.jpg" border="0" alt="Uploaded from the Photobucket iPhone App"></a>
<a href="https://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v29/crossracer/?action=view&current=55088286-97E9-4DE3-951B-1EF4F3387291-169-00000013EFF8242E.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v29/crossracer/55088286-97E9-4DE3-951B-1EF4F3387291-169-00000013EFF8242E.jpg" border="0" alt="Uploaded from the Photobucket iPhone App"></a>

<a href="https://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v29/crossracer/?action=view&current=9656A54E-FB4E-4D9D-8428-862FB84AD0B8-169-00000013F644C893.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v29/crossracer/9656A54E-FB4E-4D9D-8428-862FB84AD0B8-169-00000013F644C893.jpg" border="0" alt="Uploaded from the Photobucket iPhone App"></a>

<a href="https://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v29/crossracer/?action=view&current=F8514B75-ADF0-4BF2-BEA3-F00732194C5A-169-00000014005F3A0D.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v29/crossracer/F8514B75-ADF0-4BF2-BEA3-F00732194C5A-169-00000014005F3A0D.jpg" border="0" alt="Uploaded from the Photobucket iPhone App"></a>

<a href="https://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v29/crossracer/?action=view&current=9B778417-B560-4899-B1FD-073B5BC756A7-169-0000001405938F00.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v29/crossracer/9B778417-B560-4899-B1FD-073B5BC756A7-169-0000001405938F00.jpg" border="0" alt="Uploaded from the Photobucket iPhone App"></a>

The old round house has 8 bays. I cant tell if there was ever a turntable, but roundhouses tended to have one. It may have been that in the days of steam, there was a full round house and turntable, but with the advent of small switchers pictured above, that they didnt need to have as many and the table was filled in. 

Here is a picture inside one of the broken windows. 

<a href="https://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v29/crossracer/?action=view&current=F3231A84-5166-40EE-B203-5A42292073C0-169-000000140B0FB72C.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v29/crossracer/F3231A84-5166-40EE-B203-5A42292073C0-169-000000140B0FB72C.jpg" border="0" alt="Uploaded from the Photobucket iPhone App"></a>

Finally i left the place. It was a beautiful day as i crossed the river again. Its weird seeing trees on the hillsides, back when i was growing up they couldnt grow due to the smoke and soot. McKeesport the city is dying a slow death. From its high of 55,000 there are only 19,000 people left. Many of the traffic signals have been removed and replaced with stop signs. Urban decay is everywhere. Here is the lodge my father used to go to. 

<a href="https://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v29/crossracer/?action=view&current=HitzrotHouse.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v29/crossracer/HitzrotHouse.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

It is acutally a mini detriot, in that there is no money, and tons of decayed houses. Honestly i believe the city will be in Act 47 within 10 years, more likely 5-6. Everything in the city is just desolate. Very sad. 

But on my way out, i took this shot from the railroad bridge. And i wondered how things will change more now that this trail is running thru there. This is the same trail that extends all the way to Washington DC. So i left it on an upbeat note. Thanks for reading and looking at my pictures. It isnt the most scenic, but it is different. 

Bill

<a href="https://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v29/crossracer/?action=view&current=62C0DE68-39A5-47C1-88DC-6BC4B6D9B37B-169-00000014378E7A90.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v29/crossracer/62C0DE68-39A5-47C1-88DC-6BC4B6D9B37B-169-00000014378E7A90.jpg" border="0" alt="Uploaded from the Photobucket iPhone App"></a>

<a href="https://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v29/crossracer/?action=view&current=21AF108F-58AB-471F-B1DB-BAA39BE982EF-169-000000143D108173.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v29/crossracer/21AF108F-58AB-471F-B1DB-BAA39BE982EF-169-000000143D108173.jpg" border="0" alt="Uploaded from the Photobucket iPhone App"></a>


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## JasonLopez (Aug 19, 2012)

That there is Pinkerton country. Best be on your way before some misfortune comes down your path.


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## MarkS (Feb 3, 2004)

Thanks for the pictures. The decline and disappearance of 19th/20th Century heavy industry in the Northeast is a bittersweet thing. It is great that the pollution is gone and the torn down plants have re-opened access to rivers and other natural beauty. But, with the plants went good jobs and the towns that were around them are dying a slow death.


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## HokieRider (Oct 6, 2005)

Its a shame that the outlying counties don't have the money or resources to obtain grants like the city did. The entire waterfront in Pgh has been revitalized and is pretty amazing now. Its a shame that places like Homewood, McKeesport, Braddock and other small steel towns are blowing away like this.

Thanks for a glimpse of "home". I've been wanting to do the whole GAP for a while.


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## axlenut (Sep 28, 2010)

Thanks for the post, I really enjoyed the pictures and read.


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## nonsleepingjon (Oct 18, 2002)

Excellent post and very poignant.


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## bigrider (Jun 27, 2002)

Very nice thread.


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## Art853 (May 30, 2003)

Thanks for the photos and history tour. Interesting story.

"Unlike the traditional symbolic western entrance of most medieval labyrinths, the Homestead Labyrinth faces 123 degrees ESE, the location of the moon at the moment of Ms. Vullo's son's birth."


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## Ridgetop (Mar 1, 2005)

Thanks for the pictures. All I've seen of Pit is the nicer downtown areas when I have work there. Never explored outside of town hardly at all.


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