By Anna Yoder | Columnist

While pondering which Northside business to feature this month it occurred to me why not simply write about ‘The Northside’ and why we choose to call it our home. (And it seemed like a great way to end the last issue of Town Talk for 2024).

If you are reading this column, you may already know that Allegheny City was laid out in 1788 according to a plan formulated by Judge John Redick. It was then incorporated as a borough in 1828 and as a city in 1840. Sadly, in 1907, it was formally annexed by Pittsburgh. Today this region where Allegheny City existed is now known as the Northside.

The Northside is made up of various neighborhoods including, but not limited to: Allegheny West, Brighton Heights, California-Kirkbride, Central Northside, Chateau, East Allegheny, Fineview, Manchester, Marshall-Shadeland, Perry North, Perry South, Spring Garden, Spring Hill, Summer Hill and Troy Hill. Yet, the Northside is not a melting pot just because it is made up of several charming, unique neighborhoods. Rather, it is the wide mix of residents who contribute to the delicious pot of goodness that we call the Northside.

We have those who have lived here all their lives, those who moved here for work, those who moved here to retire, and those who moved here because something special drew them to the Northside. We are a mix of ethnicities, races, genders, and have varied family histories. We love the Steelers, Penguins, Pirates, beer, wine, pierogies, and Primanti’s. We also love to try new things and warmly welcome just about anyone to the Northside (as long as you are kind and authentic).

But what specifically has drawn us to the Northside, then and now? Listen to what a few residents have to say: Born and raised on the Northside, JoAnn describes the Northside as an ideal location to live because she “knows where everything is,” it is walkable to downtown and it is “comfortable.” JoAnn equally loves the “amazing beautiful parks” and “all the greenery” that the Northside has to offer where she can walk her dog, Jeddi. JoAnn reminisced about the other many wonderful things that the Northside has to offer (past and present) such as the lively shopping areas with department stores, movie houses, bakeries, ice cream stores, stadiums and more. JoAnn also pointed out that some thought the Northside at one time was a “bad neighborhood.” Yet, JoAnn remains a dedicated Northsider and is not “leery” to walk around the Northside and feels “as safe as anyone else” when strolling the neighborhood.

I sat down with my dear neighbor Christine, a retiree and originally a Bellevue resident, to chat about her connection to the Northside. Christine fondly recalls that as a child, her mother would place her on a streetcar in Bellevue and her aunt would pick her up on the Northside and take her to the Garden Theater to watch “17 cartoons and two major features” on Saturdays. In those days, Christine also enjoyed the Kenyon Theater which was located on the west side of Federal Street. At that same time, streetcars on Federal Street provided much of the transportation to bring many people to the Northside By the way, the Kenyon was the oldest theater in the Northside, built in 1909. It had one screen and 1644 seats! As a young adult, Christine frequently came to the Northside to enjoy jazz in the local clubs and its vibrant social scene. In addition to being closer to family members, Christine retired to the Northside because it is a vibrant community, close to downtown, and “has much more going on than in the country.”

Originally from the North Hills, Bob, who is an architect in Deutschtown, was smitten with the Northside while helping his brother renovate a Northside home. Bob described neighbors popping into his brother’s home to welcome him as something he “never experienced before.” The comfort that the neighbors had with each other, the “intimate feel” of the community, a “wealth of old-world architecture” combined with “a neighborhood of cool people” are only a few things that made it “a no brainer” for Bob to live in the Northside.

For Bob, it is important to form friendships with those who want to make a difference in the neighborhood. Bob also finds it gratifying to associate with those who have a common interest in sincerely helping neighbors in need. Bob considers the Northside as the perfect venue to “bring people together” and allow you to “feel a part of something special.”

To those who may not see the Northside in the same positive light that Bob does, he has the following to say: “Have an open mind” and “you will see the richness that the Northside has to offer.”

For my husband and me, it was the lure of living in a neighborhood that we grew to love through our many weekend visits that prompted our move to the Northside. From the warm and welcoming people we met, the multitude of “things to do” and the ability to ride our bicycles everywhere; to being in a place where people really care about one another. We knew we just had to relocate to the Northside.

So, whether it is the walkability, lovely parks, social venues, vibrant community, lasting friendships, or the feeling of belonging to some place special; one thing is for certain that what draws us to (and keeps us in) the Northside is as varied as the people who make up this wonderful neighborhood. And THAT’s what we love about the Northside the best.

The Northside is located across and north of the Allegheny and Ohio Rivers (not to be confused with Northshore.)

P.S. Town Talk is going on hiatus but will be returning intermittently in 2025.