Downtown Walking Tour: PENN-LIBERTY HISTORIC DISTRICT

The Penn-Liberty corridor in Downtown Pittsburgh was an important retail, commercial, and entertainment center in the 19^th and early 20^th centuries. The Historic District—designated as such at both the City and Federal levels in 1987 and later expanded—encompasses a large section of the Penn-Liberty corridor, including the Cultural District. It features outstanding examples of historic buildings ranging from early skyscrapers to more modest cast-iron-front buildings to spaces that offered vaudeville shows, many of them designed by the area’s most significant architects.

Following a decades-long period of decline in the mid-20^th century, the district has experienced substantial revitalization in the last 30 years, thanks in large part to historic preservation. Tour participants will see great architecture, learn about the district’s history, and understand the crucial role of the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust and PHLF in bringing the district back to life.

Tour meeting point:  Katz Plaza, corner of Penn Avenue and Seventh Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15219

Tour ending point:  Katz Plaza

Please arrive 15 minutes before start time in order to ensure that the tour gets underway on time.