Before it was the South Side, it was Birmingham

People have been calling this neighborhood the South Side for a long time, but that was not its first name. Here are five pieces of local history, all within walking distance of our front door.

1. It was its own town

The streets around us were laid out in 1811 as the town of Birmingham, named after Birmingham, England. A second community, East Birmingham, grew up next to it. They were separate places from Pittsburgh until they joined the city in 1872.

2. Carson Street was the road out of town

In the early days, Carson Street was part of the Washington Pike, the main road toward Washington, Pennsylvania. It was a working road before it was a shopping street. Iron and glass making brought the factories, and the shops followed the workers.

3. The stretch from 10th to 27th was the business district

East Carson Street between 10th and 27th Streets was the commercial spine of old Birmingham. That is why the storefronts here are so close together and so ornate. Much of the street is now a historic district, known for its Victorian commercial buildings.

4. Bedford Square still has its market house

Walk to South 12th and Bingham Streets and you will find Bedford Square, part of the original 1811 plan. The South Side Market House in the middle of it was built in 1915. Look for the bull on the wall, the old sign that the building was a market.

5. The library is over a century old

The South Side branch of the Carnegie Library, at 2205 East Carson Street, was built in 1909 and is still the neighborhood’s library.

All five are on or near the same street we are. Grab a drink on your way and take the walk.