City Steps of Pittsburgh: A History & Guide

Exploring Pittsburgh's Ups and Downs

In Pittsburgh, the elevation varies wildly, fluctuating 660 feet from highest to lowest points throughout the area and making it one of the hilliest cities in the United States. Throughout this unruly and physically challenging landscape, the city's first mass transportation system was built – a steadily expanding network of public stairways, locally referred to as city steps, these flights of stairs are a throwback to a very different time in history and a very different Pittsburgh. Authors Laura Zurowski, Charles Succop and Matthew Jacob present the history of the Steel City steps and a walking guide to their scenic locations today.

Matthew Jacob works for the Pittsburgh Water and Sewer Authority. Matthew holds a degree in history from Temple University and a master’s degree in public management from Carnegie Mellon University. Charles Succop has worked in the City of Pittsburgh Archives since 2017 and is the local historian behind the popular @pghthenandnow Instagram account. He graduated from Appalachian State University and the University of Pittsburgh, where he received a Master of Library and Information Science degree. Laura Zurowski is a technical writer at the University of Pittsburgh. Since 2017, she has published the blog Mis.Steps: Our Missed Connections with Pittsburgh’s City Steps. Laura graduated from Emerson College and Harvard University’s Graduate School of Education, where she received a master’s degree in education, planning and social policy.