Day 31: Chateau/Manchester

This post is part of a series called PGHProject

Unique Streets: 36

Miles Walked: 3.72

Street Names (Italicized streets have already been walked): Oxline, Liverpool, Preble, W. North, Beaver, Kroll, N. Point, Belmont, Lighthill, Casino, Sproat, Reedsdale, Boyce, Walker, Allegheny, Ridge, Fontella, Fulton, Western, Hopkins, Blake, Page, Faulsey, Manhattan, Hamlin, Sheffield, Stedman, Pennsylvania, Warlo, Decatur, Haines, Sigsbee, Chateau, Rush, George, Juniata, N. Franklin

Today I took a quick walk in Chateau and Manchester which are both located in the Northside of Pittsburgh. Many people have heard of Manchester but Chateau is generally unknown as a neighborhood. The area has experienced ups and downs through the last century due to urban redevelopment. When route 65 was built in the 1960s, the area was fragmented and started bleeding residents. In the 21st century, the area is seeing a comeback. You can read more about the history of Chateau and Manchester in this September 2017 article from the Northside Chronicle.

Chateau is almost exclusively commercial and industrial. The Three Rivers Heritage Trail can be accessed from Chateau and many people park in the lots along the river to access it. There are also a few harbors people use to park their boats in the warmer months. One of the advantages of mooring to a dock in this area is that there is no lock or dam between it and downtown.

I walked on the highway-covered streets that wish to meet the river but never do. Instead, they lead to parking lots for everyone who works down here.

If it weren’t for the casino, this area would be a ghost town at night and on weekends. This August, the casino will celebrate 10 years of operating on the shore of the Ohio River. I stopped in to get some water and play one round of roulette. I was oscillating between playing the number 9 and 26. I picked 9 and 26 hit. Oh well! I’ll get ’em next time.

My luck was better outside. The sun was shining and the breeze was pleasant. I made my way into Manchester and made sure I utilized all of the Desire Paths I could find. Desire Paths are ways of egress that people choose to use instead of the cement walkways city planners designed for them.

Manchester is a mix of businesses and many handsome houses. You can find a furry friend at Humane Animal Rescue and buy a new couch for them to fur-up at Pittsburgh Furniture Leasing & Sales. The Manchester Historical District is the largest area listed in the National Register of Historic Places with 609 buildings included. I enjoyed many on my walk.

Many of the streets look like they could be a set for a movie in New York City.

Some blocks in Manchester are urban prairie in the middle of a metropolitan mecca.

As I was walking, I could smell something burning. Hoping a house wasn’t on fire, I discovered the source of the smell was roasting coffee beans at La Prima Espresso on Chateau Street.