Man please don’t stop at 5. These are fantastic. Respectful, not sensationalized, real snapshots that reflect a lot of experiences I’ve had in the city. Please consider covering Allentown. It’s a great neighborhood with a ton of great people.
Dude shut up you probably live in philly. It’s the fucking worst city if I’ve ever seen one. If it weren’t for the history in the city nobody would give a fuck.
I lived on hill and grew up working on the hill and I was so worried when I saw the title and the thumbnail but I really appreciate this. The hill is one of the most magical places in pittsburgh.
Someone posted a link of this on the book, which put this on my radar. I'm born, bred, raised, & a 2x homeowner on The Hill. Not only do I commend you for coming through to do this piece, but for, also, giving a different look through a fresh pair of eyes. I could've easily added more to the history, & the present. Nice start.
I think it would be a great idea to put where the area is on a map of the city at the beginning of the video. Keep up the great work, im looking forward to more!
"Watch your camera" 😂 OK. True story. I have a Co-worker (white) just moved here with a fiance from Georgia. Went to their first hockey game here and parked at my house. I live right across from Josh Gibson field. She came to work the next week and said they enjoyed their walk back up from the ppg arena. They thought I lived in pretty good area and liked the home in live. Born and raised Hill District girl here.
Woah I’m in awe of the quality of these videos!!!! It makes me so happy to have creative people in Pittsburgh doing important projects like this. Keep up the good work man
Originally from Chicago. Currently I live in Phoenix and hope to move to a much more vibrant city. Pittsburgh has been on the top of my list. I have watched many wonderful RUclips videos on Pittsburgh.......however, your presentations are stunningly well done. You are an artist without any pretensions. I hope to relocate before the end of year. You deserve to be very proud of your documentaries. Thank you ever so much. Sam
Just got into urban exploring and appreciating all of Pittsburgh and you’re an inspiration! You’re inquisitive, kind, respectful, funny, and as talented at what you do as how you package it to the public. Kudos!
As a resident of the Lower Hill District (aka The Bluffs or Uptown), I am so pleased that you highlighted the inequality in this area. This community is full of amazing and kind people, who are just down on our luck. This spring the community is working on bringing the Tustin Community garden back to life!
The Hill and Homewood are what happens when you take the economic heart out of a neighborhood and replace it with projects and ill thought out 'community improvements' like the old Civic Arena, which was rarely used for its intended purpose. The lack of political clout left those communities at the hands of those that thought they needed to fix something that wasn't broken. If the business that fueled those communities had been left intact there would be an entirely different story to tell...
I'm really enjoying your videos. My earliest American ancestors were from The Hill. My great-great grandfather, Jack McClelland who was Pittsburgh's first boxing superstar (1895-1911) lived on Centre Ave near where it crosses Soho (the house is gone and its an empty lot next to the church). He also fought and trained sometimes out of the Bedford Athletic Club (also gone). My namesake came from southern Italy and had a house on the lower hill across from Epiphany Catholic Church. When I was researching my book on Jack McClelland, I spent time in the Hill looking at sites related to his career and family and I had no issues. A few people stopped to chat when I was taking photos or looking through the old Minersville Cemetery on Herrorn Hill. Actually, one time there a neighbor asked me if I could drive around to look for a missing elderly relative who had either dementia or alzheimer's. My wife and I looked but we couldn't find him. Anyway, I never hand any issues. I hope the Hill continues to bounce back. Its got great views of the city and a neat history. I will check out that Jamaican Restaurant.
You came up on my recommended videos!!! I loved seeing coverage of this neighborhood and can’t wait to watch more. I just moved to New Castle with my fiancé and I’ve gotten soooo many people tell me to be careful where I go. Yes I agree to be careful but places just get a bad reputation. All cities have violence and drugs... I called Butler my home for 23 years and never had an issue. It is so cool to bring light to these neighborhoods and to see the love shine from the people who live there.
I have recently moved to Pittsburgh and I was shocked by the prejudice and modern segregation in the area, especially towards Blacks. This video was very tactful and well-made!
@@terintiaflavius3349 Let's not forget about red lining, which is a form of forced separation and common in PA. Also, according to the report that was released, blacks can't "pick" where they live due to the systemic barriers in place. Poverty among blacks (due to racism as mentioned in this video) is commonplace in Pittsburgh, resulting in these individuals not being to "live wherever they want."
@@JanoyCresvaZero I have had numerous people (mostly Caucasian) tell me that Pittsburgh is one of the most racists states in the country. Red lining is an example of that and there are plenty of reports/data that display it. Perhaps it's more noticeable to those of us who are minorities and those who read the report he mentioned in the video. 🤷♀️
@@Evelyn-pl3we You live where you can afford just like all the rest of us. That's not segregation. I live in Mt Oliver. I would love to live on Grandview but I can't afford it. Am I being discriminated against? I don't think so. Redlining is a nasty thing. However poor whites have the same experiences in this. Therefore it is not a racist thing but a classist thing.
Oh man! I was about to buy me my first house in Hill District and I did my own outreach with a negative outcome. Locals told me that wasn't a good idea. How stupid I was, I lost a good deal. I'm Latino and I have not problem leaving in a black neighborhood. Very informative video in history and demographic perspective. I'm glad I found your videos. Thanks!
"Fences", mentioned in this video, was far and away the best picture of that year, one of the best movies I have ever seen. It should have won the Academy Award.
these are great! i love hearing about the history and the authentic perspective of these neighborhoods we don't always get. i think you should make more!
Yeah blame urban renewal, that’s intellectually dishonest. What percent of the Hill receives government assistance? Also the 1960s were a long time ago. If people can’t right the ship in 50 years they have nobody to blame but themselves. 50 year!!!!!!!
@@oldman9206, you clearly don't know the history of the Hill District. It was a poor but stable community until the Urban Renewal Authority started leveling whole neighborhoods and herding people into public housing projects. Pittsburgh had the most affordable housing of any large city in the country, and yet we were second only to Chicago in the number of housing projects per capita. That happened for one reason alone, urban renewal, which is really a euphemism for slum clearance. These actions destroyed the neighborhood fabric and fostered crime. Communities don't recover from that kind of destruction very easily. It's not just something that happened 50 years ago, either. Once they had large numbers of people living in housing projects, they began tearing down the housing projects.
@@RBush-id8zm people who think like this are exactly the problem. "Look at these piece of shit people, let's not give a single fuck about them for decades. Look what they've done to the shit hole we put them in, see I told you"
@@RBush-id8zm Who massacred the Native Indigenous Indians of Pittsburgh?? not Black people. Who Polluted the air with toxins for 100years? Not Black People. Get your facts straight Dummy!!!!!
I'm not from Pittsburgh but came across these vids and they're all so well done that I've just kept watching them. Great work man, you deserve way more views.
I stumbled on this video by accident and I’m so glad I watched the entire thing. Definitely worth watching. Both of my parents were born and raised in the Hill. We moved to another part of the city when i was 8. But I started working in the Hill 7 years ago and you pretty much captured the spirit of a place I’ve come to love.
I was reading on the history of music in Pittsburgh and came across this video. Great job! I would love to see the inside of that theater. So much history there. Would be amazing to see it renovated!
I'm surprised nobody has mentioned Crawford's Grill # 2. I saw Coletrane there, Sonny Stitt, many others in the late 50's/early60's. It was a great jazz club - an institution of jazz culture.
I deliver for Amazon and I used to deliver in the hill district. I never felt uncomfortable and the people I encountered were all extremely nice. In my experience, I'd say your camera would most likely get stolen in Bloomfield or Lawrenceville.
Tha Hill District gets an unfair bad wrap.I was born and raised there.Yes,It has its issues but the people are golden and they love their community.It looks worst than it is.Trust me! Lol
You seriously have such an incredible eye for b-roll shots, and your editing is goddamn on point as well. Don't stop making videos no matter what man, you treat pittsburgh and the people there with such respect, I feel like no matter what you do you'll do fantastic work.
This is so phenomenal, I hope you are able to keep these up. I hope I can speak on behalf of Pittsburgh to tell you that we appreciate these videos so much. This makes me inspired to explore neighborhoods of Pittsburgh, such as the Hill District where most don't typically go. P.S. - I would love to play a pickup game of baseball at Josh Gibson field.
Ran into dean out in my neighborhood (greenfield) and he really is that friendly dude. Its not a schtick for the camera. He really is just that dude. Keep pushin the videos bro. This city got stories on stories. The hill got decimated when the city decided to bulldoze half of it for the civic arena. Destroying a thriving economy and an incredibly important place historically speaking. Its a damn shame the Old Grenada is boarded up. Them walls got a lot of stories.
So glad I came across your channel! I’m from NZ but looking to move to Pittsburgh in the future. You captured the people so well - everyone looks super friendly and welcoming. A lot of other channels focus on the food and scenery, but it’s nice to come across someone who is focusing on what makes a city unique - and that’s the people!
I have only driven through ...I want to try two restaurants there. You should do all 90 neighborhoods . I first visited Pittsburgh in March of 2016 I was like hello Pittsburgh I love you I’m moving here packed up my LI life and moved to Pittsburgh and have never looked back
I’ve always loved cities. Used to ask for atlases for Xmas and bday to study forms and color maps. This series, particularly this episode, is amazing. I’m inspired.
It’s so odd to see The Hill on RUclips. My parents grew up there, my grandparents lived there nearly all of their lives and my great grandmother lived there from marriage til she passed in 1995.
I just visited Pittsburgh this weekend...I wish I would’ve saw this video earlier. I was told to stay away from the Hill by an Uber due to violence. I also googled violent areas of Pittsburgh and the Hill came up. I feel bad that I didn’t give it a chance before I left. Thanks for the video.
@Marshall Carwood no it IS not. I am from there and was there many nights just sitting in my car. People do not be robbing. You haven't hung out there many night so you don't know so shut the hell up
@Marshall Carwood not true my mother called ambulance last feb and they came alone. Stop these lies. My mother lived on the hill and I am from the hill. The ambulance came for several of my people on the hill and they came alone.
I'm considering moving to Pittsburgh for grad school (at Chatham), and these videos are making me fall more in love with the idea of living here! Thanks for putting these out!
I worked with The Hill House Association on their 25th anniversary....that was thirty years ago. They were a fabulous group of people. My son still remembers Mr Blakey’s suspenders....I think they now have an auditorium named after him.
Man I just discovered your channel and I've been binge watching for hours. Some of the best content I've ever seen on RUclips. Makes me so proud to come from such a wonderful and vibrant city. Thank you so much for shedding light on these communities!
I was born and raised in Pittsburgh. Grew up all over pgh, Northside birthed. It is what you make it, spent most of my elementary years on the Hill district. I loved it up there. No matter where you live there are bad parts and bad people. From the Northside, to broadhead manor, to homewood, to clairton, to wilkinsburgh, to braddock, to downtown. I lived all over. And there's good everywhere. If you look for it... Blessed be all!
Loved this omg I can't wait for the next one!!!! Yayy thank you so much for doing these I will definitely check out abbys...🤗👏👏👏👏 your videos are extremely informative and entertaining.
Somtings - Achievement Guides To each their own, but if she wants to find out about the Hill District there are way more informative biographical sources
Incredible! As a Pittsburgh native, I must say this is a pretty accurate representation of the Hill (and its public perceptions). I also hope you don't stop at 5 neighborhoods. Very well made
Used to live at a mens'rooming house named St. Jospeh's House of Hospitality on Bedford Avenue in Lower Hill near PPG Paints Arena. Now watching this video from sunny and warm Jacksonville,Fla😎
3:58 to confirm what he's saying about crime: I moved to the city 12 years ago from WV, lived in Squirrel Hill, and attended school downtown. I used to walk home for exercise (about 6 miles) and my route took me through the hill every day. Occasionally I'd get bored with trudging along the same main streets and deviate to less traveled ones for a change of scenery. Later I moved to Polish Hill and would walk to and from work in the south side. Whether it was during the day or the middle of the night I've never had an issue and the people have been extremely friendly.
"walk through Chauncey drive at night I'm sure it won't work out to well if your a white dude." I am white and have walked through the Bedford Dwellings before. Also Homewood. I was bored, didn't know many people, didn't have many friends, but did have a lot of free time waiting for classes to start when I first moved here. I'd take walks to clear my head and learn the city. 5 to 15 miles at a time. I was going through a rough breakup at the time and it helped me work shit out and get through it. I have a friend who lives in the central north side that I spend a lot of time hanging out with as well. People (plural) have been killed outside of his building, but for the most part its a safe area. People hear about crime and violence in the news and don't realize that most of it in the city isn't random. Most of it is drug or gang related, and they don't want police attention so if you mind your own business they leave you alone.
How do you not have more subscribers?!? This is brilliant. I am forty minutes south of Pittsburgh on the PA-WV border. I think that MAY be the reason your videos keep popping up in my feed. Super glad I checked your videos out, tho. Awesome suggestion, RUclips. 10/10.
Never been to pittsburgh but i stumbled across this somehow and u went about this really well. Wish someone would do something like this with some of the neighborhoods where im from.
The handshakes and smiles at 9:20 tell you everything you need to know. The fact that entrenched negative stereotypes of the Hill District were respectfully challenged here makes this video my favorite of the entire "Neighborhoods" series. “The power of a bold idea uttered publicly in defiance of dominant opinion cannot be easily measured...shaking up not only the self-assurance of enemies, but the complacency of friends." -- Howard Zinn
Regarding the Hill District's New Granada Theatre: an absolutely wonderful film which details Pittsburgh's central role in American jazz is "We Knew What We Had." The film "explores the social conditions and historical events that conspired to make Pittsburgh one of the leading contributors to the legacy of Jazz music in the world." www.weknewwhatwehadfilm.com/ ruclips.net/video/8sHi5gC4NGI/видео.html
Saw this and LOVED the editing and the content. Was totally shocked to see the likes under 1K. I assumed this was a relatively big channel. Definitely subbed, awesome videos!
PJH199 1 is it wrong to love the place you grew up? I don’t think so, no one needs your fucking irrelevant input. If it’s not positive get the fuck out of here.
I grew up with oggy, and partied with him. I just saw him a few weeks ago. He looks pretty good! If you needed to know about the hill, you needed to ask the guy on the bike (Ravanna) my close friend, and me and my family. We have generations there 😊
The world needs more people like you man. Keep up the good work. People have made up their mind about things before ever seeing it for themselves. The thing is that no matter your race, religion, sexual orientation or where you live, we are all human beings. Not perfect, but all the same. Good job on this video!!!
Hey man i love your channel and itll blow up as long as you stay consistent. Especially if you get out to different areas like allentown harrisburg philly or other states. Videos that show the truth of our communities are important. We are still very segregated and we need more of this!!
Funny. I was the manager for a time at the family dollar in this area. I am white. The neighborhood was mostly hostile towards me, and I was told that the community did not want me there. A lot of shoplifting at the store and when I tried to mitigate, was called a racist. Was also assaulted on Thanksgiving and had a gun pulled when I stopped another shoplifter. Had some great customers, but mostly I felt unwanted trying to fix/ run a business there. To be fair the manager prior to me was VERY popular in the neighborhood, and corperate was very harsh with her, then they sent me in to pick up the pieces. I dont know, kinda felt like I was set up to fail
I second the suggestion to interview the kid that walks around with flags in Allentown and Beltzhoover. He’s a sweet kid with a curious nature. He asks to pet my dog anytime we’re out for a walk and he’s not busy with his flags.
H.I. Double L ! Great editing. Great format. Great music choices. Impressive video. FYI: You go anywhere in Pittsburgh with a bike, gotta secure it. Someone will heist it, restore it and flip it.
Great video! I want to visit Pittsburgh soon to take drone footage and walk around. I'll be sure to visit Abby's on Reed St for some Jamaican food. The only thing I would say is that guarding your belongings wherever you are is just plain good advice. I'm not even talking about the Hill or Sugar Top in particular. Matter of fact for everyone you interviewed there's another in the same spot that will tell you the same. You can afford to lose a bike and not worry about it but not everyone can. Anyway I'm not trying to rant and take away from this incredible video, but guarding your belongings and watching your surroundings is just good advice. No matter who says it or even how they say it. It's just good advice. Only takes 1 asshole to mess up your day.
IM FROM THE CITY AND THE HILL WAS NOTORIOUSLY KNOWN AS A BAD AREA--but just like anywhere in the city as long as you know someone from the area u are fine.
NO IT WASNT WHEN I WAS I YOUNG. WHEN I WAS IN MY TEENS it was musical and artistic and lots of fun. People stereotypes the hill. The hill didn't get bad until the gangs came and the gangs were in many areas even white and not just the hill.
@@matthewmockabee2410 I am not from clairton, though I now live in clairton. I was raised on the hill, so I know it much better than you. Don't speak on an area you wasn't born and raised on. I never had to fear for my life walking through the hill growing up. I could easily say Clairton was bad, since my friend was shot in the head in Clairton. It was shade, cause you didn't live every day of your life for years on the hill, so you are not a good information source and it is known that areas eventually started fueding, clairton and the hill, so you comment can certainly be bias. I had friends from homewood that came to the hill and had no problems. Almost all the cities in pgh started having gangs in the 90s, and clairton was no different. I hate when people who aren't from an area think they know it, cause one personal experience they may have had. The hill may have "looked bad" but it was not bad until the gangs came around, which is why several celebrities visited the hill so often. I have plenty of pics of me and my friends standing on the hill with happy faces. Photographs walked the hill without fear. Your comment needed to say that alot of areas including the hill got bad, when they gangs came, and that includes CLAIRTON.
@@ladybird491 How old are you? Hill has been sketchy since crack days, if not before. It was decent in the 50s, I hear, but that's before my time. If anything, it's a lot safer now than when I lifeguarded at Ammon pool in 1990.
@TRUTHSPEAKER I can relate, i grew up in Youngstown born and raised, so here where i grew up isn't much different than Pittsburgh, and once considered myself a democrat, but after educating myself i realized that in doing so i stacked the deck against myself. Like Pittsburgh liberal politics ran this city into the ground and created a whole generation of self hating entitled adult babies who have no heart and no ethics, and very little intelligence. hard work is beneath them and they complain about the wage they do get for doing mediocre work at mediocre jobs. They dont understand the kind of men who built these cities and have been taught that they were angry drunk greedy earth polluting white men who were racist bigoted xenophobes that beat their wives picked on gay people and molested their children, in between fist fights in the street and local bars. my question to these idiots is how did they find the time to build our cities and produce the goods and provide the services they did if they were so busy being all the things they were taught these men were... all i heard was crickets... Obama created a stepping stone for black people he brought them to their lowest level in history and whites have began to say so, i'm a racist so i'm a bigot, so i'm a xenophobe you are still scum and the root of your own problems in your own neighborhoods. I'm of Irish, English and Dutch decent, but growing up our family was considered the quintessential Irish family, you know, drunk stupid lazy and violent. yet my family is known for the dredging of lakes creeks rivers and canals, we built the parks railroads and dug the coal out of the ground that kept their lights on and we made steel, the best steel the world had ever known. And we are treated no different today here, except todays its progressive idiots and entitled blacks that ridicule us rather than the old liberal elite, and they have manipulated that black folks into believing all the bullshit they push, for the most part race relations gave always been good here. older generation of micks wops and black people worked together to build this city and we all got the credit... today blacks are told that that kind of work was slavery and that their parents were worked into the ground for the white man. the truth is black people in Youngstown had it pretty good here in the 40s 50s 60s and 70s, once the left took over the backs became resentful, their neighborhoods crumbled their ethics faded and the hate festered. now we have a generation of blacks who blame every single one of their problems on the white man, though few and far between they do exist here. when we complain about the drugs violence and hate, we are labeled racist bigoted xenophobes who only want to take us back to a time where blacks were slaves. and like you said this kid is an enabler, even seeing that his own bike was stolen is not enough for him to recognize the problem, that he and others like him are the problem, and have always been the problem for the black community.
In the early to mid 20th Century many Italian and Eastern European immigrants lived in the Hill alongside African Americans. Most of the Eastern European immigrants were Jewish, and as they formed congregations they also built synagogues, most of which have been razed. Given that these immigrants and their children were white they didn't suffer as much from housing discrimination and often moved away as they garnered wealth. But many were also forced to relocate at the end of the 1950s when a large section of the Hill was demolished to make way for the Civic Arena, Chatham Center, etc.
I would like to see Troy Hill covered. They say the old Fire House is Haunted & the Cemetery on Lowrie st.. Troy Hill has changed since my PARENTS bought their home in 1982, growing up here was a very safe place to raise a family. Due to changing of times & other life changing events Troy Hill isn't the same. Please talk with someone of the residents who have lived here for years.
Great piece. Although having family who settled in the hill when coming to America from Italy, the hill was not always predominantly a black community. That is something that is often forgotten. African American, Jewish, and Italian groups all made up the Hill District before the construction of the Civic Arena.
I really liked that...its nice to see other people come and experience the hill cause it really aint that bad....media and the news makes it seems like you'll die within 5 seconds on entering the hill district when it's definitely not the cause I'm born and raised in the hill....thanks dean
Hello Dean, I grew up in North Pittsburgh (McCandless) but attended a Russian Orthodox church on Reed Street as a child with my family. I believe the church has been torn down. I recall the area as friendly on Sundays. Appreciate your review.
I’m from the H-I- double LL aka the Hill, Ok, we always looked out for one or another and we had shoe stores, restaurants, bakery, movie theater, and so on
Good video... dude born and raised in the burgh...will always be home now you knew better with the bike 😊😊... did you go through the Homewood Lincoln east liberty areas
Someone needs to pick this dude up and do a whole feature length documentary on Pittsburgh. Love the videos, keep them coming.
We don't need that, this guy has that covered and he's doing a phenomenal job.
@@EricSantos pppppppppp
Man please don’t stop at 5. These are fantastic. Respectful, not sensationalized, real snapshots that reflect a lot of experiences I’ve had in the city. Please consider covering Allentown. It’s a great neighborhood with a ton of great people.
You probably live in philly bitch no one likes you
@@dannynoknives1590 he’s talking about Allentown in southside
Hell yes. Pittsburgh deserves this.
I agree, its a world class city!
No. No it doesn't
Dude shut up you probably live in philly. It’s the fucking worst city if I’ve ever seen one. If it weren’t for the history in the city nobody would give a fuck.
I lived on hill and grew up working on the hill and I was so worried when I saw the title and the thumbnail but I really appreciate this. The hill is one of the most magical places in pittsburgh.
I do agree
Someone posted a link of this on the book, which put this on my radar. I'm born, bred, raised, & a 2x homeowner on The Hill. Not only do I commend you for coming through to do this piece, but for, also, giving a different look through a fresh pair of eyes. I could've easily added more to the history, & the present. Nice start.
I think it would be a great idea to put where the area is on a map of the city at the beginning of the video. Keep up the great work, im looking forward to more!
"Watch your camera" 😂 OK. True story. I have a Co-worker (white) just moved here with a fiance from Georgia. Went to their first hockey game here and parked at my house. I live right across from Josh Gibson field. She came to work the next week and said they enjoyed their walk back up from the ppg arena. They thought I lived in pretty good area and liked the home in live. Born and raised Hill District girl here.
Hey Santana!!!
Woah I’m in awe of the quality of these videos!!!! It makes me so happy to have creative people in Pittsburgh doing important projects like this. Keep up the good work man
Originally from Chicago. Currently I live in Phoenix and hope to move to a much more vibrant city. Pittsburgh has been on the top of my list. I have watched many wonderful RUclips videos on Pittsburgh.......however, your presentations are stunningly well done. You are an artist without any pretensions. I hope to relocate before the end of year. You deserve to be very proud of your documentaries. Thank you ever so much. Sam
Just got into urban exploring and appreciating all of Pittsburgh and you’re an inspiration! You’re inquisitive, kind, respectful, funny, and as talented at what you do as how you package it to the public. Kudos!
As a resident of the Lower Hill District (aka The Bluffs or Uptown), I am so pleased that you highlighted the inequality in this area. This community is full of amazing and kind people, who are just down on our luck. This spring the community is working on bringing the Tustin Community garden back to life!
The Hill and Homewood are what happens when you take the economic heart out of a neighborhood and replace it with projects and ill thought out 'community improvements' like the old Civic Arena, which was rarely used for its intended purpose. The lack of political clout left those communities at the hands of those that thought they needed to fix something that wasn't broken. If the business that fueled those communities had been left intact there would be an entirely different story to tell...
What was the purpose of the Civoc Arena in your view?
These documentaries are so good, and honest, and fair. Born and raised in Pittsburgh and I've never been to the Hill District.
"fair" and yet you've never been there??
I'm really enjoying your videos. My earliest American ancestors were from The Hill. My great-great grandfather, Jack McClelland who was Pittsburgh's first boxing superstar (1895-1911) lived on Centre Ave near where it crosses Soho (the house is gone and its an empty lot next to the church). He also fought and trained sometimes out of the Bedford Athletic Club (also gone).
My namesake came from southern Italy and had a house on the lower hill across from Epiphany Catholic Church.
When I was researching my book on Jack McClelland, I spent time in the Hill looking at sites related to his career and family and I had no issues. A few people stopped to chat when I was taking photos or looking through the old Minersville Cemetery on Herrorn Hill. Actually, one time there a neighbor asked me if I could drive around to look for a missing elderly relative who had either dementia or alzheimer's. My wife and I looked but we couldn't find him. Anyway, I never hand any issues. I hope the Hill continues to bounce back. Its got great views of the city and a neat history. I will check out that Jamaican Restaurant.
Excellent vlog. Pittsburgh is my hometown. Live in North Carolina now. Great memories.
You came up on my recommended videos!!! I loved seeing coverage of this neighborhood and can’t wait to watch more. I just moved to New Castle with my fiancé and I’ve gotten soooo many people tell me to be careful where I go. Yes I agree to be careful but places just get a bad reputation. All cities have violence and drugs... I called Butler my home for 23 years and never had an issue. It is so cool to bring light to these neighborhoods and to see the love shine from the people who live there.
Have you enjoyed it at all yet?
I have recently moved to Pittsburgh and I was shocked by the prejudice and modern segregation in the area, especially towards Blacks. This video was very tactful and well-made!
It’s funny. Born and bred in Picksburgh, and I don’t get how people think the area is segregated. Dunno whereabouts you’re living but be careful.
Segregation is the forced separation of people. No one is forced to live anywhere. We all pick where we live.
@@terintiaflavius3349 Let's not forget about red lining, which is a form of forced separation and common in PA. Also, according to the report that was released, blacks can't "pick" where they live due to the systemic barriers in place. Poverty among blacks (due to racism as mentioned in this video) is commonplace in Pittsburgh, resulting in these individuals not being to "live wherever they want."
@@JanoyCresvaZero I have had numerous people (mostly Caucasian) tell me that Pittsburgh is one of the most racists states in the country. Red lining is an example of that and there are plenty of reports/data that display it. Perhaps it's more noticeable to those of us who are minorities and those who read the report he mentioned in the video. 🤷♀️
@@Evelyn-pl3we You live where you can afford just like all the rest of us. That's not segregation. I live in Mt Oliver. I would love to live on Grandview but I can't afford it. Am I being discriminated against? I don't think so. Redlining is a nasty thing. However poor whites have the same experiences in this. Therefore it is not a racist thing but a classist thing.
I just moved to Pittsburgh and this has completely changed my way of viewing the hill district and the entire city.
Oh man!
I was about to buy me my first house in Hill District and I did my own outreach with a negative outcome. Locals told me that wasn't a good idea. How stupid I was, I lost a good deal. I'm Latino and I have not problem leaving in a black neighborhood. Very informative video in history and demographic perspective. I'm glad I found your videos. Thanks!
Why not move where other Latinos are?
The hill district is terrible. If it was New York, there would be a cop on every block
"Fences", mentioned in this video, was far and away the best picture of that year, one of the best movies I have ever seen. It should have won the Academy Award.
these are great! i love hearing about the history and the authentic perspective of these neighborhoods we don't always get. i think you should make more!
It is a shame how in the 1960s the area was transformed from a vibrant neighborhood mostly due to “urban renewal” projects like the Civic Arena.
Yeah blame urban renewal, that’s intellectually dishonest. What percent of the Hill receives government assistance? Also the 1960s were a long time ago. If people can’t right the ship in 50 years they have nobody to blame but themselves. 50 year!!!!!!!
The parkway as well, really took traffic away from the center of the city.
@@oldman9206, you clearly don't know the history of the Hill District. It was a poor but stable community until the Urban Renewal Authority started leveling whole neighborhoods and herding people into public housing projects. Pittsburgh had the most affordable housing of any large city in the country, and yet we were second only to Chicago in the number of housing projects per capita. That happened for one reason alone, urban renewal, which is really a euphemism for slum clearance.
These actions destroyed the neighborhood fabric and fostered crime. Communities don't recover from that kind of destruction very easily. It's not just something that happened 50 years ago, either. Once they had large numbers of people living in housing projects, they began tearing down the housing projects.
@@RBush-id8zm people who think like this are exactly the problem.
"Look at these piece of shit people, let's not give a single fuck about them for decades. Look what they've done to the shit hole we put them in, see I told you"
@@RBush-id8zm Who massacred the Native Indigenous Indians of Pittsburgh?? not Black people. Who Polluted the air with toxins for 100years? Not Black People. Get your facts straight Dummy!!!!!
I'm not from Pittsburgh but came across these vids and they're all so well done that I've just kept watching them. Great work man, you deserve way more views.
HUUUGE fan of this one in particular! Keep on keepin on!
I stumbled on this video by accident and I’m so glad I watched the entire thing. Definitely worth watching. Both of my parents were born and raised in the Hill. We moved to another part of the city when i was 8. But I started working in the Hill 7 years ago and you pretty much captured the spirit of a place I’ve come to love.
I was reading on the history of music in Pittsburgh and came across this video. Great job! I would love to see the inside of that theater. So much history there. Would be amazing to see it renovated!
I'm surprised nobody has mentioned Crawford's Grill # 2. I saw Coletrane there, Sonny Stitt, many others in the late 50's/early60's. It was a great jazz club - an institution of jazz culture.
Love that you chose the Hill district. Learned much that I didn’t know!
I deliver for Amazon and I used to deliver in the hill district. I never felt uncomfortable and the people I encountered were all extremely nice. In my experience, I'd say your camera would most likely get stolen in Bloomfield or Lawrenceville.
Hey I lived in Bloomfield and Lawrenceville, as well as Squirrel Hill in my 8 years. Never had anything stolen there..
Tha Hill District gets an unfair bad wrap.I was born and raised there.Yes,It has its issues but the people are golden and they love their community.It looks worst than it is.Trust me! Lol
I’m from the hill it’s a nice place
You seriously have such an incredible eye for b-roll shots, and your editing is goddamn on point as well. Don't stop making videos no matter what man, you treat pittsburgh and the people there with such respect, I feel like no matter what you do you'll do fantastic work.
I’m from Pittsburgh, anyone else?
Northside 👊
Beltzhoover
Wilkins township
Hill district!!
This is so phenomenal, I hope you are able to keep these up. I hope I can speak on behalf of Pittsburgh to tell you that we appreciate these videos so much.
This makes me inspired to explore neighborhoods of Pittsburgh, such as the Hill District where most don't typically go.
P.S. - I would love to play a pickup game of baseball at Josh Gibson field.
Ran into dean out in my neighborhood (greenfield) and he really is that friendly dude. Its not a schtick for the camera. He really is just that dude. Keep pushin the videos bro. This city got stories on stories.
The hill got decimated when the city decided to bulldoze half of it for the civic arena. Destroying a thriving economy and an incredibly important place historically speaking. Its a damn shame the Old Grenada is boarded up. Them walls got a lot of stories.
So glad I came across your channel! I’m from NZ but looking to move to Pittsburgh in the future. You captured the people so well - everyone looks super friendly and welcoming. A lot of other channels focus on the food and scenery, but it’s nice to come across someone who is focusing on what makes a city unique - and that’s the people!
I have only driven through ...I want to try two restaurants there. You should do all 90 neighborhoods . I first visited Pittsburgh in March of 2016 I was like hello Pittsburgh I love you I’m moving here packed up my LI life and moved to Pittsburgh and have never looked back
I’ve always loved cities. Used to ask for atlases for Xmas and bday to study forms and color maps. This series, particularly this episode, is amazing. I’m inspired.
It’s so odd to see The Hill on RUclips. My parents grew up there, my grandparents lived there nearly all of their lives and my great grandmother lived there from marriage til she passed in 1995.
Work is keeping me away and I won't make it to Abby's today by 6 but, I really admire your work and message and hopefully we can meet in the future.
All good! Im sure we will bump into each other eventually, it's a small city :)
I just visited Pittsburgh this weekend...I wish I would’ve saw this video earlier. I was told to stay away from the Hill by an Uber due to violence. I also googled violent areas of Pittsburgh and the Hill came up. I feel bad that I didn’t give it a chance before I left. Thanks for the video.
@Marshall Carwood have you been to the hill🤔
They were racist. If there was more whites they wouldn't of said that.
@Marshall Carwood no it IS not. I am from there and was there many nights just sitting in my car. People do not be robbing. You haven't hung out there many night so you don't know so shut the hell up
@Marshall Carwood not true my mother called ambulance last feb and they came alone. Stop these lies. My mother lived on the hill and I am from the hill. The ambulance came for several of my people on the hill and they came alone.
I'm considering moving to Pittsburgh for grad school (at Chatham), and these videos are making me fall more in love with the idea of living here! Thanks for putting these out!
I worked with The Hill House Association on their 25th anniversary....that was thirty years ago. They were a fabulous group of people. My son still remembers Mr Blakey’s suspenders....I think they now have an auditorium named after him.
Man I just discovered your channel and I've been binge watching for hours. Some of the best content I've ever seen on RUclips. Makes me so proud to come from such a wonderful and vibrant city. Thank you so much for shedding light on these communities!
I was born and raised in Pittsburgh. Grew up all over pgh, Northside birthed. It is what you make it, spent most of my elementary years on the Hill district. I loved it up there. No matter where you live there are bad parts and bad people. From the Northside, to broadhead manor, to homewood, to clairton, to wilkinsburgh, to braddock, to downtown. I lived all over. And there's good everywhere. If you look for it... Blessed be all!
Loved this omg I can't wait for the next one!!!! Yayy thank you so much for doing these I will definitely check out abbys...🤗👏👏👏👏 your videos are extremely informative and entertaining.
Hearing this makes me extremely happy and inspired to keep going, so thank you!
Rebel Rebel of course you thought this was informative...
Hoodricc is there something wrong about her thinkin this was informative? If so I’d like to know what is so wrong about learning new things!
Somtings - Achievement Guides To each their own, but if she wants to find out about the Hill District there are way more informative biographical sources
@@United_House_of_Israel can you suggest places to look instead of just spouting off, picking on someone's opinion?
You're very talented my man! keep up the great work
Incredible! As a Pittsburgh native, I must say this is a pretty accurate representation of the Hill (and its public perceptions). I also hope you don't stop at 5 neighborhoods. Very well made
Used to live at a mens'rooming house named St. Jospeh's House of Hospitality on Bedford Avenue in Lower Hill near PPG Paints Arena. Now watching this video from sunny and warm Jacksonville,Fla😎
I like the jazz history. This neighborhood has a bright future.
3:58 to confirm what he's saying about crime: I moved to the city 12 years ago from WV, lived in Squirrel Hill, and attended school downtown. I used to walk home for exercise (about 6 miles) and my route took me through the hill every day. Occasionally I'd get bored with trudging along the same main streets and deviate to less traveled ones for a change of scenery. Later I moved to Polish Hill and would walk to and from work in the south side. Whether it was during the day or the middle of the night I've never had an issue and the people have been extremely friendly.
"walk through Chauncey drive at night I'm sure it won't work out to well if your a white dude."
I am white and have walked through the Bedford Dwellings before. Also Homewood. I was bored, didn't know many people, didn't have many friends, but did have a lot of free time waiting for classes to start when I first moved here. I'd take walks to clear my head and learn the city. 5 to 15 miles at a time. I was going through a rough breakup at the time and it helped me work shit out and get through it. I have a friend who lives in the central north side that I spend a lot of time hanging out with as well. People (plural) have been killed outside of his building, but for the most part its a safe area. People hear about crime and violence in the news and don't realize that most of it in the city isn't random. Most of it is drug or gang related, and they don't want police attention so if you mind your own business they leave you alone.
@@qtipmotha preach!
Hill district born & raised!!! This was an AMAZING video of our culture and history.
Guido Parlicky the trump profile pic really brings out the irrelevancy and unintelligent worth in your comment.
@truly781 im from the hill too
So happy that this is the most popular of all of the Neighborhoods videos in terms of views. Refreshing to see The Hill seen through fresh eyes.
How do you not have more subscribers?!? This is brilliant. I am forty minutes south of Pittsburgh on the PA-WV border. I think that MAY be the reason your videos keep popping up in my feed. Super glad I checked your videos out, tho. Awesome suggestion, RUclips. 10/10.
I love watching these and love seeing these Pittsburgh neighborhoods getting some A+ exposure!
Never been to pittsburgh but i stumbled across this somehow and u went about this really well. Wish someone would do something like this with some of the neighborhoods where im from.
Can u please do east liberty I've been living here for about five years and it's a great neighborhood.
Bro you're documentary and video editing skills are absolutely amazing! VICE needs to give you a call ASAP! well done brah
I was born and raised on the hill for a while and the hill was once very artistic.
Did a report on august Wilson for my final.... I really seemed like an amazing place.
The handshakes and smiles at 9:20 tell you everything you need to know. The fact that entrenched negative stereotypes of the Hill District were respectfully challenged here makes this video my favorite of the entire "Neighborhoods" series.
“The power of a bold idea uttered publicly in defiance of dominant opinion cannot be easily measured...shaking up not only the self-assurance of enemies, but the complacency of friends." -- Howard Zinn
Regarding the Hill District's New Granada Theatre: an absolutely wonderful film which details Pittsburgh's central role in American jazz is "We Knew What We Had." The film "explores the social conditions and historical events that conspired to make Pittsburgh one of the leading contributors to the legacy of Jazz music in the world."
www.weknewwhatwehadfilm.com/ ruclips.net/video/8sHi5gC4NGI/видео.html
Saw this and LOVED the editing and the content. Was totally shocked to see the likes under 1K. I assumed this was a relatively big channel. Definitely subbed, awesome videos!
I’m from The Hill and I love my neighborhood....
Yeah all those murders, drugs, and gangbanging are great. Weeds out the undesirables.
PJH199 1 is it wrong to love the place you grew up? I don’t think so, no one needs your fucking irrelevant input. If it’s not positive get the fuck out of here.
@@RBush-id8zm have you been to the Hill?
I love how you did the hill because people make it seem like the hills a bad place and its not🤷🏽♀️
Thank you very much!!!! Home grown Hill District resident 😊
Im from the hill too
I grew up with oggy, and partied with him. I just saw him a few weeks ago. He looks pretty good! If you needed to know about the hill, you needed to ask the guy on the bike (Ravanna) my close friend, and me and my family. We have generations there 😊
That's what's up.
The world needs more people like you man. Keep up the good work. People have made up their mind about things before ever seeing it for themselves. The thing is that no matter your race, religion, sexual orientation or where you live, we are all human beings. Not perfect, but all the same. Good job on this video!!!
We are not the same. Equal before god and the law but we are not the same, otherwise we would all achieve the same outcomes.
Hey man i love your channel and itll blow up as long as you stay consistent. Especially if you get out to different areas like allentown harrisburg philly or other states. Videos that show the truth of our communities are important. We are still very segregated and we need more of this!!
Another outstanding video. Very informative, relaxing and entertaining. You had a great response to your bike being stolen. Well done!
Thank you for appreciating this beautiful city! Keep up the good work!
Dang it I wish I had seen this in time to do dinner at Abby's
Bill Mattheis same bill. Same
Funny. I was the manager for a time at the family dollar in this area. I am white. The neighborhood was mostly hostile towards me, and I was told that the community did not want me there. A lot of shoplifting at the store and when I tried to mitigate, was called a racist. Was also assaulted on Thanksgiving and had a gun pulled when I stopped another shoplifter. Had some great customers, but mostly I felt unwanted trying to fix/ run a business there. To be fair the manager prior to me was VERY popular in the neighborhood, and corperate was very harsh with her, then they sent me in to pick up the pieces. I dont know, kinda felt like I was set up to fail
Just found your channel and im loving these videos thank you for doing these. Come on over to West View alot of cool history you can look into.
I second the suggestion to interview the kid that walks around with flags in Allentown and Beltzhoover. He’s a sweet kid with a curious nature. He asks to pet my dog anytime we’re out for a walk and he’s not busy with his flags.
Shout out from mc kees rocks pittsburgh. ;) born and raised. Just subbed. :)
No doubt
H.I. Double L ! Great editing. Great format. Great music choices. Impressive video. FYI: You go anywhere in Pittsburgh with a bike, gotta secure it. Someone will heist it, restore it and flip it.
Your videos are fantastic!
Thanks to you I'm super excited to go visit Pittsburgh :)
P.S- I want to go eat with you!
This series is the most underrated thing EVER!!
Agreed, everyone needs to share this channel with their friends!
Just coming across your channel for the first time. Really liking your content! Thanks for what you're doing.
How was dinner at Abby's?
I was legit trying to find reviews of different areas then I found this/ these gem❤
Great video! I want to visit Pittsburgh soon to take drone footage and walk around. I'll be sure to visit Abby's on Reed St for some Jamaican food.
The only thing I would say is that guarding your belongings wherever you are is just plain good advice. I'm not even talking about the Hill or Sugar Top in particular. Matter of fact for everyone you interviewed there's another in the same spot that will tell you the same. You can afford to lose a bike and not worry about it but not everyone can. Anyway I'm not trying to rant and take away from this incredible video, but guarding your belongings and watching your surroundings is just good advice. No matter who says it or even how they say it. It's just good advice. Only takes 1 asshole to mess up your day.
the dude who took your bike was just tired of walking bro
This was beautiful my man. Great job.
IM FROM THE CITY AND THE HILL WAS NOTORIOUSLY KNOWN AS A BAD AREA--but just like anywhere in the city as long as you know someone from the area u are fine.
NO IT WASNT WHEN I WAS I YOUNG. WHEN I WAS IN MY TEENS it was musical and artistic and lots of fun. People stereotypes the hill. The hill didn't get bad until the gangs came and the gangs were in many areas even white and not just the hill.
@@ladybird491 im 29 hun....yea it was. I am from Clairton. If you read my comment no shade was thrown at all...
@@matthewmockabee2410 I am not from clairton, though I now live in clairton. I was raised on the hill, so I know it much better than you. Don't speak on an area you wasn't born and raised on. I never had to fear for my life walking through the hill growing up. I could easily say Clairton was bad, since my friend was shot in the head in Clairton. It was shade, cause you didn't live every day of your life for years on the hill, so you are not a good information source and it is known that areas eventually started fueding, clairton and the hill, so you comment can certainly be bias. I had friends from homewood that came to the hill and had no problems. Almost all the cities in pgh started having gangs in the 90s, and clairton was no different. I hate when people who aren't from an area think they know it, cause one personal experience they may have had. The hill may have "looked bad" but it was not bad until the gangs came around, which is why several celebrities visited the hill so often. I have plenty of pics of me and my friends standing on the hill with happy faces. Photographs walked the hill without fear. Your comment needed to say that alot of areas including the hill got bad, when they gangs came, and that includes CLAIRTON.
@@ladybird491 u cray if u think im reading your long ass misguided angry ass dissertation. have a good one!
@@ladybird491
How old are you? Hill has been sketchy since crack days, if not before. It was decent in the 50s, I hear, but that's before my time.
If anything, it's a lot safer now than when I lifeguarded at Ammon pool in 1990.
Great insight of the Hill District. Historical ados community! I used to play up there back in the days
please keep doing these ,they are very interesting (never stop)👍I subbed and hit the like button ❤
Awww yes, now we in my neck of the woods! Lower hill rise up 💪
Edit: “It was probably someone white that told you that” YO THAT’S WHAT I WAS THINKING
Its not because a white person said it, its because its white people who get the shit kicked out of them for their stuff in The Hill District...
@TRUTHSPEAKER I can relate, i grew up in Youngstown born and raised, so here where i grew up isn't much different than Pittsburgh, and once considered myself a democrat, but after educating myself i realized that in doing so i stacked the deck against myself.
Like Pittsburgh liberal politics ran this city into the ground and created a whole generation of self hating entitled adult babies who have no heart and no ethics, and very little intelligence. hard work is beneath them and they complain about the wage they do get for doing mediocre work at mediocre jobs.
They dont understand the kind of men who built these cities and have been taught that they were angry drunk greedy earth polluting white men who were racist bigoted xenophobes that beat their wives picked on gay people and molested their children, in between fist fights in the street and local bars. my question to these idiots is how did they find the time to build our cities and produce the goods and provide the services they did if they were so busy being all the things they were taught these men were... all i heard was crickets...
Obama created a stepping stone for black people he brought them to their lowest level in history and whites have began to say so, i'm a racist so i'm a bigot, so i'm a xenophobe you are still scum and the root of your own problems in your own neighborhoods.
I'm of Irish, English and Dutch decent, but growing up our family was considered the quintessential Irish family, you know, drunk stupid lazy and violent. yet my family is known for the dredging of lakes creeks rivers and canals, we built the parks railroads and dug the coal out of the ground that kept their lights on and we made steel, the best steel the world had ever known.
And we are treated no different today here, except todays its progressive idiots and entitled blacks that ridicule us rather than the old liberal elite, and they have manipulated that black folks into believing all the bullshit they push, for the most part race relations gave always been good here. older generation of micks wops and black people worked together to build this city and we all got the credit...
today blacks are told that that kind of work was slavery and that their parents were worked into the ground for the white man. the truth is black people in Youngstown had it pretty good here in the 40s 50s 60s and 70s, once the left took over the backs became resentful, their neighborhoods crumbled their ethics faded and the hate festered.
now we have a generation of blacks who blame every single one of their problems on the white man, though few and far between they do exist here. when we complain about the drugs violence and hate, we are labeled racist bigoted xenophobes who only want to take us back to a time where blacks were slaves. and like you said this kid is an enabler, even seeing that his own bike was stolen is not enough for him to recognize the problem, that he and others like him are the problem, and have always been the problem for the black community.
Lmao...
I lived in the hill district and never knew most of this. Awesome work!
In the early to mid 20th Century many Italian and Eastern European immigrants lived in the Hill alongside African Americans. Most of the Eastern European immigrants were Jewish, and as they formed congregations they also built synagogues, most of which have been razed. Given that these immigrants and their children were white they didn't suffer as much from housing discrimination and often moved away as they garnered wealth. But many were also forced to relocate at the end of the 1950s when a large section of the Hill was demolished to make way for the Civic Arena, Chatham Center, etc.
I would like to see Troy Hill covered. They say the old Fire House is Haunted & the Cemetery on Lowrie st.. Troy Hill has changed since my PARENTS bought their home in 1982, growing up here was a very safe place to raise a family. Due to changing of times & other life changing events Troy Hill isn't the same. Please talk with someone of the residents who have lived here for years.
Pretty cool channel! I've always been a Pittsburgh city fan!
Great piece. Although having family who settled in the hill when coming to America from Italy, the hill was not always predominantly a black community. That is something that is often forgotten. African American, Jewish, and Italian groups all made up the Hill District before the construction of the Civic Arena.
I really liked that...its nice to see other people come and experience the hill cause it really aint that bad....media and the news makes it seems like you'll die within 5 seconds on entering the hill district when it's definitely not the cause I'm born and raised in the hill....thanks dean
Just found your channel. Great content man. Thanks
Hello Dean, I grew up in North Pittsburgh (McCandless) but attended a Russian Orthodox church on Reed Street as a child with my family. I believe the church has been torn down. I recall the area as friendly on Sundays. Appreciate your review.
I’m from the H-I- double LL aka the Hill, Ok, we always looked out for one or another and we had shoe stores, restaurants, bakery, movie theater, and so on
It still the same I was just there
Great video. My First trip ever to the East Coast was to Pittsburgh. Born in Nor Cal raised in Denver.
5 weeks, what about all the other neighborhoods? I am thinking of moving to Pittsburgh, and I want you to go through them all.
leisure057 blank I’m from Pittsburgh
I drive by Abby’s almost every day. I think it’s about time to sample some Jamaican food!
Spent 2 years in the lower hill on Crawford St and loved the people and the neighborhood.
Famous song came from the Pittsburgh area high on a hill by Scott English they call it the Pittsburgh song
I'm a Pgh Native. One love Hill District!!!!
Good video... dude born and raised in the burgh...will always be home now you knew better with the bike 😊😊... did you go through the Homewood Lincoln east liberty areas
LOL In good ways. :~) you are an amazing film maker, story teller, shower, showing us the neighborhoods history and present! Thank you