Washington's Landing
| Washington's Landing Herrs Island | |
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| Neighborhood of Pittsburgh | |
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| Coordinates: 40°28′00″N 79°58′30″W / 40.4667°N 79.975°W | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Pennsylvania |
| County | Allegheny County |
| City | Pittsburgh |
Washington's Landing (previously known as Herrs Island) is an island in the Allegheny River in Pittsburgh in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. It is officially considered part of the Troy Hill neighborhood.[1]
Herrs Island
The island was originally named Herrs Island, after an early owner, Benjamin Herr. Herr used the island for farming. Later, the island was used extensively for industrial purposes, including stockyards, saw mills, soap works, and the Pennsylvania Railroad.[2]
Washington's Landing
George Washington reputedly slept on the island after his raft capsized in the Allegheny River while on a diplomatic mission to the French at Fort Le Boeuf near Lake Erie during the French and Indian War.[3] This story led to the renaming of the island on October 24, 1987.
Rehabilitiation
As a result of the industrial activity, Herrs Island was a brownfield site. By the 1970s most industrial activity on the island had left. During the 1980s and 1990s a major redevelopment effort was undertaken after a long study of best uses.[4]
The island is now a showcase project of urban redevelopment for the City of Pittsburgh.[5] It now a mixed use community, home to townhomes and business parks, as well as a marina, the Three Rivers Rowing Association, and the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy.
Head of the Ohio
Since 1987 the island and piers have hosted the starting point for the annual Head of the Ohio crew race. The Three Rivers rowing club also maintains their boathouses on the island.
References
- ↑ http://www.city.pittsburgh.pa.us/cp/assets/census/2000_census_pgh_jan06.pdf
- ↑ Washington's Landing Brownfield Site
- ↑ George Washington on the Frontier
- ↑ http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=h9VRAAAAIBAJ&sjid=RG4DAAAAIBAJ&dq=regional-industrial-development&pg=6547%2C4245017
- ↑ Urban Redevelopment Authority of Pittsburgh
External links
Media related to Washington's Landing at Wikimedia Commons
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