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  Location of the Tufa Bridges in Pittsburgh | |
| Location | (Schenley Park (Pittsburgh)), Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 40°26′2.30″N79°56′8.21″W / 40.4339722°N 79.9356139°W |
| Area | Schenley Park |
| Built/founded | 1908 |
| Architect | George W. Burke |
| Governing body/ | City of Pittsburgh |
The Tufa Bridges are two bridges made of tufa stone located in Schenley Park in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Built in 1908 by George W. Burke, the bridges currently serve as part of a footpath within the park.
The idea for the construction of the two bridges came from George Burke, who was the Superintendent of City Parks for the Department of Public Works. Burke had no prior experience in architecture, engineering, building, or designing, but rather he was a horticulturist and city official. [1] Burke was a Pittsburgh native and entered into work with the City of Pittsburgh in 1890 as a park foreman. In 1903 the parks became a separate bureau of the Department of Public Works, and with that change Burke was hired as parks superintendent. [2] [3] From this position he was responsible for maintaining Phipps Conservatory and Schenley Park. Phipps Conservatory, which is also located in Schenley Park, was made possible through a gift from Henry Phipps Jr, and under Burke it became world famous for its flower shows. [4] Up until his death, Burke made significant improvements to both Schenley Park and Phipps Conservatory, including the construction of the two tufa bridges. Burke chose the bridge locations in a dark and shady area of the park so as to make sure that moss and lichens would cover the stones in order to make the bridges a picturesque part of the Victorian-era style park. [5] Construction began in March 1908, and Burke oversaw the entire project. [6] The bridges extended the bridle path across the hillsides and Nature Ravine, Phipps Run. The bridges were finished and opened up to the public in early 1909. [7] The bridges continue to operate as part of the walking trails in Schenley Park, with only minor repairs needing to be made to replace and repair some tufa stones in 2010. [8] The bridges were nominated in August 2017 to become a City Historic Landmark by Preservation Pittsburgh.
The bridges were designed by George Burke in the Rustic or Romantic Arch Bridge architectural style. What is most significant about the architecture of the bridges is the method of construction and materials used. The body of the bridge was made with reinforced concrete with steel rods. The tufa stones came from a quarry in Northeastern Ohio. The concrete was poured into a frame with the tufa built up into a mold on the sides, and then after the concrete hardened to the tufa, the frame was removed. These tufa bridges are the only bridges in the world made in this style with tufa stones. [9] The tufa stones themselves also give the bridge a unique look. The stone cladding on these bridges has overtime become unnaturally blackened. Geologists have speculated two different reasons for this. The first being that the coal dust that was abundant in Pittsburgh during the mid-twentieth century caused the darkening, and the second being that the darkening is a result of manganese oxidation. [10] This darkening of the tufa stone makes the bridge visually unique, and the construction with tufa stones makes in architecturally unique.
Oakland is the academic and healthcare center of Pittsburgh and one of the city's major cultural centers. Home to three universities, museums, hospitals, shopping venues, restaurants, and recreational activities, this section of the city also includes two city-designated historic districts: the mostly residential Schenley Farms Historic District and the predominantly institutional Oakland Civic Center Historic District, as well as the locally-designated Oakland Square Historic District.
Schenley Park is a large municipal park in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States. It is located between the neighborhoods of Oakland, Greenfield, and Squirrel Hill. It is also listed on the National Register of Historic Places as a historic district. In 2011, the park was named one of "America's Coolest City Parks" by Travel + Leisure.
Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens is a botanical garden set in Schenley Park, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States. It is a City of Pittsburgh historic landmark and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Schenley Plaza is a public park serving as the grand entrance into Schenley Park in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
The Schenley Bridge is a steel three-hinged deck arch bridge spanning Junction Hollow in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It carries Schenley Drive between Oakland on the west and the main part of Schenley Park on the east, connecting Schenley Plaza, the Carnegie Institute, and the Frick Fine Arts Building with Frew Street, Flagstaff Hill, and Phipps Conservatory. The bridge spans 620 feet (190 m) and arches 120 feet (37 m) above the hollow.
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The Pittsburgh Athletic Association at the University of Pittsburgh is a historic, Benno Janssen designed building located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Opened as the home of a private social and athletic club of the same name, the building is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
A panther is the animal that serves as the official mascot of the University of Pittsburgh and used as a nickname for both athletic teams as well as other organizations and affiliates of the university. The mascot is generally referred to as the Pittsburgh Panther or Pitt Panther, while the costumed panther mascot is also named "Roc". Up to 20 physical representations of panthers can be found in and around the university's campus and athletic facilities.
The Schenley Park Casino was Pittsburgh’s first multi-purpose arena. The facility was considered the envy of the sports and entertainment world during the early 1890s, with amenities that were unsurpassed anywhere on the globe. It was built at the entrance to Schenley Park in Oakland near the Phipps Conservatory, the Schenley Bridge and the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh. The University of Pittsburgh’s Frick Fine Arts Building currently sits on the site of the casino. The casino was the first place in Pittsburgh where organized ice hockey was played. The arena's artificial ice surface was the first of its kind in North America.
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The Fort Pitt Block House is a historic building in Point State Park in the city of Pittsburgh. It was constructed in 1764 as a redoubt of Fort Pitt, making it the oldest extant structure in Western Pennsylvania, as well as the "oldest authenticated structure west of the Allegheny Mountains".
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The following is a timeline of the history of the city of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, US.
Panther Hollow Lake is a human-made lake in Schenley Park in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
The Westinghouse Memorial is a bronze monument located in the U.S. city of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It commemorates George Westinghouse, an engineer, founder of the Westinghouse Electric Corporation, and inventor of the railway air brake. The memorial is located at the entrance to the Steven Faloon trail, a part of Schenley Park. The architects for the monument and the surrounding area were Henry Hornbostel and Eric Fisher Wood. Daniel Chester French was the sculptor for the statue and the main panel, and Paul Fjelde designed the side panels.
The Greenfield Bridge, officially known as the Beechwood Boulevard (Greenfield) Bridge II, is a steel arch bridge located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States. The bridge connects the neighborhoods of Greenfield and Squirrel Hill across the valley known as Four Mile Run which separates them. The bridge also spans the Parkway East (I-376), which runs along the bottom of the valley.
The Former Pittsburgh Wash House and Public Baths Building is located at 3495 Butler Street in the Lawrenceville neighborhood of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Built in 1904 in the Romanesque Revival architectural style, the building today serves as office space. The bath house was designated a Pittsburgh historic landmark in 2018 and was listed as a contributing property in the Lawrenceville Historic District in 2019.
The Catahecassa (Snyder) Spring is located at the intersection of E. Circuit Road and Serpentine Drive in Schenley Park in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The spring was built in 1906–1907 and is one of only three remaining springs within the city.
The Charles Anderson Memorial Bridge is a steel deck truss bridge located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States. The bridge carries the four-lane roadway of Boulevard of the Allies across a ravine known as Junction Hollow, connecting the neighborhoods of Central Oakland and South Oakland with Schenley Park. The bridge also spans the Junction Hollow Trail and P&W Subdivision railroad tracks which run along the bottom of the valley.