1939 Stiles Pictorial Map of Frick Park, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

This is a 1939 pictorial map of Frick Park in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, drawn by artist Ezra C. Stiles.

A Closer Look

This visually rich map displays the entirety of Frick Park as it existed at the time (without a later southern expansion to the Monongahela River) and notes both existing and planned future elements of the park. Trails, structures, waterways, drinking fountains, park entrances, high points of elevation, and surrounding streets and neighborhoods are labeled. Many of the planned future enhancements, such as a large tennis court complex and additional parking lots, were never built, presumably due to the Great Depression and the Second World War. The proposed Lincoln Highway By-Pass became a highway in the early postwar period, which was subsequently incorporated into Interstate 376.

Surrounding the map is text on the park's history and many rich illustrations of flora and fauna to be found there. At the bottom are illustrations of people hiking, picnicking, and otherwise enjoying the park. Two of the park's grand entrances and the City of Pittsburgh seal are depicted at the bottom, along with two small inset maps: one of Pittsburgh, highlighting its municipal parks, and another of Allegheny County, similarly pointing out Frick and other parks. The text on the verso provides helpful reminders and park rules for visitors.

Frick Park

Frick Park is the largest municipal park in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Covering nearly 650 acres, it was founded in 1919 upon the death of industrialist Henry Clay Frick (1849 - 1919), who, along with Andrew Carnegie (1835 - 1919), played a pivotal role in making Pittsburgh the 'Steel City.' The park's original 161 acres were adjacent to Clayton, Frick's large mansion in the Point Breeze neighborhood. Additional acreage was added in the following years (standing at 476 when this map was published), expanding the park to several times its original size. A combination of nature preserve and urban park, it offers Pittsburghers a wide range of outdoor activities.

Publication History and Census

This map was drawn by landscape architect Ezra C. Stiles in 1938 and published by the Union Trust Co. of Pittsburgh in 1939, perhaps to coincide with the 20th anniversary of the park's creation. It is scarce, unrecorded in the OCLC, and only held by the David Rumsey Historical Map Collection and the City of Pittsburgh Archives.