A Bit of History!

By Brittany Reno

Although the land that comprises the Strip District today was once owned privately by one man in the 1700's, by the 19th century it became a bustling center of industrial commerce. The vast flat land of the area, coupled with its prime location next to a river, quickly made it the perfect spot for shipping and other commercial ventures. Wealthy businessmen and immigrant workers flooded into the area, and the Strip District was born.

Iron mills, glass factories, and metal casting foundries thrived in the industrial Strip District, surging with the advent of the railroad to Pittsburgh mid-century. Captains of industry and their companies (most notably Carnegie, Westinghouse, and Alcoa) established a powerful presence in the Strip, heavily developing the area on the flood plain shore of the Allegheny River.

Towards the end of the 1800's, factory owners began to relocate out of the Strip, and the void left by the steel and glass industries was quickly filled by wholesale produce sellers. Gigantic warehouses and trade and auction houses that are still standing today crowded the area, and the Strip District became a thriving marketplace. When interstate highways and chain stores ousted the once modern railroads and independent wholesalers, the future of the Strip was up in the air.

Today's Strip District began to take shape when Benkovitz Seafood and other family-run food wholesalers arrived in the area. Wholey's, Consumers Produce, Stamoolis Brothers, Pennsylvania Macaroni Company, and Parma Sausage, among others, swiftly filed into the Strip to enjoy the same success as Benkovitz. Shortly after that, ethnic merchants, diverse restaurants, and hip night clubs were added to the Strip, enhancing the cultural diversity and depth of the area.

Today, many of the old factories and trade houses still tower above the street markets that are especially active on Saturday mornings. The friendly local restaurants and family operated sidewalk shops that line the streets of the Strip make even the most foreign visitor feel like he's at home.