Purportedly named for the many beech trees growing on its hillsides,
Beechview was settled by Scotch-Irish and English pioneers in the late
1700s. This Pittsburgh neighborhood stretches along a broad ridge two
and a half miles south of the Point.
While Pittsburgh grew and developed into the political and economic
center of the region, on the ridge, self-reliant farmers, miners, and
shopkeepers maintained an easy interdependency. In 1905, Beechview
separated from Union Township to become a borough. The broad ridge was
graded and laid with trolley track, which brought commercial and
residential development to the area. Beechview became a destination
community for inner-city residents seeking relief from the crowded urban
spaces. Hundreds of new families arrived, established businesses, and
created a degree of prosperity for the community. Beechview merged with
Pittsburgh in 1909, and today, it is a thriving and diverse
neighborhood.