Mount Washington
written by jennay_jean
on November 18, 2009
, 4 comments
(3 votes)
Mount Washington overlooks the city of Pittsburgh, giving a great view of the pinnacle of the city, the Point. The Point is the spot where the Allegheny River, flowing from the north, meets the Monongahela River, flowing from the South, and a fourth unseen river which flows under the city to form the Ohio River. Ohio, in the local Native American tongue, means “high and beautiful”. It was named after the high and beautiful river in the sky, the Milky Way. The land that Pittsburgh was founded on was considered the most sacred land in the area by the Native Americans, reserved only for the most holy of rituals. This place is indeed one of the most special in the world.
Mount Washington harbors many lovely restaurants and homes, which have a gorgeous view. It also holds a very special bronze monument entitled, “Point of View” by James A. West, a local Pittsburgh sculptor. It is a sculpture of George Washington sitting down to a tribunal in October 1770 with Seneca leader Guyasuta. These two men were once allies, then veterans on opposite sides of the French & Indian War. 17 years later, they sat down together overnight at a Council Fire to revisit their past and discuss the future of this highly prized and sought after region. While they held very different views about the future of what is now Pittsburgh and its surrounding areas, they left at the end of the evening on friendly terms. West does a fantastic job capturing the power and strength of these two highly influential men whose actions shaped the future of not only the Pittsburgh Region, but also the formation of the country that would become America.
I’ve also included some photos from the Point itself in which you can see Mount Washington from the Rivers. Just a note… the Park is dog friendly so please bring Fido along!
There are many great places to catch a view of the city on Mount Washington, but to find this poignant monument, you cross the Liberty Bridge from downtown towards the Liberty Tunnels. At the light just before the tunnels, you take a right and go all the way up along the cliff face of Mount Washington. At the light at the tippy top of the hill, make another right and follow that street until you see the monument on your right. Got it? Right.
I recommend this view at any time of day or night in any season of the year. It allows you to truly see the beauty of this magnificent city we call Pittsburgh.
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