Sharing two lesser-known spots in Pittsburgh that I personally adore

These places capture the essence of Pittsburgh from 1890 to 1910, mirroring America’s Gilded Age—an era of extravagant wealth, rapid growth, corruption, and turmoil. Together, they offer a fascinating glimpse into a defining slice of American history 🏭💎 The Frick Pittsburgh Museums & Gardens Most people in Pittsburgh know Frick Park, and some might even be familiar with The Frick Collection in New York next to Central Park on 70th Street. But wait—there’s also a Frick Museums and Gardens right here in Pittsburgh? 😲 Henry Clay Frick was a co-founder and chairman of Carnegie Steel, a figure as influential—and infamous—as Carnegie himself. He was ruthless, incredibly wealthy, and often called a “robber baron” 💼🦹 The Frick includes his Pittsburgh mansion, Clayton, along with lush gardens and a museum founded by his daughter Helen. Clayton features 23 opulently decorated rooms dripping with luxury 💎✨, while the gardens boast greenhouses, sprawling lawns, and even a children’s playhouse. It’s a stunning look into the lives of the ultra-wealthy during that era. Carrie Blast Furnace If The Frick showcases the glamour of high society, Carrie Blast Furnace represents the other extreme—the gritty, industrial heartbeat of America 🏗️🔥. This site was once critical to the nation’s infrastructure. Its 30-meter blast furnaces operated nonstop, processing ore and molten iron while workers labored in tough conditions with low pay and little protection. The molten iron was shipped by rail to the Homestead Steel Works across the river (yep, that’s where Costco stands now 🛒), and used to build iconic structures like the Rockefeller Center. In 1892, Frick hired armed guards to crush a steelworkers’ strike, leading to the Homestead Strike—a bloody conflict that left ten workers dead. This historic clash took place right across from Carrie Blast Furnace, near today’s Waterfront plaza by the Monongahela River 🌉⚔️. Today, Clayton offers guided tours titled “Gilded, Not Golden”—a fitting metaphor for the era. Meanwhile, Carrie Blast Furnace, now rusted and weathered, offers tours led by former steelworkers. Across the river, all that remains of the Homestead Steel Works are its lonely chimneys standing against the skyline 🏭💨 Over a century later, listening to a summer concert in The Frick’s gardens 🎶🌷 or glimpsing those towering smokestacks after a Costco run, I’m reminded of all this history. The light and the shadows, the sweat and the struggle—it’s all right here in Pittsburgh. #Pittsburgh #AmericanLife #LifeAesthetics #USA #GildedAge ✨🏛️🔨