Palmer's Pittsburgh

In 1905 a man named R.M. Palmer put together a book of the great history and the prominent personalties of Pittsburgh. This book
included over 1,500 portraits and views of our great city. 1,268 classified portraits and 376 historical prints. It tried to
comprehensively cover every major event and all of the places these events transpired and all the men involved in these events. It
is a stunning achievement and at a cost of $15.00 in 1905 an expensive tome. That translates to $405.41 in today's dollars!

The extremely rare photos contained in this book are on display in the following pages and show not only the first pictures of
Pittsburgh, places that are long gone and photos from not just the turn of the 20th Century but the turn of the 19th Century!

ALL PHOTOGRAPHS COURTESY OF THE PITT DIGITAL LIBRARY
PHOTO RESTORATION DONE BY THE STEELCACTUS FOUNDATION

SEE MORE OF PALMER'S PITTSBURGH

Fort Duquesne
This draught of Fort Du Quesne, the first and second Fort Pitt, made
by R. Ratzer in 1761, afterward given to George III, later presented by
George IV to the British Museum. This copy was made in 1830 by
W. Osman for the Hon. R. Biddle, of Pittsburgh.

The Great Fire of 1845
On April 10, 1845, the heaviest blow Pittsburgh ever experienced fell
with crushing force. With relentless fury flames swept away
three-fourths of the business district, inflicting a loss of one life and
a property valuation of nearly nine million dollars ($281,250,000.00
in today's money!), including the famous old Monongahela House,
one of the great hotels of the country.

FIRST ACADEMY IN WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA

PITTSBURGH 19 4 0's

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This picture of the Monongahela Wharf is of date about 1825. The houses from left to right are as follows: 1.) General William Wilkins Mansion, where
Generals Lafayette, Jackson, Taylor, Daniel Webster, Henry Clay, Calhoun, Benton, and all the notables going through Pittsburgh, were entertained. General
Wilkins was the political power in Pennsylvania, and was the Secretary of War, Minister to Denmark and Russia. 2.) Old woolen mill, later the site of the first
free school in Pittsburgh, later becoming the Old South or Second Ward. Later, the Monongahela House. 3.) Irwin's Tavern. A famous old hotel where
people from the East stopped, when going South and West. 4.) Anderson's Mansion. 5.) Bakewell's Glass House. On river are the "pirogues" a craft used by
rivermen which was poled by hand. 6.) The old Smithfield Street covered bridge, was destroyed by the Great Fire of 1845. A high sand bar in the
Monongahela had a crop of rye raised on it, in 1825.

PITTSBURGH 19 5 0's

OLD RAFTSMAN'S TAVERN
Built About 1800

First Business Building
in Pittsburgh
Erected in 1810

Second Church of the First German United
Evangelical Protestant Congregation (Smithfield
Street and Sixth Avenue), built in 1815. Torn down in
1833. Parsonage on left at Smithfield Street and
Strawberry Way, built in 1819. Cemetery in middle.