Morningside

Morningside, on the east end of Pittsburgh, is bordered by Highland Park to the East, Stanton Heights to the West and it also shares a small border with Lawrenceville.  The Allegheny River borders the north side of this historic Pittsburgh Neighborhood.

A dozen or so families settled Morningside in the early 1800’s, when the neighborhood was part of Collins Township.  Mainly farmers, the area was comprised mostly of vegetable and dairy farms.  The City of Pittsburgh annexed Morningside in 1868.  The area remained unchanged until the early 1900’s, when the Chislett Street trolley was extended from Stanton Avenue through the neighborhood.  Priming the area for development, the farms were sold to developers who began building hundreds of homes each year.  By the 1930’s, Morningside was a large residential community.

The end of World War II saw an influx of even more residents to Morningside, with Italian immigrants added to the mix of original settlers.  In the years since, the neighborhood has remained relatively stable, with a brief decline in population in the 1960’s.

The neighborhood was home to the most successful midget football team in the country, the Morningside Bulldogs.  Started by Joe Natoli, a community organizer, in 1949, the team had to travel to other areas of the country to find opponents matched to their skill level.

Morningside is primarily residential today, and although it lacks a major business district, it’s closeness to Shadyside, Bloomfield, Lawrenceville and the Strip District offer residents many choices for shopping, dining and entertainment.