StepTrek Route: Goldroute 2021

Make left and keep left along Pius. The former convent at 66 Pius Street,
on the left, is now a condominium complex. The building was once part of St. Michael’s
Parish.

The influence of the church was strong in the Slopes. St. Michael parish started in a house in 1848 where the church front now stands. Designed by Charles Bartberger of Stuttgart, Germany, the church was built between 1855 and 1860 on land donated by German immigrants. The surrounding land reminded them of the Rhine River valley. Though it has a gothic spire, the overall style is Rhineland Romanesque Rival similar to rural Bavarian churches. The church was closed through a consolidation of parishes and has been redeveloped into condominiums.

Turn right and descend 21 steps to Pius St. You are now in the midst of the what was St. Michael Parish.

At 44 Pius is the former St. Michael’s Madchen Schule and previous home of the Veronica’s Veil playhouse. The theater hosted a series of plays throughout the year but was most famous for its Passion play, Veronica’s Veil. Performed during Lent, it was said to be the longest running play in American community theater. These buildings were part of St. Michael’s Parish. The next building housed the Burning Bush, which offered a retreat center for quiet meditation in overnight rooms. Both buildings are part of a planned new apartment complex.

Make right. Walk to end of street. Across on the right is a fire hydrant
and utility pole. Short St. steps are to the right between a fence and house.

Most of the steps on Yard Way date back to 1944 and number 314 in total. They are the longest set of stairs on this side of the Slopes. The first 13 steps were rebuilt in time for the initial StepTrek in April 2000. In addition to providing a fascinating tour of this hillside neighborhood, StepTrek encourages the city to make repairs to existing stairways for public safety. The first cross street you come to is Gregory St.

Continue along left side of Pius. Residents are encouraged to add art in support of StepTrek. Hanging on a tree in front of 179 Pius are crystals hanging throughout and two COR-TEN steel birds in the shape of cardinal and a crow. A few of the larger brick buildings housed businesses that had storefronts on their ground floors. Just past 132 Pius St. are Yard Way Steps.

Cross S. 18th St. at light to Pius St. on the opposite side.

Under the bridge towering over StepTrek registration and Marketplace are the Mission St. Steps. You’ll find them under the left side of the bridge. Climb a total of 102 steps to the intersection of Mission St. and S. 18th St.

Efforts continue to reclaim a 64 acre park that extends from Josephine St. below to the heights of the Slopes. In this wooded hillside are streams, ball fields and footpaths. Volunteers have removed invasive plants and helped build its trails. Helping trim the aggressive knotweed and vines are a small herd of bovids, brought in for a few weeks as part of the Annual Goat Fest. With funding from The Brashear Association, South Side Slopes Neighborhood Association partnered with Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy, Landforce and the Student Conservation Association to create this neighborhood asset. Friends of South Side Park manages its ongoing work.