StepTrek Route: Gold Route 2023

The influence of the Catholic 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, who also designed St. Paul of the Cross Monastery, 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.

Make right and walk along Pius St. To your left is the former St. Michael Church.

Descend 151 steps to Pius Street. Directly ahead is St. Michael Church.

Turn right. On the left, past 18 Hackstown, are the St. Michael Street steps.

Make left and descend the 78 steps to Hackstown Street. At eye level ahead is the steeple of the former St. Michael’s Church. Also visible is the Mon River and Pitt’s upper campus.

Walk the short distance to the St. Thomas St. steps, which begin just past 125 St. Joseph Way.

Make right and ascend the 77 steps to St. Joseph Way. Note that all of the houses have access via the steps only.

Terraced into the green space on the right is a fabricated canvas of COR-TEN steel plate installed against a curved retaining wall. The scrim replicates a section of the Slopes neighborhood from a lot and block map. A state Elm Street grant funded the project created by former SSSNA board member and architect Peter Kreuthmeier. Dedicated in 2007, the installation is one of six gardens maintained by SSSNA members and has garnered both state and local awards.

Turn right and keep right on the grass below Brosville-Monastery Welcome Garden.