North Park History

A Sampling of North Park photos

on the Historic Pittsburgh website

North Park construction plans

1935 Construction Plan of Babcock Blvd, Lake, Dam, & Lakeshore Dr

North Park Story Pole – Carved By William Shelton

Latodami Nature Center: Historical information, including links to photos and videos

North Park maps

North Park reports

Additional North Park history resources

Links to North Park in the 1940 Real Estate Plat Map published by the G. M. Hopkins Co.

Plate 30

Newspaper articles

March 25, 1931 – Last of Native Americans in County Parks to Leave
November 17, 1934 – Plans for Lake in North Park Again Studied
July 2, 1935 – Recreation Group Entertains at Camp
July 6, 1937 – North Park’s New Swimming Pool is Dedicated
August 8, 1937 – Observation Tower Opens in North Park
April 26, 1938 – North Park Clubhouse to be Dedicated May 30
August 31, 1938 – Parks Provide Varied Recreational Facilities
January 25, 1939 – Indian Relic Fight Grows More Bitter
January 25, 1939 – Revenue at Parks Totals $108,029
September 7, 1941 – North Park Trap Range…Taking Form as One of Best in Country
March 10, 1946 – County to Spend $160,000 to Primp Up its Big Parks
January 8, 1948 – North Park Staff to Learn How to Out-Fox Wily Fox
July 30, 1948 – To Improve North Park Golf Course
September 23, 1948 – Foxes Must Go So North Park Can Get Quail
July 4, 1949 – North Park Picnic Fuel Hit by Fire
August 7, 1952 – North Park Gals Lovely
August 9, 1952 – New Civil War Rages Over Park Pool Girls
January 17, 1957 – Ice Hemming in North Park Ducks
May 13, 1957 – Fish Swept Into Pine Creek after Accident; Hundreds Gather Prizes from Water
May 13, 1957 – Thousands of Fish Lost as Dam Drains
August 6, 1960 – North Park Opening Set in November
September 29, 1969 – Cracks Inch Towards North Park Pool
November 27, 1970 – Blind Get Own Forest Walk in North Park
October 26, 1974 – Contractor Disables North Park Bridge
November 10, 1977 – North Park Bike Trail is Fun, Safe – Exhausting
July 5, 1979 – Trash Piles Up in North Park; Pickets Blamed
October 2, 1980 – North Park to get Temporary Lake Next Year
July 30, 1981 – Naturalist Joe Grom a North Park Resource
April 1, 1988 – April Fool
April 19, 1989 – Letting Nature Take Its Course
May 17, 2007 – Joseph E. Cole: North Park’s ‘Zamboni Man’ and Proprieter of Cole’s Hotel in Pine
March 11, 2012 – North Park Lake has new lease on life