Notes:Highland Drive

From Pittsburgh Streets

To do

St. Joseph's Roman Catholic Orphan Asylum, seen in early Hopkins atlases.

1906-11-09: Source:Blocks-scheme:

Director James W. Clark, of the department of public works, denied that the Highland Cemetery Co. was trying to get city property. He said the company had bought what was known as the Schoenberger farm several years ago. This property adjoins the Leech farm, which is on the hill above the Brilliant pumping station and across the Beechwood boulevard from Highland Park.

The Leech farm and another tract of land lying adjacent to it, comprising in all 100 acres, were given to the city by the Pennsylvania Railroad Co. a few years ago in return for the rights for the Brilliant cutoff. This property has never been developed and there is no likelihood that it will be for years to come.

1909-06-23 (Newspapers.com 141368461): "SITE FOR HOSPITAL. ¶ Mayor Magee has been offered a site for the proposed tuberculosis hospital. The ground is situated on an eminence in the East End section, high above the smoke and within riding distance from the downtown section of the city."

1909-08-19: Source:Ask-quarter-million: "The site of the proposed hospital is the Leech farm, comprising over 100 acres, and forming a high and somewhat broken plateau stretching back from the Brilliant cut-off opposite Highland parak [sic]. The farm is owned by the city and is admirably adapted for the purpose. With proper attention the part surrounding the hospital can be made a beautiful park, while the remaining acres can be utilized for truck gardening."

To do

Opposition to tuberculosis hospital; Bigelow claims that Leech farm was acquired for park purposes.

  • 1909-11-05: Newspapers.com 141314677
  • 1909-11-17: Newspapers.com 141328005
  • 1909-11-18: Newspapers.com 86422889
  • [1909-12-03 (Newspapers.com 86425212): no Bigelow; "The health department still is strongly in favor of building a municipal tuberculosis hospital on the Leech farm opposite Highland park. Director Walters says there are very few objections to the site, while it is in many ways an ideal spot for the purpose. Unless a better site is offered, he says, no other location will be considered."]
  • [1910-01-16 (Newspapers.com 141326323): design prepared; illustration.]
  • [1911-01-26: "Seek new site for hospital" (Newspapers.com 87687686) – reason not clear.]
  • [1911-01-26: "Dr. Walters insists on Leech farm site" (Newspapers.com 85885950)]
  • [1911-03-22: Newspapers.com 86500253 – article complaining that nothing has been done.]
  • 1911-03-23: Newspapers.com 142721380
  • 1911-03-24: Newspapers.com 86500294
  • [1911-04-14: Newspapers.com 86504673 – considering Marshalsea instead.]
  • [1911-05-18: Newspapers.com 86505273 – another article complaining about delay.]
  • [1911-08-05: Newspapers.com 85725518 – site on Morningside Road.]
  • [1911-08-19: Newspapers.com 86549195 – about 25 sites offered to city; Walters still favors Leech farm.]
  • 1911-10-28: Newspapers.com 87356236
  • 1911-11-21: Newspapers.com 86479079, 143415810
  • [1912-12-05: "Argument over hospital site" (Newspapers.com 143981367) – doesn't mention Leech farm but two other sites]
  • 1913-02-02: Newspapers.com 87975691, 87975757
  • 1913-02-11: Newspapers.com 87976590
  • 1913-02-12: Newspapers.com 87976654, 87976656

1913 ordinances for tuberculosis hospital on Leech farm:

  • No. 77 (approved 2013-02-24), prepare plans and estimates.
  • No. 185 (approved 2013-05-05, Newspapers.com 87976854, 87976918), contract for supervision of construction.
  • No. 186 (approved 2013-05-05, Newspapers.com 87976854, 87976918), advertise for bids and award contract.
  • No. 368 (approved 2013-09-13), contract for water pipe.
  • No. 381 (approved 2013-10-01), contract for sanitary sewer.

Tuberculosis hospital opened in 1915: formal opening Sept. 23 (Newspapers.com 88047270, Source:Citys-tuberculosis-hospital-opened, Source:New-tuberculosis-hospital-is-opened), actual opening Sept. 30 (Source:Tuberculosis-hospital-open-to-public).

1921-08-27: Leech Farm Road mentioned, Newspapers.com 85774902, 87632741.

1974-09-09: Source:Municipal-record-1974, p. 393: "The Chair presented ¶ No. 1181. Communication from P. Stajduhar, M. D., Director, Veterans Administration Hospital, requesting changing the name of Leech Farm Road to Highland Drive. ¶ Which was read and referred to the Committee on Public Works."

1975-06-08: Source:Leech-farm-hospital: "Local authorities had changed the name of Leech Farm Road to Highland Drive."

1978-11-11: Source:Leonard-hospital: "Psychiatric takes in, of course, drug and mental patients, most of whom are treated at Highland Drive. 'We changed it to Highland Drive,' Delaney said, 'because Leech Farm had a connotation of funny farm.'"

2014-02-03: David Templeton, "3 properties in region listed as endangered," Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, pp. B-1, B-5 (Newspapers.com 96358001, 96358005): "Built as a neuropsychiatric hospital campus, the veterans facility was called the Leech Farm Road Hospital when dedicated in 1953, with 951 beds and additional space for research. In 1975, the hospital located just off Washington Boulevard near the Highland Park Bridge was converted into the Highland Drive Division and eventually included more than 20 buildings."

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