Highland Park

Last Wednesday we had a crazy blip of warm weather so I decided to take a couple quick laps around Highland Park before my glass blowing class.  While I was out and about on a bike ride today, I stumbled upon the park again.  Sometimes it is funny how small PGH is and how when biking/driving around you may not know what is on the other side of a big hill, but once you get to the other side you know exactly (or almost exactly) where you are. 

Highland Park is an urban park that sits just north of East Liberty (another up and coming area of PGH).  The park was founded in 1889 and after four years of buying land from farmers, parcel by parcel, the park was opened in 1893.  When you drive up to the main entrance you are greeted by two bronze sculptures by Giuseppee Moretti who became known for his public monuments made out of bronze and marble work; he as several in PGH.  The ones outside the park depict two youths taming wild horses (above). 

A little further up the drive is a Victorian entryway, complete with a fountain, reflecting pool and formal gardens. 

The park also contains two of the city's large water reservoirs.  Reservoir No. 1 provided the impetus for the park's creation; water from this reservoir would supply water to city residents at the turn of the 20th Century.  In 1999, the Pittsburgh Water and Sewer Authority, in accordance with the PA Department of Environmental Protection's Clean Water Act, built a state of the art microfiltration plant to remove waterborne parasites.  The facility can be ween from the trail around the reservoir, as well as from the park's paved loop. 

Down the hill you can find the Pittsburgh Zoo and PPG Aquarium (I still need to venture over there).