Not far from McKeesport, PA, in a small town of Boston, sits the Donner Street entrance to the Great Allegheny Passage. We decided to go take a hike, and we heard there were some cool things to see. We know Little Girl is fascinated with the train tracks, and we heard you could walk the tracks on the trail. So we ventured the 40 minutes, parked the car and started to hike. The weather was perfect, and soon, about 3/4 of a mile, we came upon the tracks. We traversed them gingerly as they were in pretty bad shape, but it was fun to jump and bump for the next 1/4 mile. After the tracks got too overgrown, we saw the map on the kiosk, which meant the trails began. We saw what we were looking for, ruins. Not 100 feet onto the trail, we found what is left of the Union Sewer Pipe Company. I could not find a whole lot of history about the location , so if you know anything, please message me.
This is what I do know. This was the site for the factory. What is left, this large, looming, roofless, graffiti covered concrete building, is what was once the boiler room. There were two boilers in the building and they gave all the power for the creation of the terra cotta pipes. Littered around the building, once can find remnants of these pipes. Lots of them, pieces and whole pipes can still be found in the creek that flows below the building and in through several eerie tunnels.
Also surrounding the building were several oval partial walls, made of brick and rather charred. These happen to be the kilns that were used to make the pipes. The amount pf black char on some of the bricks was amazing, and I had to photograph it. We did hear, this place is much better in winter without all the vegetation, so I may have to go back one day in the colder months to be able to really check out the brick work. Needless to say, everywhere we looked in the area, we saw something amazing and cool. And, we all were outside, hiking, singing, having a wonderful day together.
Our walk back was great - much faster, as per usual. We decided to call it a day as the rain was coming and we were tired from hiking several miles. We got on a road that led us, literally in circles, but allowed us to pass one additional location twice, which was one too many not to stop. What turned out to be a once lavish home built in 1947 and home to a huge, elaborately decorated garden, now sat closed off to the street, surrounded by overgrowth. We of course, pulled in and checked things out. I am going to admit this before I go any further, I do not know if this location was abandoned. It sure as shit looked like it was abandoned, but there was a house and a mailbox and so I am not sure if anyone lived there. So, with that in mind, I was careful to only go so far without being seen. I did find wonderful relics in the various gardens, and although the image is not that great, this amazingly detailed and enormous light.
Rains came, we ran to the Blue Sasquatch and we headed home. ANother great day, great finds and memories.
This is what I do know. This was the site for the factory. What is left, this large, looming, roofless, graffiti covered concrete building, is what was once the boiler room. There were two boilers in the building and they gave all the power for the creation of the terra cotta pipes. Littered around the building, once can find remnants of these pipes. Lots of them, pieces and whole pipes can still be found in the creek that flows below the building and in through several eerie tunnels.
Also surrounding the building were several oval partial walls, made of brick and rather charred. These happen to be the kilns that were used to make the pipes. The amount pf black char on some of the bricks was amazing, and I had to photograph it. We did hear, this place is much better in winter without all the vegetation, so I may have to go back one day in the colder months to be able to really check out the brick work. Needless to say, everywhere we looked in the area, we saw something amazing and cool. And, we all were outside, hiking, singing, having a wonderful day together.
Our walk back was great - much faster, as per usual. We decided to call it a day as the rain was coming and we were tired from hiking several miles. We got on a road that led us, literally in circles, but allowed us to pass one additional location twice, which was one too many not to stop. What turned out to be a once lavish home built in 1947 and home to a huge, elaborately decorated garden, now sat closed off to the street, surrounded by overgrowth. We of course, pulled in and checked things out. I am going to admit this before I go any further, I do not know if this location was abandoned. It sure as shit looked like it was abandoned, but there was a house and a mailbox and so I am not sure if anyone lived there. So, with that in mind, I was careful to only go so far without being seen. I did find wonderful relics in the various gardens, and although the image is not that great, this amazingly detailed and enormous light.
Rains came, we ran to the Blue Sasquatch and we headed home. ANother great day, great finds and memories.