Squirrel Hill Neighborhood of Pittsburgh a Desirable Place to Live

Squirrel Hill, a largely residential neighborhood, is situated at the east end of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Often divided into Squirrel Hill North and Squirrel Hill South, it boasts about 25,000 residents and is bordered on the east by Frick Park and the west by Schenley Park.

Squirrel Hill began in the early 1800s as a prosperous suburb of the city. For more than 100 years, some of the most affluent families in Pittsburgh made their homes in the neighborhood. Chatham University also chose Squirrel Hill as its location and retains an important presence in the area. With the addition of an electric trolley line in 1893, the make up of the area changed a bit. Middle management from local factories moved in and dozens of smaller homes were built. In the early 1900s, Squirrel Hill was the home of author Willa Cather, who worked for the local newspaper as a drama critic and taught English at Central High School.

Since the 1920s, Squirrel Hill has had a large Jewish population and has been considered the center of Jewish culture for Jews in and around the city. According to a recent study, about one-third of Pittsburgh Jewish population live in this neighborhood, which now includes more than 20 synagogues and several Jewish day schools for the Hasidic, Modern Orthodox, and Conservative sects of Judaism. It is also not unusual to find a number of Kosher restaurants and other facilities that cater to the population as well.

There are, however, people of other religious persuasions that live in Squirrel Hill and there is an active Episcopalian church in the neighborhood as well as a private Episcopalian elementary school. Carnegie Mellon University also has a few facilities in the neighborhood.

The fact that Squirrel Hill is bordered by both Frick and Schenley Park make it a desirable place for those who enjoy outdoor recreation. Biking, walking, and roller blading are quite popular in both parks and there are also ice skating facilities, tennis courts, and - not far away - a few places to enjoy a game of golf.

The neighborhood is also well known for its eclectic eateries. Aside from restaurants that serve Kosher food and non-Kosher Jewish delicacies, there is also a good mix of other ethnic restaurants in Squirrel Hill, including Russian, Thai, Mexican, and Indian. Many of them are quite affordable, catering to the student populations at Chatham and Carnegie Mellon. There are also numerous bakeries and candy shops for all to enjoy and coffee houses are aplenty as well. There are a few night spots in the neighborhood that offer live music, and two small movie theaters can also be found in Squirrel Hill, showing both first-run and independent films.

Housing in the Squirrel Hill neighborhood of Pittsburgh ranges from stately and expensive homes that were built more than a century ago to modern apartments that house college students. Also, a number of older homes have been sub-divided for the convenience of renting to these same students.