Brownsville, PA

[jmd41280]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brownsville,_Pennsylvania

Brownsville, PA was founded in 1785 along the Monongahela River south of Pittsburgh. It eventually became where the National Road crossed the river. During the 1800s, it became a shipbuilding center, and would later thrive w/ the coal, coke, and railroad industries. It reached its peak population over 8,000 in the 1940 census.

Deindustrialization eventually caused a significant loss of jobs in the region, and the current population is 2,331. It's main business district, called "the Neck", is now largely abandoned. That being stated, there is a largely intact historic district on the hill above the Neck. There also seems to be some new signs of life in the Neck, as there are currently 2 historic buildings in the process of being renovated. There is also a plan to create a park in Snowden Square, which abuts the Neck. On another historic note, the first cast iron arch bridge in the United States was built in 1839 over Dunlaps Creek, and it is still standing to this day.

Downtown Brownsville ("The Neck")


Historic Brownsville Welcomes You by jmd41280, on Flickr


Brownsville St. - Brownsville, PA by jmd41280, on Flickr


Downtown Brownsville and Snowden Square by jmd41280, on Flickr


41 Market Street (1902) - Brownsville, PA by jmd41280, on Flickr


Snowdon Building (1907) - Brownsville, PA by jmd41280, on Flickr


Flatiron Building (1835) - Brownsville, PA by jmd41280, on Flickr


Alley between abandoned buildings - Brownsville, PA by jmd41280, on Flickr


Union Station (1928), now abandoned - Brownsville, PA by jmd41280, on Flickr


Abandoned Towne House Apartments - Brownsville, PA by jmd41280, on Flickr


Discover the Mid Mon by jmd41280, on Flickr


Snowdon Building (1907) - Brownsville, PA by jmd41280, on Flickr


Mostly abandoned downtown Brownsville by jmd41280, on Flickr


Snowden Square Revitalization Plans by jmd41280, on Flickr


Abandoned Kart's Fashion Center - Brownsville, PA by jmd41280, on Flickr


Dunlaps Creek Bridge Marker by jmd41280, on Flickr


Downtown Brownsville from Dunlaps Creek Bridge by jmd41280, on Flickr


Mouth of Dunlaps Creek by jmd41280, on Flickr


National Deposit Bank Building - Brownsville, PA by jmd41280, on Flickr


Water Street - Brownsville, PA by jmd41280, on Flickr


Dunlaps Creek Bridge (1839) by jmd41280, on Flickr


Steamboat Enterprise by jmd41280, on Flickr


Intercounty Bridge (1914) by jmd41280, on Flickr


Market Street - Brownsville, PA by jmd41280, on Flickr


Krause's Furniture - Brownsville, PA by jmd41280, on Flickr


Riverside Wharf Park and Intercounty Bridge - Brownsville, PA by jmd41280, on Flickr


Market Street - Brownsville, PA by jmd41280, on Flickr


Dunlaps Creek Bridge (1839), w/ Intercounty Bridge (1914) in the background by jmd41280, on Flickr


Downtown and Snowden Square - Brownsville, PA by jmd41280, on Flickr


Signs of life in downtown Brownsville by jmd41280, on Flickr


Brownsville Public Library by jmd41280, on Flickr


National Deposit Bank Building (1922) by jmd41280, on Flickr

Brownsville Northside Historic District


Philander Knox Birthplace (1816) - 322 Front St., Brownsville, PA by jmd41280, on Flickr


401 Front Street (1811) by jmd41280, on Flickr


Historic Front Street - Brownsville, PA by jmd41280, on Flickr


Brownsville Northside Historic District by jmd41280, on Flickr


Nemacolin (or Bowman's) Castle by jmd41280, on Flickr


Lane Bane Bridge (1960) by jmd41280, on Flickr


Intercounty Bridge (1914) by jmd41280, on Flickr


St. Nicholas Byzantine Catholic Church (1918) by jmd41280, on Flickr


Brownsville Northside Historic District by jmd41280, on Flickr

Bonus shots from July 2013


Hilltop view of Brownsville, PA by jmd41280, on Flickr


Monongahela River - Brownsville, PA by jmd41280, on Flickr


Lane Bane Bridge (US 40) - Brownsville, PA by jmd41280, on Flickr


St. Nicholas Byzantine Catholic Church - Brownsville, PA by jmd41280, on Flickr

[ColDayMan]

I've been to Brownsville a couple of times. It's an interesting town, thanks.

[montréaliste]

If I may; if i hadda chance, a few bucks, I would turn the whole town into an abandoned shopping center and call it the Supa-sad Mall of a Miracle.

The US has a massive lot of towns that are the equivalent of scrapyards for cars and respond to the same norms that the automotive economy dictates. Planned obsolescence in architecture and urban planning is a major failure of imagination.

[xzmattzx]

Nice pictures. It looks like it was a great little town 75 years ago. It might be too far south, but hopefully fracking brings in some money.

[DetroitSky]

Looks like a very interesting place!

[Evergrey]

Love the lush summer photos at the end... makes me excited to aimlessly drive through Pittsburgh's countryside soon.

[mrnyc]

nice -- my greetings to them from brownsville, brooklyn!

[Austinlee]

Brownsville looks tore up from the floor up. Great bones though.

[Ex-Ithacan]

I really must visit this town some time. Of course I also have to spend more time exploring Western PA. So many grand old structures. Unfortunately, so many of those in sad shape.

Thanks for the rusty tour.

[jmd41280]

Thanks for the replies, everyone. Even though Brownsville and similar towns are in sad shape right now, I think that they can turn the corner if the right people come in and invest in these towns (not just w/ money, but w/ new ideas). Hopefully, these people can save the historic buildings in town.

In fact, there are 2 buildings so far in downtown Brownsville that are being renovated. Plus, money is being raised to create a nice park in Snowden Square.

[MattofSloppyVariety]

I loved putzing around Brownsville when I was in college at Cal U. I have pictures of Brownsville from about ten fifteen years ago and it saddens me that they tore down the one building that straddled the little creek. You can see the supports in the one picture that has the bigger bridge in the background.

[Yorkie]

I lived near a town in PA, close to Lancaster, called Brownstown....They are both pretty shitty..

[Eightball]

Very interesting photos/town!

[gatt]

nice!