In this walking tour inspired by local writer Cameron Barnett’s poem “Swisshelm Park,” we’ll explore the complicated history of this neighborhood at the southeast corner of Pittsburgh. We’ll learn about how this area developed over time, its connections to the Underground Railroad, the press, and the coal industry. Barnett will be an integral part of the tour, walking with us and reading from his work, while sharing insight into how his childhood here shaped his development as a writer. Barnett will also read new original work on this tour.

About the Book Tours Series
Book Tours, a series of literary walks designed by writers Hattie Fletcher and Sherrie Flick, and commissioned by Shiftworks Community + Public Arts, serves to explore, reveal, revise, and renew perceptions of Pittsburgh and the writers and writing it has inspired. Literature, like public art, enriches knowledge of neighborhoods, landmarks, and the city’s cultural history, shaping a person’s view of a place.

Focusing on books by well-known authors who have become notable figures in the national literary canon, and the work of up-and-coming contemporary writers, we’ll experience Pittsburgh as a landscape of texts, and gain fresh perspective on books and the idea of writing about place.

Additional Information
There are no public restrooms available for this tour. The walking route is easy, and we ask participants to wear good walking shoes. Attendees are not required to bring additional items to the tour; there will be no writing on this tour.

The tour will take place rain or shine. Please be prepared for any type of weather. If there is severe weather on the day of the tour requiring cancellation, participants will be notified by email 2 – 4 hours in advance of the tour start time.

Meeting Location
Participants should meet at the playground at Nightingale Way and Onondago Street in Swisshelm Park.

Parking and Transportation
Street parking is available within the vicinity of the meeting location. If taking public transportation, there are several Pittsburgh Regional Transit stops along Commercial Street serving routes 71 and P71. For more information, please visit the PRT website: https://www.rideprt.org/