Heathside Cottage is a National Historic Landmark in Pittsburgh’s small hilltop neighborhood of Fineview. While its early Gothic architecture has been curiosity in the community for decades, we are hoping to bring the home back to life in grand fashion with a Victorian Open House on Saturday, October 10th.
With High Tea, English Country Dancing, Storytelling around a fire, Piano recitals, and more, we will endeavor to build a bygone era, and show our city some of Pittsburgh’s wonders. In partnership with the Fineview Citizen’s Council, The Pittsburgh Fringe Festival, The Pittsburgh History and Landmarks Foundation, and others, the Open House will hopefully become a seasonal event and feed the growing artistic vibrancy of Pittsburgh’s historic Northside.
With a Production & Technical Manager, Outreach & Publicity Coordinator, and Artistic Director we will divide responsibilities of:
1) Preparing the Home
2) Securing Producing Partners
3) Hiring Artists & Caterers
3) Hiring Volunteers
4) Publicizing the event
5) Fundraising
6) Documenting
We will initially meet weekly and then semi-weekly until load in. We anticipate load in to take 5 days, so there will be a load in volunteer group to speed the process.
Fineview is a largely forgotten neighborhood in Pittsburgh, declining 75% in population since 1950. I am the new owner of Heathside Cottage and I am eager to make my home and the neighborhood at large more accesible for cultural activities and artists. There are many long time Pittsburgh residents in the neighborhood and some are suspicious of newcomers like myself. I thought an event that harkened to Pittsburgh’s rich history might be a good way to tie the history to the future.