Enlightenment by Eugenio Pedon

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This sculpture is part of a larger sculpture that once graced the top of the old post office building in downtown. There were two identical sculptures originally, and each was comprised of three figures. As a group they are known by several titles - Stone Ladies, Ladies of Stone, and Stone Maidens. Individually, they are Enlightenment, Industry and Navigation.

We believe this particular copy of Enlightenment was once located outside of a restaurant on Mt Washington. It was relocated to this corner in front of the Rite Aid in 1997. The other copy of Enlightenment still has her right arm, but whatever it originally held has been broken off.

Two of the figures (Navigation and Enlightenment) are now located on the Northside. Industry is by itself at one location, and with the second copy of Navigation at another location in Station Square.

Ladies of Stone by Eugenio Pedon

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Two of three figures from a sculpture that once topped the old post office building in downtown. Together the three figures are known by several titles: Stone Ladies, Stone Maidens, and Ladies of Stone. Individually these two are Navigation and Industry.

Navigation was depicted holding a rudder - which is mostly broken off on this copy. Industry is holding a mold. A mold of what, we have no clue, but some sort of industrial mold.

There were two copies of that original sculpture, so six individual stone ladies when the old post office building was demolished. Two of them are now together on the Northside, one is on Mt Washington, and the other copy of Industry is at a different Station Square location.

Industry by Eugenio Pedon

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This lady is one of six ladies that began as part of the decoration on the old downtown Federal Building built in 1889. They adorned the roof of the building, which later became the old Post Office. In 1966 the building was demolished and these sculptures were saved, though not as originally displayed. Originally there were two identical sculptures that were comprised of three ladies. In the course of the demolition most of the figures became separated and are now displayed in four different locations.

As a group of three, the sculpture is titled Stone Ladies, Stone Maidens, or Ladies of Stone. The Smithsonian lists all three titles and we don't know which is the correct, original title. Separated, the ladies have titles of their own. This one is Industry, and she holds an industrial mold of some sort.

You can see the other ladies at other locations around the city. The second copy of Industry is placed with one of the copies of Navigation at a different spot in Station Square. The second copy of Navigation is still attached to Enlightenment on the Northside, while the second copy of Enlightenment is up on Mt Washington by herself.

Blawnox Hoboken Line Mural by multiple artists

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Lucas Stock said that The themes represented are local history and hope for the future. Yuri Von and Ron Esser did historical research on the area’s industry, inventions, architecture including schools, churches, factory buildings, train lines, the companies that operated in Blawnox, the local workforce, working conditions, working class culture and their traditions. The train in the foreground is the Hoboken Line that used to run through the area’s factory lines.

Right away you notice the industrial side on the left half is done in hot colors, with an abrupt transition to the cool blues of the community on the right side. You can almost feel the heat of the mills and the railroad yard on a summer day.

Why does the train say Hoboken?

From Wikipedia:
"The town was originally founded in the late 18th century, with the name Hoboken PA. Steel was the community's major industry, with the area being home to both the Blaw Steel Co. and the Knox Welded and Pressed Steel Co. When the Blaw Steel Co. acquired the Knox Welded and Pressed Steel Co. in 1917, the company became known as the Blaw-Knox Steel Construction Co.

When Hoboken PA was required by the Post Office to change its name because Hoboken, New Jersey had a prior claim to the same name, the management of the Blaw-Knox Steel Construction Co. asked the people of the town to change the name to Blawnox, and the residents did."

Lucas Stock was kind enough to send us a photograph from when they were painting this mural:

Photo by Lucas Stock.

Mural in a Business Park by Dwight Kirkland, Michael Colley

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This mural is at an entrance way to an industrial park in Robinson Twp. It was commissioned by the company that developed the park and painted by Dwight Kirkland of Black Leaf Studios. At 80 x 20 feet it’s an anchor for the complex and depicts Pittsburgh’s transition from steel, smoke and industry to a green city with recreation and wildlife in the rivers.