History Land Transfers

Before the railroad existed, there are three original owners of land in 1890 between the future parkway and Forbes Ave.

  1. Mary Schenley
  2. H Samson
  3. Chris Mcgee

1) History of Mary Schenley Land Transfers

  • 1880 – Mary Schenley sold to Junction Railroad a right of way for the rail line. Dead Book 534 Page 43. It is description along the rail line from roughly the future parkway to a prolongation of Woodlawn (now Frew St.). Note this is relevant as it describes the east boundary in the next sale.
  • 1906 – Mary Schenley Trustees sold to SchuylHill Improvement Land Co  – from the East side of the railroad right of way to along some existing plan of lots and Boundary Street. Dead Book 1466 Page 14.  Note:  SchuylHill Improvement Land Co ultimately became CSX railroad see Deed Book  6729 page 44 for the merger list.
  • From this property CSX sold  four parcels that I know about
    • 1) The southern section from the parkway to almost  to Pitt Parking. Sold to Sol Gross, Deed Book xxxx page, who sold it to City of Pittsburgh City of Pittsburgh – Rougthly  – 25 ft from the western most rail toward what CSX owned to the west. Parcel ID 28-M-175 and more – Deed Book 13618 page 361 
    • There appears to be a piece of Boundary St  right of way between previous parcel and the next parcel. This crosses the railroad track, but not all the way through CSX property.
    • 2) The south half of the  University of Pittsburgh parking lot. Roughly 50 feet from center-line of railroad for 327 ft. The north half and 70 feet from center-line of railroad for 470 feet.
    • 3) Under the Schenley Park Bridge on the west side of Boundary St. currently owned by Carl DePasquale Deed Book 10404 page 643. Sold by railroad Deed Book XXXX page XX.
    • 4) A small parcel on the western side of Boundary street alongside the former tracks to the steam plant. Deed Book 4295 Page 213

2) History of H Samson Land Transfer

  • 1880 From the prolongation of Woodlawn (now Frew St)  for about about 830 feet north – Historical map shows parcel owned by H Samson
  • ca 1903 Historical map show parcel owned by City of Pittsburgh
  • June 1903 Court of Common Pleas condemnation proceedings – Proceedings “not n Box”, which means that this approach is a dead end.
  • Current County records indicate owned by City of Pittsburgh with “ground granted for use of Carnegie Institute of Technology Property Record Block No 53-B Lot 100.

3) History of Chris McGee Land Transfer

  • 1890 Historical map show parcel owned by Chris McGee
  • The parcel went through a number of Owners. – DB 1410 P 162, DB 1431 P 119, DB 1790 P 159 , DB 1790 P 159. On quick glance at these deeds, none mentioned the railroad. 
  • 2002 U.S. Government sold to Penn Higher Education with a Quit Claim from the railroad on several small sub parcels.  7166 Page 47 
  • 2002 – Penn Higher Education sold to CMU Deed Book 11583 P 94
  • A building footprint within the parcel got traded back and forth,  CMU sold to RIDC, RIDC then sold it CMU  Deed Book 12390 P 400 and P408, leaving CMU the owner.