Brookline | |
|---|---|
 Along Pioneer Avenue in Brookline | |
 | |
| Coordinates:40°23′49″N80°00′50″W / 40.397°N 80.014°W /40.397; -80.014 | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Pennsylvania |
| County | Allegheny County |
| City | Pittsburgh |
| Named after | Brookline, Massachusetts |
| Area | |
• Total | 2.082 sq mi (5.39 km2) |
| Population (2010)[1] | |
• Total | 13,214 |
| • Density | 6,347/sq mi (2,451/km2) |
Brookline is aneighborhood in theSouth Hills ofPittsburgh,Pennsylvania,United States. It takes its name from thetown in Massachusetts, which early settlers felt bore a resemblance to the area.[2]
Brookline was a part of the largerWest Liberty Borough before its absorption intoPittsburgh in 1908. Early in its history, the area was mostly inhabited by miners and farmers. At the turn of the century, when the mining industry in the area declined, only farms were left.[2]
The dawn of the 20th century brought many technological advances that helped theSouth Hills of Pittsburgh flourish. First, the transportation of coal from the area opened up the Pittsburgh & Castle Shannon Railroad Co. to install lines going to the area. This included a tunnel to be bored from downtown Pittsburgh, throughMt. Washington, and to exit right aboveSouth Hills Junction. With the age of automobiles looming, a few decades later theLiberty Tunnel was completed. This helped create a boom in the South Hills areas.[3][4]
Brookline was linked bystreetcar to downtown Pittsburgh in 1905 byPittsburgh Railways who built a single line south along West Liberty Avenue, turning east on a private right of way and then following Brookline Boulevard to Saw Mill Run.[5] This initial line was cut back to Edgebrook Avenue a year later, but in 1909 the track was doubled and a loop put in near the end of Witt Street. In 1915 the line was extended south along West Liberty Avenue toDormont where it linked with the42 Dormont line. The39 Brookline service closed in 1966.[6]
Brookline has seven borders, including the Pittsburgh neighborhoods ofBeechview to the northwest,Bon Air to the northeast,Carrick to the east andOverbrook to the southeast. The remaining borders are withBaldwin Township to the south,Mt. Lebanon to the southwest andDormont to the west.