Marker Logo HMdb.org THE HISTORICAL
MARKER DATABASE
“Bite-Size Bits of Local, National, and Global History”
“Bite-Size Bits of Local, National, and Global History”
Polish Hill in Pittsburgh in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)
 

Twenty Murdered and a City Rises Up

Great Railroad Strike of 1877

 
 
Twenty Murdered and a City Rises Up Marker image. Click for full size.
circa 2007
1. Twenty Murdered and a City Rises Up Marker
Inscription. A pivotal moment in The Great Strike happened here, on July 21st, 1877. Striking railroad workers blocked the tracks, while their families and supporters looked on from the hillside. Militiamen were brought in from Philadelphia to clear the workers from the tracks and restore train service. At about 5pm, they fixed bayonets and charged the unmoving crowd, which fought back by throwing stones. The troops subsequently opened fire on the striking workmen, and turned their guns on women and children watching from the hillside. Twenty people were killed, including at least 3 children.

The use of state troops to assault citizens outraged the general population of Pittsburgh. A furious mob forced the Philadelphia troops out of the city. For two days after the massacre, Pittsburghers set out to loot and burn every piece of Pennsylvania Railroad property between this point and Downtown.
 
Erected 2007 by the Howling Mob Society.
 
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Labor UnionsNotable EventsNotable PlacesRailroads & Streetcars. A significant historical month for this entry is July 1865.
 
Location. Marker has been reported missing. It was located near 40° 27.381′ N, 79° 
Paid Advertisement
Click on the ad for more information.
Please report objectionable advertising to the Editor.
Click or scan to see
this page online
58.432′ W. Marker was in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, in Allegheny County. It was in Polish Hill. Marker was on 28th Street. Sign was mounted on municipal pole to the North of bridge leading into Polish Hill neighborhood, removed by unknown persons in early 2008. Bridge spans area where Philadelphia militia opened fire at a crowd of unarmed civilians on the hillside, killing approx. 20 people and sparking riots. Touch for map. Marker was in this post office area: Pittsburgh PA 15222, United States of America. Touch for directions.
 
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this location. Railroad Strike of 1877 (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); Seige at the 26th Street Roundhouse (approx. ¼ mile away); Westinghouse Railroad Air Brake (approx. 0.4 miles away); Charles Martin Hall (approx. 0.4 miles away); Greenlee Field (approx. 0.4 miles away); Birthplace of the Aluminum Industry (approx. 0.4 miles away); Daisy E. Lampkin (approx. half a mile away); The Menace of the Iron Horse (approx. half a mile away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Pittsburgh.
 
More about this marker. This spot overlooks a parking lot owned by the Buncher Group, who scuttled PA Museum and Historical Commission plans to erect a similar marker years earlier. The PHMC marker is on city property nearby at 28th and Liberty Avenue, visible from the road.
 
Related markers.
Twenty Murdered and a City Rises Up Marker image. Click for full size.
the Howling Mob Society, used with permission, circa 2007
2. Twenty Murdered and a City Rises Up Marker
Click here for a list of markers that are related to this marker. Other Great Railroad Strike of 1877 Markers erected by the Howling Mob Society in 2007.
 
Also see . . .  The Howling Mob Society Website. (Submitted on January 4, 2010.)
 
Additional commentary.
1. Interesting backstory of the Howling Mob Society and its 10 markers.
“The Howling Mob Society (HMS) is a collaboration of artists, activists and historians committed to unearthing stories neglected by mainstream history. HMS brings increased visibility to the radical history of Pittsburgh, PA through grassroots artistic practice. We chose to focus on The Great Railroad Strike of 1877, a national uprising that saw some of its most dramatic moments in Pittsburgh.” From their website.
    — Submitted August 2, 2019, by Mark Hilton of Montgomery, Alabama.

 
Additional keywords. Social Justice Struggles
 
 
Credits. This page was last revised on February 2, 2023. It was originally submitted on January 1, 2010. This page has been viewed 1,618 times since then and 12 times this year. It was the Marker of the Week February 20, 2011. Photos:   1. submitted on January 5, 2010.   2. submitted on January 1, 2010. • Kevin W. was the editor who published this page.

Share this page.  
Share on Tumblr
m=26112

CeraNet Cloud Computing sponsors the Historical Marker Database.
This website earns income from purchases you make after using our links to Amazon.com. We appreciate your support.
Paid Advertisements
Mar. 18, 2024