Neighborhood of Brookline

Brookline is the second largest neighborhood in the City of Pittsburgh, and is the second most populous. It is bordered by the city neighborhoods of Beechview, Mount Washington, Bon Air, and Overbrook, as well as the suburban communities of Baldwin, Mt. Lebanon, and Dormont.

Like many city neighborhoods, Brookline began largely as a series of land grants issued to war veterans. The area was named after Brookline, Massachusetts, from which several of the early settlers came. As with much of the South Hills, Brookline was primarily farms and coal mines until the advent of the trolley and the automobile in the early 20th Century. After annexation to the City of Pittsburgh in 1908, Brookline grew rapidly, building around the bustling core of Brookline Boulevard.

Over the past 20 years, the housing and business markets in the neighborhood have remained relatively stable; 78% of homes are owner-occupied.

Did You Know?

• The current Brookline Memorial Recreation Center was built in 1970. It replaced an old farmhouse that had been in use since 1947.
• Moore Park—named for Joseph F. Moore, principal of the West Liberty School District—was part of a national and city-wide effort to create public recreation facilities for many urban neighborhoods. With the assistance of the federal Works Project Administration, work began on the creation of the park in 1938.
• The Brookline Monument—better known as “The Cannon”—has been a mainstay on Brookline Boulevard since 1934. The cannon is a World War I artillery piece.