Bloomfield History

Bloomfield figured prominently in Revolutionary War Era accounts of Pittsburgh and Fort Pitt. George Washington's journal described traveling from Liberty Village along "the high ground through a field of many blooms"—hence the name Bloomfield. The neighborhood actually began as a farming community that supplied the city. In the early 1800s, founder John Conrad Winebiddle divided his large land holdings and sold lots to fellow German immigrants. The owners of the land—Woolslayer and Baum, among them—remain today in the form of street names and on buildings.

With its original residents hailing from Germany, Bloomfield didn't become "Little Italy" until after World War I. With plentiful jobs in the steel and railroad industries, Bloomfield became a sought-after destination for many Italian immigrants. Today, Bloomfield's Italian heritage remains quite visible, as well as its Polish and German roots. The neighborhood prides itself on its many authentic shops.

In the late 1800s, millworkers constructed small row houses designed for single families and businesses in the style of their homeland. Today, well-maintained row houses line narrow streets—characteristic of Bloomfield. Homes are frequently passed down through families, with grandchildren living a few blocks away from grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins.