National Register of Historic Places

Armstrong Tunnel

Pittsburgh, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania
Listed
January 7, 1986
Type
Structure
Period
Industrial
Ref No.
86000015

About this property

The Armstrong Tunnel in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, connects Second Avenue at the South Tenth Street Bridge, under the Bluff where Duquesne University is located, to Forbes Avenue between Boyd Street and Chatham Square. The tunnel was constructed between 1926 and 1927. The chief engineer was Vernon R. Covell of the Allegheny County Public Works Department. The tunnel portals were designed by a city architect, Stanley L. Roush, who is also noted for the Smithfield Street Bridge portals, the Pittsburgh City-County Building, the Corliss Tunnel, and many other municipal projects. The tunnel itself is characterized by twin bores of horseshoe cross-section, and bends halfway through. It also has a pedestrian walkway on the western side. A legend mentioned by the site involves a notion that the bend in the tunnel was a mistake, and whoever was responsible committed suicide in shame. Chief engineer Covell did not kill himself, invalidating this legend. Author Bruce S. Cridlebaugh suspects the bend was related to mines or other geological factors, property rights (including Duquesne University), or alignments with existing or proposed roads. Since August 1987 the tunnels have provided cellular phone reception. The tunnels were named in honor of Joseph G. Armstrong, County Director of Public Works. Most of the bridges over the Pittsburgh's three rivers were replaced between 1910 and 1940, years which included Mr. Armstrong's terms as Mayor of Pittsburgh and Allegheny County Commissioner. Media related to Armstrong Tunnel at Wikimedia Commons

Location

Pittsburgh, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania
40.43481, -79.99009

Categories

ENGINEERINGTRANSPORTATION
National Register nomination ›
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

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Nearby Historic Sites

South Tenth Street Bridge
Industrial
0.2 mi
Kaufmann's Department Store Warehouse
Industrial
0.3 mi
Try Street Terminal
Industrial
0.3 mi
Reymer Brothers Candy Factory
Industrial
0.3 mi
Pittsburgh Terminal Warehouse and Transfer Company
Industrial
0.4 mi

Nearby Battles

Battle of Fort Pitt (Pontiac's War) 1763
1763Colonial
0.5 mi
Forbes Expedition to Fort Duquesne
1758Colonial
0.5 mi

Questions about this property

When was Armstrong Tunnel listed on the National Register?

Armstrong Tunnel was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on January 7, 1986.

What type of historic resource is Armstrong Tunnel?

Armstrong Tunnel is classified as a structure in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Armstrong Tunnel?

The period of significance for Armstrong Tunnel is recorded as the industrial era.

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