⚾ Baseball and 🍧 ice balls are back
Plus, where to celebrate empanada day.
By Francesca Dabecco
Welcome to another Throwback Thursday, Pittsburgh.
And a happy home opener to the Pirates!
I hope you’re all taking advantage of this beautiful weather we’ve been having in the ‘Burgh. If you’re looking for things to do outside, the Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy has a lineup of Earth Day events happening throughout the entire month of April. The itinerary includes cleaning up your neighborhood, attending an outdoor yoga class, going for a hike, learning about wild edible plants, and much more.
Which reminds me — for a little Throwback Thursday at the park, I wanted to share this story I recently read about a bit of history I hadn’t heard before. Two weeks ago marked 90 years since Native Americans of the Blackfeet Tribe left Allegheny County parks. Their tribes weren’t indigenous to our region, but they moved here from Montana to work as gamekeepers at North and South Park. It came at a time of accelerated industrialization of Pittsburgh, and there was a need to preserve rural land. (Although the irony of Indigenous people moving here to serve on land stolen by colonizers is not lost on us.)
Still, there is a lot that can be learned from our indigneous communities on how to take care of the land, and Edward V. Babcock wasn’t wrong when he sought their help. So the next time you’re walking in these parks, remember that Native Americans played an indispensable role in laying the groundwork for them.
Now, onto the news: Pennsylvania is one of five states with high infection rates, a local filmmaker will capture conflicts in East Liberty, the North Side’s famous ice balls are back in biz, and where you can celebrate empanada day.
