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Pittsburgh’s Indigenous History Is All Around Us

Long before Pittsburgh had forts, coal mines, steel mills, or even its name, Native peoples were living throughout this region, and their history is still woven into the places we pass every day. Unfortunately, many of us didn’t learn the full breadth of this history in school, where Indigenous stories are often treated as something that only belongs to the distant past.

• The Seneca were a dominant power in the region when European colonists began arriving in the 1700s. They were a part of the Haudenosaunee Confederacy, which also included the Mohawk, Oneida, Onondaga, and Cayuga nations. Other Native peoples, including the Lenape, also lived here. One important Lenape village was located around what is now Arsenal Park in Lawrenceville.
• That history is still very present in the region, even though many Pittsburgh residents might not realize it. For example, Aliquippa was named for an influential Indigenous matriarch, while Guyasuta — a prominent Seneca leader — is remembered through the name of a Boy Scout camp and a statue in Sharpsburg.
• Native history here continued well into the modern era. The Cornplanter Grant was originally created in 1796 to set land aside in Warren County for Seneca leader Cornplanter and his descendants. In the 1960s, a federal flood-control project flooded much of that land and displaced the people living there. [PA Historic Preservation]
• Pittsburgh’s Indigenous community didn’t disappear. Native people from nations including the Seneca, Cherokee, Creek, and Seminole came here for industrial jobs from other areas just like many European settlers did.

Ahead of Indigenous Peoples’ Day on Monday, we’re revisiting our conversation with Miguel Sague of the Council of Three Rivers American Indian Center about whose land we’re on, the Native peoples who shaped the region, and the Indigenous community that still calls Pittsburgh and the surrounding region home.

Restaurateur Charged With Assault

Richard DeShantz, the owner of restaurants including Meat & Potatoes, Täkō, and Butcher and the Rye, has been charged with assault and strangulation after a domestic violence incident on Saturday. DeShantz is accused of punching and choking a woman while she was driving, then attacking her again outside his home. He was arrested and taken to Allegheny County Jail, but is currently out on bail. [WPXI]

• Wanna understand more about the DeShantz empire? We have a pod for that. [City Cast Pittsburgh]

UPMC’s Portal Problems

The health care giant’s switch to a new electronic medical records system is off to a rocky start. Since the change took effect Saturday, patients have reported trouble logging into the MyUPMC portal, accessing medical records, and viewing billing information. The shift has also resulted in long waits at medical facilities. UPMC says it's working to iron out the issues. [TribLive]

I-79 Down to One Lane This Weekend

Traffic in both directions of I-79 will be one lane between the Route 60 and I-376 interchanges in Robinson and Kennedy townships while crews patch the road. Restrictions start today at 7 p.m. and last until 5 a.m Monday. Give yourself some extra time if you’re driving that way! [PennDOT]

Fundraiser Gives Poops for Hoops

A fourth-grade basketball team in Lower Burrell is raising money by planting a bright blue toilet in people’s yards. The prank fundraiser asks residents to pay $15 to have the toilet removed, $20 to send it to someone else’s lawn, or $25 for “toilet insurance” to keep it away altogether. The money will help cover uniforms and tournament fees. [🔒Post-Gazette]

• Follow the porcelain throne’s journey on the team’s Facebook page. [Facebook]