By: Edward V. Manfredi, La Nostra Voce

Hays is a neighborhood on the southeast side of Pittsburgh.  It is named after James H. Hays who operated a local mining industry.

In the 1920s, many Italian immigrants moved to Hays to find work at Jones & Laughlin and US Steel Mills.  Most of these immigrants came from Controne, Italy. Controne is a small town that is south of Naples.  My grandparents on my dad’s side were from Controne.  I always wanted to know why they settled in Hays.  My grandmother would tell me stories about Controne.  She told me the town was located in the mountains and had a good farming area.

I had the opportunity to visit Controne four years ago.  I could see how Hays would remind one of Controne.  The landscape was breathtaking: the mountains uphill from the town and the rolling farmland, as well as the cobble stone streets. Controne’s homes and buildings are of a medieval style. You did not need a car to get around.  The people were down to earth and hardworking.  This is like the Hays that I remember.

For over 50 years, Hays was a strong Italian neighborhood.  It had one of the largest Italian Clubs in the Pittsburgh area.  The fireworks display on the Feast of the Assumption drew thousands.  The ISDA had a lodge in Hays.  Most of the stores were owned and operated by Italian Americans.  On Sunday, there was a mass in Italian at Holy Angels Church.  Soccer, baseball, and football teams had games with other communities.

During the next 50 years, Hays made National news.  In 1956, during the Cold War, a B-25 Bomber went down in the Monongahela River nearby.  Out of a crew of six, four survived and two drowned.  The plane was never recovered.  This sparked many theories.  The one that got a lot of attention was that the plane had been transporting a nuclear bomb, and the government secretly removed the wreckage during the night.  To this day, the plane has never been found.

In 1959, the Battle of Chicken Hill took place.  People’s First National Bank had a branch office in Hays.  This office was robbed of $27,000.  The robbers took off and the police gave chase.  The pursuit went through several South Hills communities, including Mt. Oliver and Carrick.  Over 200 law enforcement officers were involved.  The robbers got out of their car, ran up a hill and an exchange of gunfire took place.  Two police officers and one gunman were wounded.  The robbers became known as the Chicken Hill Bandits.

In 1964, President Lyndon B. Johnson was in Pittsburgh.  He was flying out of the Allegheny County Airport.  The motorcade would have to go through Hays, passing Holy Angels Church and School.  The students and staff lined the sidewalks hoping to get a glimpse of President Johnson.  As the motorcade came through, the President’s limousine stopped.  President Johnson got out and greeted us in front of the school.  I had the opportunity to shake hands with the President of the United States!  I was in the 5^th grade.  We made National news, and Time Magazine published a photo of the President speaking in front of our school.  In the photo, the students were waving American flags.  Our school was very poor and the flags had only 48 stars on them!  A few weeks later, the flags were replaced with new ones, thanks to the late Congressman Elmer Holland.

Getting back to Hays: During WWII, a Navy ammunitions plant was built.  It employed over 1,000 workers.  Eventually, the Army took the plant over and operated it during the Korean and Vietnam Wars.  The population of Hays had grown to over 2,000.

In the late 60s a superhighway was constructed.  It included the Glenwood Bridge across the Monongahela River from Glen Hazel, and ramps to and from East Carson Street on the Southside, and West Homestead. The plans called for the highway to go right through the middle of Hays.  This highway devastated Hays, taking out part of the Main Street and several residential streets.  Hundreds of residents lost their homes.  Also gone was the Hays Hotel and Restaurant, the Italian Club, the State Store, the bank, and Carp’s Market.  Holy Angels Church and School are still there on Baldwin Road. Victory Lodge member and local historian, Uncle Joe Falce, said: “If it weren’t for the highway, Hays would be a ‘Little Italy’ just like the better known Bloomfield.”  Later, with the closing of the ammunition plant, the population of Hays was cut by 80%.

Today the population of Hays is about 400.  Many of these residents are descendants of the first Italians who immigrated to Hays in the 1920s.

Since 2013, Hays has been making National news.  The woods of Hays are Pittsburgh’s largest urban forest (660 acres of interior forest), which are home to Pittsburgh’s Bald Eagles.  You can watch the eagles live if you google “Hays Bald Eagles.”

I will always remember my childhood years in this neighborhood, and appreciate the Italian American influence from this community of Pittsburgh.

 

Through numbers, we inspire, create change and preserve our heritage. Make a Pledge and Join ISDA Today!