Guide to the Allegheny County Department of Aviation Records 1980-1992

Repository
Heinz History Center
Title
Allegheny County Department of Aviation Records
Creator
Allegheny County Department of Aviation
Collection Number
MSS 736
Extent
0.75 linear feet (2 boxes)
Date
1980-1992
Abstract
The Allegheny County Department of Aviation oversees Pittsburgh International Airport and the Allegheny County Airport. The Midfield Terminal Project, which expanded and modernized passenger and commercial operations at Pittsburgh International Airport, took 25 years from conception to completion. The Allegheny County Department of Aviation Records contains informational bulletins, artist's depictions of the proposed terminals, and commemorative bulletins that document both the construction of the Midland Terminal at Pittsburgh International Airport and the Southern Expressway.
Language
The material in this collection is in English.
Author
The guide to this collection was written by Alex J. Toner.
Sponsor
This collection has been made accessible as part of an NHPRC-funded Basic Processing grant.
Publisher
Heinz History Center
Address
1212 Smallman St.
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15222
library@heinzhistorycenter.org
URL: https://www.heinzhistorycenter.org

History

Commercial aviation has had a presence in Southwestern Pennsylvania since 1932, when flights began operating out of the Allegheny County Airport. That changed in 1952, when the Greater Pittsburgh International Airport (PIA) opened on a site that had been used as a military airstrip during World War II. In order to accommodate near double commerce and passenger travel increases, a terminal expansion plan was proposed in 1967. The Midfield Terminal project at PIA took 25 years from conception to reach completion in 1992. After the original proposal, subsequent land acquisitions in the 1970s and schematic designing in the early 1980s, ground was finally broken in 1987. The project included construction of new landside and airside terminals, as well as the construction of the Southern Expressway, which facilitated traffic access from the Parkway west out of Pittsburgh to PIA.

The Midfield Terminal project's goal was to stimulate economic growth in southwestern Pennsylvania by making Pittsburgh a domestic and international hub of aviation. The custom amenities within the new terminals were state of the art at the time, with moving sidewalks, automated passenger transit, a retail mall and food court. Upon its opening on October 1st, 1992, PIA became the third largest airport in the United States. Today the Midfield Terminal facilities still service domestic and international passenger and commercial transport.

Scope and Content Notes

The Allegheny County Department of Aviation Records contains informational bulletins, artist's depictions of the proposed terminals, and commemorative bulletins that document both the construction of the Midland Terminal at Pittsburgh International Airport and the Southern Expressway. Information bulletins and economic progress sheets track the development of the dual projects in the late 1980s. Artist's renderings display conceptual visions of the completed terminal. In addition, two rolled oversized artist's renditions depict aerial images of both the landside and airside terminals. Promotional and informational materials from AEG Westinghouse Transportation Systems, Inc., describe their role in creating the Automated Transit System installed at PIA. There are several commemorative programs from completion of the project in 1992.

Conditions Governing Access

None

Immediate Source of Acquisition

Gift from Mary Anna Gerardi-Klevens in 1996.

Archives accession # 1996.0093

Preferred Citation

Allegheny County Department of Aviation Records, 1980-1992, MSS 736 , Thomas and Katherine Detre Library and Archives, Senator John Heinz History Center

Processing Information

This collection was processed by Alex J. Toner on 02/22/12.

Conditions Governing Use

Property rights reside with the Senator John Heinz History Center. Literary rights are retained by the creators of the records and their heirs. For permission to reproduce or publish, please contact the Thomas and Katherine Detre Library and Archives of the Senator John Heinz History Center.

Related Materials

Tom Foerster served on the Allegheny County Board of Commissioners from 1967 through 1995, and was instrumental in facilitating the successful completion of the Midfield Terminal Project. The Detre Library and Archives maintains his papers relating to the project: Tom Forester Records, 1980-1996, MSS 0668, Thomas and Katherine Detre Library and Archives, Senator John Heinz History Center.

Subjects

    Corporate Names

    • Pittsburgh Internationl Airport (Pittsburgh, Pa.)
    • AEG Westinghouse Transportation Systems, Inc.

    Geographic Names

    • Pittsburgh (Pa.)

    Other Subjects

    • Aviation--Pennsylvainia--Pittsburgh.
    • Midfield Terminal--Pennsylvania--Pittsburgh.
    • Southern Expressway--Pennsylvainia--Pittsburgh

Container List