The Migratory McDonoughs
Pittsburgh’s curious geography lent itself to geographical isolation. It holds the nickname “The City of Bridges” because three rivers flow through this developed city. On top of three rivers, the mountainous terrain causes Pittsburgh to hold multiple slots on the “steepest hills in the United States” list (Top Ten). Thus, travel was anything but easy for Pittsburghers, which led to ethnic isolation within one’s own community. According to my mother, a Pittsburgh native, African Americans congregated in the Hill district, Polish descendants occupied South Side, and the Irish reserved Oakland for themselves. For instance, my grandfather used to say that “Pittsburgh had the longest bridge in the world because it connected Africa to Poland.” Within these ethnically collective neighborhoods, certain aspects arose, like “networks and institutions which helped to maintain the solidarity of the provincial group” (Weber 377). Because of this solidarity, people in the community grew to embrace their culture more so than if they lived in another U.S. city. For instance, my Great Aunt Kate would always sing “When Irish Eyes Are Smiling” at the family’s annual St. Patrick’s Day party. These strong cultural sentiments were then passed down generation to generation, leading those that grew outside of the original neighborhood to still feel strongly connected to their ethnicity as well as to their Pittsburgh community.
This strong community naturally encouraged equally durable friendships throughout childhood and adulthood, thereby creating a heartfelt attachment to the city itself. When my grandfather was growing up in a big city such as Pittsburgh, the Oakland community provided literally life-long friendships. Since the children remained somewhat isolated from the rest of the city, they spent the majority of their time together. They walked to school together, played in the street together, and even got into trouble together. And the same would become true for his children. This close community provided fond memories that would be the basis of their love for Pittsburgh. In fact, my grandfather described himself as a self-made Pittsburgh ambassador because he would voluntarily give tours of Pittsburgh to any newcomer. Most cities are made up of separate communities, but unlike Pittsburgh, these communities are not primarily dominated by one ethnicity. Therefore, friendships could form more easily since the people in the communities already had something very important, heritage, in common.
Although Pittsburgh hosted to many joyful McDonough childhoods, several of the third generation split in terms of leaving the city or continuing a Pittsburgh life. Michael, Molly, and Maureen all decided to live their adulthood in the city that held their youthful memories. However, those seeking adventure were not shy to move across the country or even across the Atlantic Ocean. Mary-Beth always wanted to live in New England, and so she fulfilled this life goal by moving to a small town in Massachusetts. On the other hand, Amy sought out warm weather, but due to marital loyalty, moved to Ohio to make her husband happy. Timmy felt a strong connection to Spanish speakers, and so he moved to Miami, Florida to surround himself in that culture. Perhaps the most adventurous of the clan, Eileen, migrated to Portugal to teach English, but she fell in love, and became an entrepreneur by starting a greeting card company instead. These McDonoughs were not alone in their departure. In fact, “IRS migration data show that between 2000 and 2006, 251, 179 people moved away, resulting in a net loss of population due to domestic migration of 34, 441 people” (Briem). Thus, even though some McDonoughs uprooted from Pittsburgh, this happened a couple generations after the first family immigrants had felt the spell cast by Pittsburgh.
As the decades passed, the strong cultural borders became more and more blurred. However, the ethnic connotations for each region still remain. And although there currently is more ethnic mingling among communities, a strong passion for one’s heritage and for Pittsburgh can still be found in the hearts of Pittsburghers today. This love brings McDonoughs from all over the U.S. and the globe every year for the traditional Christmas reunion. Pittsburgh still serves, as it did almost a century ago, as the location for bonding with friends and family, and therefore, serves a special place in every one's heart who knows the city.
Works Cited
Pittsburgh Quotes. BookRags Media Network, 2011. Web. 14 Nov. 2011 <http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/keywords/pittsburgh.html>.
Top Ten Steepest Streets in the U.S. OnlyInfographic, 25 Sep. 2010. Web. 14 Nov. 2011 <http://www.onlyinfographic.com/2010/top-10-steepest-streets-in-the-u-s/>.
Weber, Michael P. "Community-building and Occupational Mobility in Pittsburgh, 1880-1960." City at the P.O.I.N.T: Essays on the Social History of Pittsburgh. Ed. Samuel P. Hays. Pittsburgh: U of Pittsburgh P, 1989. 361-387. Print.
My mother (fourth from the right) and her siblings in their Pittsburgh home.
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