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Morning Open Thread - The Three Sisters [1]

['This Content Is Not Subject To Review Daily Kos Staff Prior To Publication.']

Date: 2023-08-29  

Good morning, everyone and welcome to Tuesday's Morning Open Thread. Morning Open Thread is a daily, copyrighted post from a host of editors and guest writers. We support our community, invite and share ideas, and encourage thoughtful, respectful dialogue in an open forum. Join us, please. _________________________________________________________________________________________________________

There are many places in America with a landmark of some kind that is so fitting that they actually help to define the place. Think of the Golden Gate bridge or the Statue of Liberty. Most cities have such a landmark, maybe several.

Pittsburgh has a few, such as the incline (funiculars), the fountain at Point State Park, the towering gothic revival glass skyscraper that is PPG Place, the Cathedral of Learning on the Pitt campus, and many more.

The Roberto Clemente bridge, with PNC Park in the background

But my favorite: the three sisters bridges. These side-by-side identical bridges were renamed not only to honor particular people, but to say something about us and the things that we value. These three bridges, collectively, form a beautiful tribute and have a sense of place that is astonishing. They fit into the surroundings so well that it is difficult to imagine the place without them. And they are beloved.

Let me explain.

The first bridge is the Roberto Clemente bridge. Roberto Clemente was a hall of fame baseball player who died in a plane crash delivering earthquake relief to Nicaragua. If you cross the bridge from downtown, you end up at the ballpark on the North Side. The bridge is closed to automobile traffic on game days for just that purpose, for pedestrian use. There is a really cool statue of Clemente there. And this bridge is the one in the foreground that is visible from inside the stadium. Talk about being integrated into the surroundings!

Andy Warhol

The second bridge is the Andy Warhol bridge. Warhol (born Warhola) was an artist, a leading figure in the pop art movement. The Andy Warhol museum is also located on the North Side and is the largest single artist museum in the country. He rose from humble beginnings, and now has a museum housing many of his works in his home city. People still leave cans of Campbell's tomato soup (in reference to his iconic painting) on his nearby headstone, in lieu of flowers.

Rachel Carson

The third bridge is the Rachel Carson bridge. Carson was a naturalist and author. In 1962, she famously wrote the book, "Silent Spring" which exposed the devastating effects of the pesticide DDT on birds. The term "Silent Spring" refers to the absence of birds. She was persecuted by the chemical industry after the book was released. The National Aviary is also located on the North Side. How incredibly appropriate.

So there you have it. A black, Hispanic athlete and humanitarian; a gay artist; and a female scientist, environmentalist and author. This is who we choose to honor. Famous Pittsburghers all. A pretty nice and well rounded group.

So what is a cool landmark where you live?

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So far as I know, the Roches have no real connection to Pittsburgh (they're from New Jersey), but they are three sisters, so what the heck…

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[1] Url: https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2023/8/29/2178442/-Morning-Open-Thread-The-Three-Sisters

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