Apr 28 Observation Tower: A Place Remembered
For generations, the North Park Observation Tower has been more than a landmark, it has been a shared experience. A place where families gathered after long walks and picnics, where friends pointed out the distant city skyline and where children first discovered just how expansive Pittsburgh could feel from above the treetops.
Since we began fundraising for this project, we have heard incredible stories about what the Observation Tower means to people. Over and over again, we heard about beautiful memories with loved ones. We heard about laughter and adventure. We heard from those who climbed the steps years ago, and those who are still longing to climb to the top for the first time.
Across decades, the Observation Tower has remained part of people’s milestones, traditions and memories. The view may have been out of reach in recent years, but the connection to this place has never disappeared.
Those Were The Days
As memories continue to come in, one thing is clear: the tower holds a deeply personal place in people’s lives.
One visitor remembers flying kites from the top. Another recalls how incredible the acoustics were with every sound carrying across the open air. Someone else shared how fascinated they were by the compass and zodiac symbols embedded in the terrazzo floor. Another laughed about racing her sisters up the steps three times in one afternoon — just because they could.
We’ve heard about company picnics in the late 1950s and 1960s, including massive corn roasts that brought railroad families together for entire summer days in the park. “We thought it was the coolest thing ever,” one person wrote as they recalled their own long lunches under the tower with family.
Another person shared, “Last time I was at the top was 1986 with my three children.” Another excitedly stated, “My family would go here all the time. We can’t wait to go back!”
Even after the tower closed, it never disappeared from people’s lives. Instead, it has continued to inspire joy and a deeper sense of connection to those who gathered beneath it. We’ve seen this firsthand in the beautiful wedding photos shared with us, where couples choose the tower as their backdrop because, even without the climb, it still holds deep meaning and evokes a profound sense of awe.
A Vision for the Future
This project presents an opportunity not only to safely reopen access to the incredible 360-degree view atop the Observation Tower, but to thoughtfully and intentionally reimagine the entire tower and its surrounding grounds.
Close your eyes and imagine your arrival:
You travel up the entrance drive, passing native grasses, vibrant wildflowers and buzzing pollinators. A newly constructed parking lot that’s been thoughtfully designed with built-in rainwater management and ADA-accessible spaces welcomes you to the site. From there, accessible pathways guide you seamlessly to the Observation Tower, the North Park Lodge and a newly designed outdoor space created for gathering, reflection and rest.
At the heart of it all stands the freshly restored tower, finished in its original bright silver color. The original terrazzo floor, featuring the signs of the zodiac and a large compass, will be carefully restored. Decorative metal railings will once again guide visitors upward. Above, the dome ceiling will be repainted to greet guests as they reach the top. These architectural details are part of the tower’s distinctive character and have often been described as magical and unexpected.
Comprehensive site improvements will transform this area into a true destination that can be enjoyed by everyone, not only those who ascend the staircase. A restored historic council ring, once a common feature of our early county parks, will anchor the landscape as a welcoming gathering space. A thoughtfully designed plaza with stone seating walls, inspired by the Prairie-style aesthetic of Paul Riis, will provide space for conversation and community. Native landscaping, shade trees and a one-acre wildflower meadow along the entrance drive will add seasonal beauty and create a memorable sense of arrival.
Just steps away, the North Park Lodge — one of the park’s most beloved rental venues — will benefit tremendously from these improvements. For decades, wedding receptions and celebrations inside the Lodge have naturally extended outdoors for photos with the tower as a backdrop. With enhanced landscaping, improved accessibility and cohesive site design, that experience will feel even more welcoming, picturesque and complete.
Bringing Back the View – Together
Restoring the Observation Tower is about more than preserving a landmark. It is an opportunity to honor the past while creating an accessible and welcoming space that serves both today’s community and tomorrow’s. It is about strengthening a space where people already gather to mark life’s most meaningful moments and ensuring it remains worthy of those moments for generations to come.
For decades, the Observation Tower has stood as a symbol of North Park. Today, we look toward a bright future where the community can once again climb to its top and experience not only the view, but the full renewal of this remarkable place.
If the Observation Tower has ever meant something to you — if you climbed it, photographed it, celebrated beside it or simply admired it from below — we invite you to be part of its next chapter. Join us in bringing back the view.
Share Your Memories of the Observation Tower
You can become an even bigger part of this restoration by sharing your own photos and stories of the Observation Tower by using the link below!
Special Request: We are still searching for historic images that clearly show the painted dome ceiling inside the Observation Tower. If you have photographs that capture the artwork on the dome, even if it’s just visible in the background, your submission could play an important role in helping us restore the dome to its original grandeur.