WESA's Good Question! Podcast
Katie Blackley
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What have you always wondered about Pittsburgh? WESA's Good Question! podcast investigates your curiosities about our city's history and culture.
Available episodes
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Sep 29, 2022
Pittsburgh's highs and lows, an abstract Downtown billboard, and the Steelerettes
Our final episode of the season is a bit of a mix. We’ll tell you about the highest and lowest points in Pittsburgh. Then we’ll head Downtown to learn how the district transformed its not-so-great reputation with the help of bright, glowing public art. Finally, we’ll meet the women who were cheerleaders for the Pittsburgh Steelers in the 1960s, the Steelerettes.(The Good Question! Podcast is sponsored by the CPA firm Sisterson and Company, Baum Boulevard Automotive and Eisler Landscapes)
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Sep 22, 2022
The history of Squirrel Hill, Frick Park fire hydrants & the first Black and female City Councilors
Pittsburgh’s East End has some of the city’s largest parks, historic buildings and has long been home to trailblazers in city government. We’ll visit Squirrel Hill and answer some of your questions about the community’s past; we’ll hear the stories of two firsts in Pittsburgh City Council: Paul Jones, the first Black councilor, and Irma D’Ascenzo, the first female councilor; and we’ll walk through Frick Park, where old fire hydrants pop out of the woods.(The Good Question! Podcast is sponsored by Eisler Landscapes, the CPA firm Sisterson and Company and Baum Boulevard Automotive.)
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Sep 15, 2022
The East Busway’s history, 40th Street colorful seals, and the scenic Allegheny River Boulevard
From streetcars to scenic Sunday drives, this episode looks at the transit projects that continue to shape our region. Episode four explains why the 40th Street Bridge has colorful seals; how the East Busway was routed and what led to those decisions; and we take a trip along Allegheny River Boulevard, complete with picnic pull-offs with picturesque views.(The Good Question! Podcast is sponsored by Baum Boulevard Automotive, Eisler Landscapes, and the CPA firm Sisterson and Company.)
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Sep 8, 2022
Pronouncing ‘Carnegie,’ Schenley bench art, and the origins of the Pirates’ name
Welcome back to 90.5 WESA’s Good Question! podcast. We’re thrilled to launch season two and bring you even more stories about Pittsburgh history and culture. Our first episode highlights city staples. We’ll visit the mind behind the colorfully painted benches in Schenley Park; we’ll look into how the Pirates got their marauding moniker and the team’s trendsetting past; and, why do locals say “Carnegie” when the rest of the country has a different pronunciation?
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Sep 8, 2022
Pittsburgh’s panthers, Civil War fort remnants, and a trip to West View Park
Turn right where the Isaly’s used to be! Sound familiar? Pittsburgh loves to remember things that aren’t there anymore. For this episode, we learn about actual panthers that once roamed this region and how they live on at Pitt and throughout Oakland; we travel to the woods of Stanton Heights to find the remnants of a Civil War fortification; and we ride the dips at old West View Park.(The Good Question! Podcast is sponsored by Baum Boulevard Automotive, Eisler Landscapes, and the CPA firm Sisterson and Company.)
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Sep 8, 2022
Downtown wharfs, river depth, and the history of Czechoslovakia’s creation in Pittsburgh
If you’ve spent any time in Pittsburgh, you’ve likely been on or near its three rivers. Follow along with WESA’s Good Question podcast as we walk along the riverfront trails and remember the bustling wharfs that once occupied the space; take a dive into how river depth is measured; and, did you know the groundwork for the creation of the country Czechoslovakia took place in Downtown Pittsburgh?(The Good Question! Podcast is sponsored by Baum Boulevard Automotive, Eisler Landscapes, and the CPA firm Sisterson and Company.)
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Apr 14, 2022
Slag structures, Downtown chandeliers, and the art of the Sixteenth Street Bridge
Pittsburgh is a beautiful city for many reasons, and that’s what we’re going to explore in episode six. From the reuse of industrial waste and slag structure public art, to the number of crystals in two of downtown’s most beautiful theaters, we’ll highlight the creativity of this region. And, we’ll answer the question: Why are the large globe structures on the Sixteenth Street Bridge different colors? (The Good Question! Podcast is sponsored by the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra and CASTUS.)
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Apr 7, 2022
Remember the Pennsylvania Canal, Lock and Dam No. 1, and paddle to Brunot Island
On this episode, we take to the water! Many listeners were curious about the history of the Pennsylvania Canal, which included aqueducts and inclines and mules and was an early way to transport goods in the region. We figure out why there’s no “Lock and Dam No. 1” on the Allegheny River (there used to be!). We’ll paddle to Brunot Island with WESA’s Chris Potter for a history lesson on the land, including its past as a race track. (The Good Question! Podcast is sponsored by the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra and CASTUS.)
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Mar 31, 2022
Making the Pennsylvania Turnpike, carp fishing in the East End, and Skybus
Let’s take a ride! Be it on the Pennsylvania Turnpike (“America’s First Super Highway,” and a model for the national interstate highway system), the massive Brilliant Viaduct over Washington Boulevard, or Skybus (futuristic transit system that never took off), we’ll explore all the different ways to get around Pittsburgh past and present. (The Good Question! Podcast is sponsored by the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra and CASTUS.)
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Mar 24, 2022
How Pittsburgh got 90 neighborhoods, Mt. Oliver’s independence, and Downtown lions
Our third episode revisits stories about why Pittsburgh looks the way it does. It goes into why we have 90 distinct neighborhoods, and talks about annexation (or a lack thereof in Mt. Oliver borough’s case). Plus, we look at a fun architectural feature on one of our most historic downtown streets. (The Good Question! Podcast is sponsored by the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra.)
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Mar 24, 2022
‘Run’ roads, the county belt system, and all about inclines
Many of our questions come from listeners who are driving and start to notice unusual signs or names. We touch on why many roads have the word “run” in them, as well as the colorful belt system that tried to help drivers navigate Allegheny County. And, of course, a history of our storied inclines (there are two now, but there used to be many more). (The Good Question! Podcast is sponsored by the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra.)
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Mar 23, 2022
The origins of Pittsburghese, the ‘Pittsburgh Left,’ and fish fry season
Who doesn’t love quintessentially Pittsburgh experiences? Our Pittsburghese story looks at where “yinz” came from, and has a little test to see if you have a Pittsburgh accent; drivers will be familiar with the “Pittsburgh left,” an opportunity to cheat the light and turn left before oncoming traffic moves; and as this is Fish Fry season in the city, we explore what made the seasonal tradition such a sensation. (The Good Question! Podcast is sponsored by the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra.)
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Mar 10, 2022
Good Question! Podcast: Trailer
What have you always wondered about Pittsburgh? WESA's Good Question! podcast investigates your curiosities about our city's history and culture.
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