Rooney talks about new book at PT Library
Dan Rooney and Carol Peterson talk about their book at the Peters Township Library.
Carol Peterson and Dan Rooney speak at the Peters Township Public Library.
Dan Rooney signs a copy of his book for Darcy and Mark Sefer of Peters Township.
While Dan Rooney is best known as Chairman of the Pittsburgh Steelers, he donned the hat of a historian at a recent presentation at the Peters Township Library. Rooney focused specifically on the history of Pittsburgh’s North Side, where he’s lived his whole life, aside from his recent time in Ireland as the United States ambassador.
Accompanied by Carol Peterson, with whom he coauthored, “Allegheny City: A History of Pittsburgh’s North Side” Rooney fielded questions about the book to a captive audience of nearly 50 people on the evening of Oct. 15.
“I’m interested in the history (of Pittsburgh) and his new book,” said Doreen Hurley of Upper St. Clair.
“He’s such a Pittsburgh idol,” added Hurley’s friend, Pat Stein, also from Upper St. Clair. “I wanted to see him in person. I admire him because he’s so involved and loves Pittsburgh.
Football fans Rich Aurin and Frank Meola, both of Peters Township, attended because they, too, wanted to see Rooney in person. “I appreciated everything he’s done for Pittsburgh,” said Aurin.
Meola’s mother, Mary Ellen, and sister, Rose, however, appreciate what Rooney has done for literacy with the publication of his book. “I love to read,” Rose said. “I’m very interested in history.”
Interestingly, Rooney’s curiosity regarding the origins of his house sparked his collaboration with Peterson. Four years ago, she performed a house history for Rooney and the two discussed writing a book.
Their research at the Carnegie Library’s Pennsylvania Department, the Heinz History Center and the University of Pittsburgh’s Pennsylvania Department turned up many fascinating facts, which they tried to pack into the book.
“We had a grand time writing this book,” Rooney said. According to Rooney, the North Side is considered everything that’s in the northern part of the city up to the Butler County line. The neighborhoods were separated by topography, added Peterson. Industries included the H.J. Heinz Company, steel mills and tanneries. Germans and Scots-Irish immigrated to the North Side long ago.
“(The North Side) has a great history with German immigrants and the Scots-Irish,” Peterson stressed.
Because of pollution and smoke from the steel mills, however, people started moving out of the area.
“You had to change your shirt during the day because it would get dirty from the smoke,” Rooney said.
As far as the population shift, Peterson said, “The middle class started moving away before the wealthy did.”
The upper class moved away, too, but not far. “The wealthy people built summer homes out in Sewickley Heights,” Rooney said. “The summer homes were so good they didn’t have to go back to the North Side.”
The Rooneys, however, never left. “We weren’t the Carnegie’s – believe me,” he said.
Originally from Ireland, the Rooneys immigrated to Wales and then back to Ireland before leaving for good. They first immigrated to Montreal, Canada, before coming to the United States. The family lived in Ohio for a bit until they learned of better opportunities in Pittsburgh.
“My great-grandfather was a brick layer in the mills. He was paid by the brick and he laid lots of bricks,” Rooney said. His great-grandfather did well laying bricks until unions were formed and the workers were all paid the same wages. After quitting the brick-laying job, he opened a pub, which got his eight sons interested in sports and eventually led to the family forming the Steelers.
Rooney lives in a single-family home, built in 1965, on the North Side.
“It’s a tremendous place to live,” he said.