The Great Pittsburgh Fire of 1845

Cost:  Free

Date:  Tuesday, March 18, 2025 – 11:00 a.m.

Speaker: K. Carol Braun Kunz, former Pittsburgh Public School teacher and Heinz History Center education coordinator

Pittsburgh, like other cities, experienced many destructive fires.  One of the less known and very devastating fire was the one of 1845.  Hear about how the fire started.  Learn about the behavior of the volunteer fire company men.  Experience the descriptions of the devastating effects of the fire.  

Find out about the businesses, homes, warehouses, newspaper printing offices, doctor offices and more that were destroyed.  Hear about the positive effects of the fire.  

Marilyn Monroe:  The Girl Behind the Image

Cost:  Free

Date:  Tuesday, April 1, 2025 – 11:00 a.m.

Speaker:  Wendy Whittick, President of Pittsburgh Classic Movie club and film historian

In the glittering Golden Age of Hollywood, no star shone more brightly than Marilyn Monroe.  But beneath the smoke and mirrors of her legendary persona, lay a much different reality.  Join us as we break through the myths that still exist today and discover the real Marilyn Monroe.

Historic Structures of North Park

Cost:  Free

Date:  Tuesday, April 15, 2025 – 11:00 a.m.

Speaker: Allegheny County Park Ranger

North Park, at 3,094 acres, is the largest park among the nine parks in Allegheny County.  Over the last century, North Park has been home to many unique features. We will explore the unique historic structures that are hidden in plain sight. 

Birds of North Park

Cost:  Free

Date:  Tuesday, April 29, 2025 – 11:00 a.m.

Speaker:  Doris Dumrauf, author, speaker, photographer

Join award-winning bird photographer, Doris Dumrauf, for an entertaining presentation about the birds of North Park. From shorebirds, waterfowl, and songbirds to ospreys, she will share photos and stories about the birds that make North Park their home.

Solutions for Hip or Knee Pain… Including Robotic Joint Replacement

Cost:  Free

Date:  Tuesday May 13, 2025 – 11:00 a.m.

Speaker: Alexandra S. Gabrielli, MD, orthopedic joint surgeon, Tri Rivers Musculoskeletal Centers

Learn how you can manage — and possibly eliminate — debilitating arthritic joint pain. Dr. Gabrielli will explain the anatomy behind your pain and review nonsurgical treatment options, from injections to physical therapy. She’ll also share the benefits of new surgical advancements, which include direct anterior hip surgery, robotic surgery, and total and partial joint replacement surgery.

Are You at Risk for a Fall?

Cost:  Free

Date:  Tuesday, May 27, 2025 – 11:00 a.m.

Speaker: Alice Simmons, PT, DPT, MS, UPMC Rehabilitation Institute

This presentation will discuss factors that contribute to fall risk. We talk about risk factors that can be changed through exercise or other means, versus those that cannot. We will do a simple test that can help you determine if you are at elevated fall risk. 

The Roosevelts: An In-depth Look

Cost:  Free

Date:  Tuesday, June 10, 2025 – 11:00 a.m.

Speaker: Paige Palmer, historian

This lecture encompasses the vast history of Theodore, Franklin, and Eleanor Roosevelt. The story begins with Theodore Roosevelt’s birth in 1858, and traces his private pain, ambitious military career, and time as the 26th president. This lecture also covers the personal struggles and rise of Franklin Roosevelt, including his leadership during the Great Depression and World War II. Finally, this lecture investigates the personal life of Eleanor Roosevelt, her twelve years as First Lady, and enduring legacy of personal courage. You are invited to join historian Paige Palmer for this intimate story that investigates the Roosevelts through a deeply personal lens of tragedy and triumph, loyalty and betrayal, and the inspiring resilience that empowered the Roosevelts to conquer adversity and step into the arena of American history.

Ticks and Lyme Disease

Cost:  Free

Date:  Tuesday, June 24, 2025 – 11:00 a.m.

Speaker: Chris Kubiak, Education, Director Audubon Society of Western Pennsylvania

Lyme disease has become a prevalent threat to those who venture outdoors.  This presentation will explain the life cycle of the tick and how the spirochete is transferred to humans.  Do not let fear of Lyme disease keep you indoors; arm yourself with knowledge. 

Forgotten Tales of Pittsburgh

Cost:  Free

Date:  Tuesday, July 8, 2025 – 11:00 a.m.

Speaker: Thomas White, Duquesne University archivist and curator of special collections

Join author and historian Thomas White as he explores some of the forgotten tales of Pittsburgh’s past. From the evil clown panic to the first armored car robbery, hear the stories that have slipped through the historical cracks. Learn about Hogg’s Pond, the Pittsburgh Poisoner, Trotter’s curse, a lion attack in Oakland, Pittsburgh’s Chinatown, the Jack the Ripper suspect who lived on Liberty Avenue, and many more obscure historical happenings.

Western PA’s contributions to WW II

Cost:  Free

Date:  Tuesday, July 22, 2025 – 11:00 a.m.

Speaker: Gail Griffith, instructor with the Life Enrichment Program for seniors through CCAC

During World War II, Pittsburgh served as one of the nation’s crucial defense manufacturing centers. Come hear how our area was critical in the success for the Allies during the War.

Coasters and Corn Dogs – Amusement parks in Western PA

Cost:  Free

Date:  Tuesday, August 5, 2025 – 11:00 a.m.

Speaker: Steve Cicero, former history instructor in the Butler Area School District

Amusement Parks. How did these iconic places from our childhood come into being?  Why did so many, such as Luna Park and West View, disappear? How do the survivors, like Kennywood and Idlewild, remain relevant in the modern world of cable television and smartphones.

The Directors

Cost:  Free

Date:  Tuesday, August 19, 2025 – 11:00 a.m.

Speaker: Tom Madden, Asylum Entertainment Director, and Filmmaker

On a movie set there is only one God…The Director.  It is their artistry, vision and creativity that takes a story and transforms it into a cinematic masterpiece.  Join us as we look back on the directors that not only made the movies, we love but made Hollywood what it is today. From Charlie Chaplin to Steven Spielberg back to Hitchcock and over to Tarantino these are the men…and yes, the women…that make the movies we have watched our entire lives.

Confederates in the Pittsburgh Aviary

Cost:  Free

Date:  Tuesday, September 2, 2025 – 11:00 a.m.

Speaker:  Gary Augustine, Historian

There was Civil fighting within an hour’s drive from Pittsburgh in eastern Ohio. Soldiers were killed and wounded on both sides. The Confederate raiders were captured by Union Troops sent from” Pittsburg.” Some of those captured were imprisoned on the North side.

Native Animals of Pennsylvania

Cost:  Free

Date:  Tuesday, September 16, 2025 – 11:00 a.m.

Speaker: Allegheny County Park Rangers

Pennsylvania is home to a variety of unique and interesting animals. In this seminar, we will be exploring many animals that are native to this beautiful state.

Neck and Low Back Pain: Conservative and Interventional Treatment Options, including Physical Therapy

Cost:  Free

Date:  Tuesday, September 30, 2025 – 11:00 a.m.

Speakers:  Mark R. DeCotiis, MD, physical medicine and rehabilitation specialist with Tri Rivers Musculoskeletal Centers and Craig Maartmann-Moe, DPT, orthopedic physical therapist with UPMC Rehabilitation Institute

We will discuss diagnosis and treatment of common conditions associated with back, neck and hip pain, including spinal disorders and pain associated with neurological disorders. Discussion of treatment options will include conservative options and interventional methods, including fluoroscopically guided injections. We review common physical therapy conditions and treatment for issues related to the neck and low back.  A brief question and answer session will follow the presentation.