Secret Pittsburgh

The Original Crawford Grill was permanently closed in 1951.

Address: 1401 Wylie Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 

Website: Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission 

Access: Building demolished in 1959.

Established in 1933, the original Crawford Grill quickly became a focal point in the black community. Geographically placed in between Chicago and New York and in the prime of the jazz era, the Crawford Grill became a hot spot for jazz lovers. “Club Crawford”, as it was commonly known, was three stories high. The centerpiece of the Grill was on the second floor; a revolving stage with a grand piano in mirrors on top of a glass bar.

Pittsburgh Mills ran seven days a week. As a result, steelworkers were looking for entertainment during the weekend to relax from their monotonous work, and Crawford Hill offered the entertainment they asked for. Crawford welcomed the rich and the poor, Black and White, white collar and the blue collar.

Still in the height of segregation and black inequality, the Grill acted as a completely different space. It was a rare space where groups were racially mixed and not discriminated against; united by their common love for jazz music. Crowds were drawn from big cities; the Grill’s masses of people were almost comparable to the crowds Broadway saw. 

The Crawford Grill went out of business after suffering from a fire in 1951. It was completely demolished in 1959 due to the Civic Center development plan, which used to house the Pittsburgh Penguins. 

Works Cited

Klein, Barbara. “Taking Its Bow.” Carnegie Museums of Pittsburgh, Carnegie Magazine, 2015.