“Wilmerding”

Wilmerding is a post-industrial community east of Pittsburgh, PA. Established in 1890, this planned company town originally housed the workforce of the Westinghouse Airbrake plant and their families.

Born and raised, resident, veteran, a 35+ year employee and machinist of the Westinghouse Airbrake, my Grandfather spent his entire life in Wilmerding. My introduction to this place was through his nostalgic stories, spanning from his childhood days during the depression, returning home after WWII, through the days of overnight shifts and a factory that never closed.

Today, Wilmerding and the airbrake sit comparably lifeless to the fruitful, culturally rich, energetic Pittsburgh suburb it once was. Through photographing I attempted to decipher the relationship between the remnants and individuals of both a previous community and the current one. Realizing the commonality of Wilmerding and many other industrial towns, the American Rust Belts historic role and continued existence are equally important parts of our larger ongoing American narrative.