One Year in Brownsville

Once a major hub in the Monongahela River valley south of Pittsburgh, Brownsville's once-bustling business district has fallen into decay and near abandonment. Through compelling interviews and rare archival footage, this 30-minute documentary chronicles the story of Brownsville's effort to survive. The Emmy winning documentary, originally broadcast in 2006, is from writer/producer David Solomon and videographers/editors Frank Caloiero and Paul Ruggieri. Narration by Michael Bartley.

[@ahabgaddis7277]

The Netflix show "I'm not Okay with This" shot here. Shame they canceled the show after one season though, because it was really good. They were about to film season 2 but covid happened, and Netflix pulled the plug on many shows because of it

[@caderobertson]

It’s why I’m here to watch this. Shame the show is canceled… I’d love to live in a town that gorgeous.

[@danacoleman4007]

That was a really cool show! I was hoping it hadn't been canceled.😢

[@matthewpingor8040]

Toured Philander Knox's childhood home here back in 2015 during an open house. Town looked the same as it did all the years before passing through to see local mining and abandoned rail features. Great history. Sad present day.

[@marshalljimduncan]

One year in Brownsville makes a hard man humble...

[@kennethjacobs5976]

I was born at the Brownsville Pa .In 1944 !

[@anthonymiller8979]

So sad to see it like this. So many childhood memories of my Grandparents house at 15 Angle Street. We would shop at the stores downtown, walk down to the Lock to see the boats and barges, and explore down by the river in West Brownsville. So many good times there in the 1960s

[@vinyldreamsus]

was there ever a follow-up to this story?

[@kenchambers3655]

Having travelled up and down the Brownsville Road into and out of Pittsburgh to our home in Library for so long, my wife and I decided to take a road trip last year to Brownsville itself, and we were shocked to find it a ghost town. I'm particularly shocked watching this to realize that in the 15 years since this film was made, NOTHING has changed. That is a scandal!

[@ianwilliams4076]

@Paranormal Explorer No it doesn't. We've torn down a few bad buildings, there's a few more shops open downtown and we just had another street fair

[@joanns.6380]

@@ianwilliams4076 Yea right. I have family in Brownsville, PA and I usually go every summer to see them. Brownsville looks completely run down as it has for the last 25 years I've been going there. Nice try buddy.

[@drohegda]

When American was young and you wanted to go out West and save time overland on horse back. the place you went to was Brownsville Pa they made the Boats there, they had the Supplies, the Tackle and guides if you needed one. Read online about the Boat "" The Enterprize"" and men from Brownsville Pa. awarded money from the President Andrew Jackson and sailed down and re supplied the troops at the Battle of New Orleans. You have a great town with a rich History.

[@clarkewi]

Development follows jobs. No employment, no development.

[@willbygosh4887]

Cool Historical Architecture there@

[@gregsz1ful]

Businesses thrive from people who have real jobs. Manufacturing is a real job. You know the story of USA. China. Most politicians didn't really care about jobs going overseas.

[@jeff1586er]

Norma I think I was in your 7th grade class at Front St school in 1962. Jeffrey Smith Muskegon MI.

[@BADDUDE_CORNPOP]

2019may n Brownsville is still a horrible shit hole but now w a walmart on the other side of the river. so defiantly no small businesses r gonna open new anytime soon..cant compete w walmart

[@rickcatocala4254]

That will effect California, PA as well.

[@jaynebartolotti656]

You need to come back and do another story. Check out the Perennial Project! Come see what our high school kids accomplished.

[@jasonpopielarczyk7511]

I grew up about 10 miles up river in Fredericktown in the 80s. I remember the flood of 1984 (?) which pretty much devastated all those communities on this section of the mon. I remember not long after that, Brownsville changed DRASTICALLY.

[@thegreatelberto]

And yet still a dump. Let’s not mention the hospital. Norma good heart bad leader.

[@MEQUPWER]

they never did much to revive this town 20 years later. and the women Betty Sally passed away in 2019 at the ripe old age of 98 years old! Brownsville needs REVIVED!!!! where did all the money they got to do this 20 years ago , go??? all they seemed to do was build a multi million dollar high school CAMPUS, looks better then most college campuses, its insane!!!nothing ever got down in down town, still looks exactly if not worse then it does here, just add 20 yrs onto the dilapidated buildings! they mayor Norma Ryan just passed away in may 2024 at the fine age of 92!!!!!! God rest their souls!

[@oscaracme]

The welfare/grant money and added government control, will just accelerate the decline when the public funding tit is taken away. Legit, sustainable business wants/needs freedom and customers, not "help".

[@tomcahill6981]

I do not understand this one bit. How could a couple buy such a large area in a community, pay taxes on it, and nothing happen. Something is really crazy in this story. Why would anyone invest all of that money, or any money and not do anything with it?

[@godschild6172]

Maybe consider the land for Farming if you’re tearing it all down.

[@williammarkle3299]

You should Brownsville today, what A wasteland!

[@rhigel2269]

I was in Brownsville, PA this past July 2019 and the main street is still dead to business. Still plywood sheeting on many of the store windows with red tax notices attached to the plywood. I remember driving trough Brownsville back in the late 60's and the main street was busy with customers at all the stores. Coal had made the town rich years ago, but now the money, workers, and young people are gone. Older people living on their retirement funds and Social Security checks.

[@VoorTrekker88]

Ya, but at least Fiddle's is still there.

[@rhigel2269]

@@VoorTrekker88 Barely!

[@cgustafson240]

I was there years ago. From an outsiders perspective, but someone who grew up in Appalachia. It reminds me of so many other coal towns it the region. The death of coal has doomed most. Sad to see.

[@etwilli2]

We go down every other week or so. There are some signs of hope I think at times. Fiddles has a new owner, the Antique grill is now a respectable Pickers Pub and Grub, There are other eateries and a cigar shop, so things are slowly getting better as opposed to a few years ago.

[@rivercap1986]

That should be the heart of boat building and 2nd city to pittsburgh So much history and so disrespected They should be ashamed of themselves

[@gregsz1ful]

Marias Lovers, interesting movie. The house in the movie has been revamped.

[@CP-os1pc]

Nicest people enjoyed my stops in Brownsville It was to be bigger than the Burg

[@susanburkett3581]

My soul is still there!

[@gregsz1ful]

They said, Pittsburgh will never amount to much, its too close to Brownsville.

[@godschild6172]

Something’s don’t flourish I because of family ties, investment strategies, and the next door neighbors. Your close to Pittsburgh but is funding being invested in your town. Why build it up is the question? What will it support?

[@captains_collectibles]

Liggetts hair

[@kennyjj7734]

fiddles

[@bradmagnuson6963]

Bring a bookstore into downtown

[@OffendingTheOffendable]

What a dump

[@luxyminimalist]

It is now, but it didn’t always used to be. When I was a kid in the 60s and 70s, it was HOPPING!

[@johngadd2622]

Hey Randell was going to help keep B'ville hospital open, so were senators and congress men

[@captains_collectibles]

theres antiques inside these buildings. sell em off

[@farmcentralohio]

Sounds like the folks in town are blaming the Liggets for something they have no control of. Sorry that their town is dying but you can't blame them for buying cheap buildings lol

[@mydog3272]

Not many people blame the Liggets a ton, blaming is not a way to move to the future. But many people hate to see the decaying buildings. And notice that nothing can be done since the Liggets still own it.

[@chrisknapp4050]

You are laughing at the downfall of all small towns and supporting capitalism at its worse?! What a scum bag you are

[@cpu554]

My cousin was married to the sister of one of the state reps of the area.(Pete Daley)it was supposed to be converted to a casino type biz ,but the PA voters said no in the long run. It is a great small town to raise a family.