Mr. Rogers Statue

If you don’t like Fred Rogers, then there is just something wrong with you…exceptions include those too young to remember him. What can I say, I like Mr. Rogers. Mister Rogers Neighborhood was the longest-running kids’ show ending in 1997. My most vivid memory is the start of the show when he came into the house and took off his jacket and put on the cardigan sweater. Then he put on those crumby blue sneakers…which I believe are now in the Smithsonian. Loved the Trolley. Something about Make-Believe. All good stuff.

The show was produced in Pittsburgh, thus the location of this statue. It’s a nice target for a Pittsburgh walk-about scavenger hunt. Look for it just south of Heinz Field along the north shore of the river…which actually happens to be the point where the Ohio River begins. One important note is the song…A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood. It does not broadcast far, but if you sit with Mr. Rogers, you can listen to that song in a never-ending, continuous loop. Tie a prisoner to the statue…make him listen continuously to that song…he will be talking in no time. Warning…the song was stuck in my head for quite some time. It’s a nice walk along the river to find it and its worth a selfie…OK, technically, I gave my phone to a stranger to take the picture, so it was not a selfie. PT