Pittsburghs East Liberty Valley originally consisted of lush hunting grounds used by many Native American groups. In the 1700s, British general John Forbes instructed George Washington to build a military road from Fort Ligonier through the East Liberty Valley to the forks of the Ohio River. In 1758, Forbes traveled this widened trail, first named for him, now known as Penn Avenue. Many plantations were established after the Revolution, and the village grew, with its tollhouse and taverns serving stagecoaches and Conestoga wagons en route to Pittsburgh. By the 20th century, East Liberty was one of the wealthiest suburbs in America. Many famous firsts occurred here, including the building of the nations first gasoline service station and the founding of the National Negro Opera Company. The area also boasts many famous residents, including Billy Eckstine, Erroll Garner, Gene Kelly, Dick Powell, and Lillian Russell. Through vintage photographs, Pittsburghs East Liberty Valley salutes the areas rich history.

An Extraordinary Journey is a social history of first generation Americans who courageously forged a path from Italy to America from 1895 to 1922. It tells their stories in the historic context of their time in both Italy and America. From the unique perspective of walking in the footsteps of these pioneers, this account shows what it was like for each of them to leave their home country and settle in America. The reader will feel what they felt, see what they saw, cry when they cried, and laughed when they laughed on this extraordinary journey.