Arsenal School

Courtesy of Eli Pousson

Location:
220 40th St, Pittsburgh, PA 15201

Description:

The Arsenal School, situated in Pittsburgh's Lower Lawrenceville neighborhood, encompasses both Arsenal 6–8 Middle School and Arsenal PreK–5 Elementary School, both under the administration of Pittsburgh Public Schools. Originally established in 1932 as a junior high school, with an elementary school addition completed in 1939, it occupies a historic site once part of the Allegheny Arsenal. Designated a National Register of Historic Places entry in 1986 and recognized as a contributing property in the Lawrenceville Historic District in 2019, it is also a City of Pittsburgh historic structure and a Pittsburgh History and Landmarks Foundation Historic Landmark.

Notably, a Pennsylvania state historical marker commemorates Johnny Unitas, who played football on the school's athletic field before his illustrious NFL career. The site's historical significance is rooted in its past as part of the Allegheny Arsenal, a munitions manufacturing facility during the Civil War, and later as a U.S. Geological Survey testing station. The construction of the school itself was a process marked by community advocacy, land negotiations, and dedication, culminating in its opening in 1932 and subsequent elementary wing expansion in 1939.