This collection serves as a visual documentation of the construction of streets, bridges, parks, and recreational facilities in the city of Pittsburgh as taken by members of the Department of Public Works (City Photographer). These views include building, transportation, industry, housing, and peripheral details of the history and development of Pittsburgh from the early 1900s to the early part of the twenty-first century. The focus of the City Photographer changed in the early 1970s, becoming part of the Department of Public Safety and taking police photographs in addition to continuing to take photographs for the Mayor's office and other departments.

This collection consists of the photographic glass-plate negatives of Edward J. Shourek for the years 1913-1920. There are 196 negatives that document Shourek's activities in the Lincoln-Lemington area of Pittsburgh's East Liberty neighborhood from 1913-1920.

The images in this collection represent Carl Johnston's photographs of the city of Pittsburgh during the 1930s and 1940s and photographs taken for corporate clients. Pittsburgh views include notable buildings such as the Oliver Building, Cathedral of Learning, and the Syria Mosque; bridges such as the Wabash and West End Bridges; and other points of interest including downtown Pittsburgh and Oakland. The 1936 Saint Patrick's Day Flood features prominently in the photograph albums. Corporate photographs include subjects such as machinery and transportation mostly staged for promotional use.

This collection serves as a visual documentation of the construction of streets, bridges, parks, and recreational facilities in the city of Pittsburgh as taken by members of the Department of Public Works (City Photographer). These views include building, transportation, industry, housing, and peripheral details of the history and development of Pittsburgh from the early 1900s to the early part of the twenty-first century. The focus of the City Photographer changed in the early 1970s, becoming part of the Department of Public Safety and taking police photographs in addition to continuing to take photographs for the Mayor's office and other departments.