An article in the Post-Gazette today told of  the famous sculptures of stone lions that stood outside Dollar Bank on Fourth Avenue for 138 years.  Eroded from years of pollution, the lions were removed for conservation and returned to a spot of honor inside the bank.  New stone lions were sculpted and installed at a ceremony yesterday morning.

A German immigrant stone mason, Max Kohler, carved the original lions on site in 1871.  Max Kohler lived on Herron Avenue, in what is now Polish Hill, for most of his life.  He had eleven children with his wife Celestena.  Some of their descendents were present at the ceremony on Wednesday morning.

To find out about a long-ago resident and to get a little glimpse into Pittsburgh history,  read the Post-Gazette article.

(Top photo is from the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh.  Bottom photo from the Post-Gazette.)