In 1914, the Christian Society of Wilkinsburg began from a small group of the First Church of Christ, Scientist, Pittsburgh. The Christian Society later changed its name to First Church of Christ, Scientist, Wilkinsburg.
The congregation met at the Pennwood Club where the first services took place. They met in 1915 at the Caldwell and Graham Building, and in 1917 at auditorium of the Masonic Temple.
In August of 1923 work began on a church at 725 Wallace Avenue. By September of 1924 the first building phase was completed. The construction never moved past the first phase. The congregation worshiped there for twenty-five years and increasingly felt the need for a better location.
The Methods Engineering Council made an offer to purchase the building. The Methods Engineering Council, founded by Harold B. Maynard, measured time in relation to motion in search of increasing efficiency at work. They developed a system of taking motion pictures at 16 frames per second of people working. They evaluated those pictures.The congregation approved the offer. They acquired a lot on the corner of Graham Blvd. and Gaywood Drive in 1950. At sunrise, on July 24, 1951, the cornerstone was placed. The church opened on March 23, 1952.
In the Christian Science faith a church can only be dedicated when the church is free of debt. The congregation dedicated the church on December 8, 1968.
After considerable planning, the Wilkinsburg Public Library decided to rent space in the Christian Science building for a branch library called Eastridge with a grand opening on Saturday, April 17, 2004.
The Harold Young Jazz Group played at the opening.
An informative Pittsburgh Post-Gazette article, appearing before the opening, showed a photo of Marilyn Caito demonstrating the creation of vibrant Ukranian folk art patterns on Easter eggs called pysanky at Eastridge.
The library represented a cooperative effort. Wilkinsburg residents, several Allegheny County libraries, and the library staff donated furniture and equipment. A major donation of theater, art, travel, and history books came in from the estate of Ruth Simpson. The library has a variety of resources from computers with Internet access to children's books.
Wilkinsburg Borough purchased the Christian Scientist building in December of 2012.
The Hilltop Block Watch formed in 2013 with Eastridge for a meeting place. The group has sponored a annual summer Community Picnic and a December holiday party at Eastridge. The Na Gael Irish Band and the Sankofa African Drum and Dance appeared at the 2019 Community Picnic. The Wilkinsburg Sun reports on the 2015 holiday party sweater contest, “To participate in the Awesome, Crazy, Weird Sweater Contest, guests should wear a holiday sweater that stands out the most in any of three categories. Winners could win the coveted sweater trophy or other prizes.”
The group became an advocate for the possibilites of the Eastridge space, particularly the auditorium, and encouraged the development of the Wilkinsburg Arts and Culture at Eastridge.
Eastridge became active as a performance space. The Harold Young Jazz Group traveled through history by way of music. The Sakofa Village African Drum and Dance gave a lively performance and invited audience participation. A Wilkinsburg Sun article announced an upcoming string quintet in 2019, “Hilltop Block Watch invites all to relax and enjoy a marvelous evening with professional musicians from the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra String Quintet at the 2nd Annual Night of Sparkle on Monday, October 7 in the intimate atmosphter of the Eastridge Center auditorium. . . . This is an all ages event, and kids and adults are welcome to a Q&A with the musicians after the event.”
Wilkinsburg Centennial Publication Committee, Historic Wilkinsburg 1887–1987, One Hundred Years of Pride, 1988, p. 93.
John Warren, "Method In His Motions,"The Pittsburgh Press, March 24, 1957 p. 178.
“Grand opening set for library branch” Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, April 14, 2004, p. 63.
“Hilltop Block Watch Hosting 2nd Annual Holiday Party at Eastridge” Wilkinsburg Sun, December 2015/January 2016, p. 6.
“2nd Annual Night of Sparkle” Wilkinsburg Sun, September 2019, p. 2.
Wilkinsburg Public Library Digital Archives:
“New church Home,” August 16, 1951.
“Services in New Church Sunday,” The Gazette, March 20, 1952.