Living History Tour to bring Pauline Auberle’s McKeesport legacy to life

The German immigrant’s 1901 bequest ultimately led to creation of Auberle more than 50 years later.

For the MVI

More than a century ago, McKeesport resident Pauline Auberle made a decision that would ultimately touch the lives of generations of people she would never meet.

Her story will come to life this weekend as part of the McKeesport Regional History & Heritage Center’s 12th annual McKeesport & Versailles Cemetery Living History Tour.

Pauline and her husband, Ottmar, were German immigrants who owned a farm on property that includes the present-day site of Auberle. After Ottmar died in 1878, Pauline continued to live on the property until her death in 1901. She left the property and funds to the Catholic Diocese of Pittsburgh with instructions that they be used to educate German orphan boys.

For decades, the diocese invested the funds and leased the land for farming. Part of the property was eventually sold and became the site of what is now Penn State Greater Allegheny.

In 1948, the Pauline Auberle Foundation was formed to fund construction of a boys orphanage. Four years later, in 1952, Auberle opened its doors in McKeesport.

The Living History Tour will give visitors an opportunity to discover more about Pauline Auberle, her life in McKeesport and how a bequest made 125 years ago created a legacy that continues today.

Her story takes on added significance as Auberle approaches its 75th anniversary in 2027. What began as an organization serving boys in need expanded in the 1980s and 1990s to serve girls and families and has continued to evolve in response to changing community needs.

Over nearly 75 years, Auberle has impacted more than 100,000 individuals and families, helping build strong individuals, families and communities throughout the greater Pittsburgh region and beyond.

The Living History Tour will take place from noon to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday at the McKeesport & Versailles Cemetery. Costumed historical characters stationed throughout the cemetery will share the stories of people who helped shape McKeesport and the surrounding region.

An encore performance will be held at 6:30 p.m. Oct. 8 at the McKeesport Regional History & Heritage Center, 1832 Arboretum Drive in McKeesport.

Tickets are $15 for adults, $6 for children ages 6–12, and free for children 5 and younger.

For tickets and additional information, visit McKeesportHeritage. org or call 412-678-1832.

The McKeesport Regional History & Heritage Center preserves and shares the history of McKeesport and the surrounding Mon Valley through its museum, archives, educational programming and community events.