If you walk through the city of Latrobe, you’ll find reminders of Fred Rogers, the beloved neighbor, television host, author, composer and hometown hero, almost everywhere. You can even stop by Rogers Park downtown and take a picture with him, immortalized in bronze, seated on a bench, as if he’s ready to sit down and have a conversation.
“Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood” ran for 31 seasons on PBS and was the brainchild of Rogers himself, who used the program to teach, learn, play and imagine alongside generations of children. And although the show ended in 2001 and Rogers died in 2003, his memory and the impact of his life’s work continue to resonate.
“Fred Rogers is a person we could trust,” said Emma Swift Lee, director of the Fred Rogers Institute at Saint Vincent College, an organization dedicated to strengthening families and supporting the healthy development of children. “He deeply cared about children, and he deeply cared about us. And I think that is the kind of relationship that doesn’t fade.”
The institute is home not only to a public gallery, but also to an extensive private archive of Rogers’ work, thousands of scripts, personal writings and letters from fans. It also houses iconic pieces from the show, including the famous kiddie pool where Mister Rogers and Officer Clemmons once shared a quiet, groundbreaking moment.
“It was a really big moment and was shared a lot to talk about the way Fred Rogers was really careful to show children the values that he had about belonging and how everyone was welcome in his neighborhood,” Swift Lee said.
But Latrobe isn’t the only place where his legacy lives on.
In Pittsburgh, where the show was filmed, another statue of Rogers sits along the North Shore. And just a figurative trolley ride away, at the Heinz History Center, visitors can step inside the neighborhood itself, exploring original sets and props from the beloved series. That is where KDKA interviewed actor David Newell, who played the Speedy Delivery man, Mr. McFeely. He remembers his time on the show fondly.
“He was one of the most intelligent persons I’ve ever met,” Newell said of Rogers. “Very, very smart. And he could speak French; he could speak several languages. And he loved learning. And I think that came out in the program, his love of learning. He was giving it to his viewers.”
Newell says Rogers cast him in 1967, long before he or anyone realized just how impactful the show would become. Nearly 60 years later, however, he’s still meeting fans and helping carry on the legacy of both the program and the man behind it.
While reruns of “Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood” still air on PBS, Fred Rogers Productions continues to build on his mission, creating educational and meaningful programming for children.
One of its most popular series, “Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood,” carries forward the stories of many original characters through the lives of their children, something CEO Paul Siefken says creates a shared experience for parents and kids alike.
“His legacy exists beyond our work,” Siefken said. “Those messages of kindness and respect and primarily the idea of neighbors is something that is important for Americans to think about. Whether we are talking about public service or we are talking about education, we all have something to give and that’s what he encouraged people to do, to think about yourself as being the only person in the world exactly like you and what is it that you can bring to your world that can make it a better place.”
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