Located in the East End, Shadyside was one of the wealthy's first escapes from the city, made possible by the tracks of the venerable Pennsylvania Railroad. Home to theRodef Shalom Synagogue, whose congregation took part in the formation of Reform Judaism, and the Shadyside Presbyterian Church, site of protests during the mill closures of the 1980's, Shadyside has played a central role in the social evolution of the city. Today, upscale chains and designer boutiques line the prosperous shopping districts of Walnut Street, Ellsworth Avenue, and Highland Avenue.