Introduction to Geography of Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, the second largest city in the state and the seat of Allegheny County. It is in the southwestern part of the state, where the Monongahela and Allegheny rivers merge to form the Ohio River.
Pittsburgh is built mainly on rolling to hilly land. Level land is mostly in the river valleys and in the wedge—called the Golden Triangle—where the rivers meet. The city's original site is in the Golden Triangle, which is now occupied by the business district. Industrial areas have developed mainly along the three rivers; residential areas are spread throughout the hills. Among the many suburbs and cities in the Pittsburgh area are Baldwin, Bethel Park, McKeesport, Monroeville, Mount Lebanon, Penn Hills, and West Mifflin.
Economy
Pittsburgh is in the heart of one of the largest and most productive coal-mining areas in the nation. An abundance of coal led to the development of heavy industries in the Pittsburgh area, especially iron and steel. Steel production in Pittsburgh itself has declined steadily since the 1950's, but steel-making remains important in the metropolitan area, especially along the Monongahela River. Many iron and steel products are still made in Pittsburgh.
Pittsburgh is also a major producer of glass and of electrical machinery and equipment. Of lesser importance are nonelectrical machinery, processed foods, transportation equipment, and chemicals. Printing and publishing are also significant. Pittsburgh is a leader in industrial research. Many privately owned companies and the federal government have large-scale research laboratories in the Pittsburgh area. Also located there are the headquarters of some of the nation's largest corporations, including Gulf Oil, USX (formerly United States Steel), West-nghouse Electric, Rockwell International, and Aluminum Company of America.
More than 20 bridges span the three rivers within the city limits. Three Interstate highways serve Pittsburgh and its suburban area. The Penn-Lincoln Parkway connects Pittsburgh with the Pennsylvania Turnpike by way of the William Penn and Lincoln highways. The city has excellent rail connections and is served by the Greater Pittsburgh International Airport, 15 miles (24 km) west of the downtown area. Several interstate bus lines and scores of motor-freight lines operate here. Pittsburgh is one of the largest inland ports in the nation.
Main Attractions
Pittsburgh has several large parks. Chief among these are Riverview, Schenley, Frick, and Highland parks. Overlooking the Allegheny River in Highland Park is the Pittsburgh Zoo. Point State Park, at the tip of the Golden Triangle, is the site of old Fort Pitt. In the downtown area are Mellon Square Park and the Equitable Plaza, beautiffy landscaped areas of trees and fountains on top of underground parking garages.
The oldest building in Pittsburgh is the restored Fort Pitt Blockhouse, originally built in 1764. An outstanding work of the architect Henry Hobson Richardson is the Allegheny County Court House, completed in 1888.
Redevelopment since World War II has added many modern skyscrapers to Pittsburgh's Golden Triangle. Notable examples include the 64-story USX Tower, the aluminum-clad Alcoa Building, and the PPG Place building. Gateway Center, a complex of office, hotel, and parking facilities with landscaped plazas, replaced 23 acres (9.3 hectares) of industrial slum. The studios of KDKA, the first commercial radio station in the United States, are in this center. Among prominent prewar structures in the downtown area are the Gulf and Grant buildings. On the edge of the Golden Triangle is the dome-shaped Civic Arena, which is used for cultural activities, conventions, and sports events.
The University of Pittsburgh, in the Oakland area of the city, is the largest institution of higher learning in Pittsburgh. On the university's campus are the Cathedral of Learning, a 520-foot (158-m) skyscraper of classrooms; Heinz Memorial Chapel, noted for its stained-glass windows; and the Stephen Foster Memorial, featuring memorabilia of the Pittsburgh-born composer.
Carnegie-Mellon and Duquesne universities are also notable institutions of higher education. Among smaller schools are Carlow, Chatham, La Roche, and Point Park colleges.
The Carnegie, on Forbes Avenue, consists of the Carnegie Museum of Natural History and the Carnegie Museum of Art. Both museums have extensive collections. In Frick Park is the Frick Art Museum, with European paintings and decorative arts.
On the city's North Side are the Buhl Science Center, with a planetarium and varied scientific exhibits; the Allegheny Observatory, operated by the University of Pittsburgh; and the Conservatory-Aviary, featuring exotic and domestic birds and plants. Phipps Conservatory, in Schenley Park, has a wide variety of botanical exhibits, most notably tropical plants.
The Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh, the city's public library, has numerous branches. Other important libraries are at the University of Pittsburgh and other academic institutions.
The Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, established in 1895 and reorganized in 1926, presents most of its concerts in Heinz Hall for the Performing Arts. Productions by the city's opera, ballet, and light opera companies are presented in the Benedum Center. Local artists display their works during the Three Rivers Arts Festival in June.
Pittsburgh is home to the Pirates (a National League baseball team), the Steelers (a team of the National Football League), and the Penguins (a team in the National Hockey League).
History
The region including what is now Pittsburgh was inhabited by Iroquois Indians prior to European exploration. It was claimed by both England and France in the 17th century. In 1753 Lieutenant Governor Robert Dinwiddie of Virginia sent George Washington to investigate French activity in the Ohio River Valley. Washington recommended that a fort be built at the point where the Allegheny and Monongahela rivers form the Ohio.
A group of Virginians began to build the fort in early 1754, and a party under Washington was sent to occupy it. Meanwhile, however, the French had driven the Virginians out and erected Fort Duquesne on the site. Washington's party was attacked and defeated by the French at Fort Necessity, a fortified camp some 50 miles (80 km) to the southeast. This incident opened the French and Indian War.
In 1755 General Edward Braddock was fatally wounded while leading British and colonial soldiers, including Washington, against Fort Duquesne. General John Forbes marched against the fort in 1758, but before his arrival the French burned it and retreated. Forbes named the site Pittsburgh for William Pitt the Elder. A new fort was built on the site and named Fort Pitt. During Pontiac's Conspiracy (1763) Ottawa Indians tried to capture the fort. Pittsburgh became part of Pennsylvania in 1781, when Virginia relinquished its claims.
Shipbuilding, rope making, wood crafts, and glass making were early Pittsburgh industries. The city, because of its strategic location, became an important trading center and an embarkation point for migration to the West. One of the principal activities of farmers in the area was making whiskey, and they rose in rebellion in 1794 after the federal government had placed a tax on whiskey.
The first steamboat to sail down the Mississippi River to its mouth was launched from Pittsburgh in 1811. In 1834 Pittsburgh was linked to Philadelphia by the Pennsylvania Canal, bringing new commercial shipping to the city. Water transportation declined when railways entered the city in the 1850's. In 1845 a large part of the business area was destroyed by fire.
The Civil War brought unparalleled prosperity and rapid growth to a city already known for thriving iron works. Vast armament orders were placed by the federal government. After the war, large steel mills were built in Pittsburgh. The first tin plate (1872) and aluminum (1888) made in the United States in commercial quantities were manufactured here. During this period industrial and financial leaders such as Carnegie, Frick, Schwab, Mellon, and Westinghouse amassed great fortunes.
Labor unrest was another result of the sudden expansion after the war. There were riots and property destruction during a rail strike in 1877 and during the bitter Homestead steel strike of 1892. The American Federation of Labor was founded at Pittsburgh in 1881.
The city of Allegheny (now northern Pittsburgh) was annexed in 1907. An extensive flood-control system was constructed following a disastrous flood in 1936. After World War II a massive rehabilitation program was undertaken. Smoke pollution was virtually eliminated and the business district was almost totally rebuilt. By the 1970's the Golden Triangle had become a showplace of commercial and civic architecture, and various urban-redevelopment programs had been undertaken. In the 1980's, the city engaged in a second phase of downtown construction activity, known as Renaissance II.
