Pittsburgh History, Pennsylvania

Largest Steel Producer of America Pittsburgh, situated in the state of Pennsylvania, is the second largest city of the United States. The city has a substantial economic influence, historically, known for its famous steel industry and now the city is mainly famous for its healthcare industry. Pittsburgh is known for its positive economic impact and it is also called as the “Steel City” and “the city of Bridges”.

 Early History of Pittsburgh

It was Sieur de La Salle, the first European, to discover the city in his expedition during 1669.  After its discovery, it was the European pioneers mainly the French, who came in the early 1700s. In 1717, Michael Bezallion became the first to describe a manuscript where the forks of Ohio were mentioned. French soldiers, who arrived from Quebec in 1749, launched a serious expedition to the forks with an aim to unite the French Louisiana with French Canada via the rivers. In 1758, the French abandoned the city before destroying the Fort Duquesne. It was during this time when Forbes made an order to construct Fort Pitt, which was named after William Pitt the Elder, the then British Secretary of State. Forbes also named the settlement in the region between the two rivers as “Pittsborough.”

 How Pittsburgh got under Pennsylvania?

The descendants of William Penn later purchased western lands from the Six Nations in the 1768 treaty of Fort Stanwix. This site includes most of the present area of Pittsburgh. After a survey conducted at the Manor of Pittsburgh in 1769, both Pennsylvania and Virginia claimed the area of Pittsburgh till 1780. After that period, both the states made an agreement to extend the Mason-Dixon Line thereby placing Pittsburgh with Pennsylvania. 

Pittsburgh after American Revolution

The village of Pittsburgh started to grow gradually after the American Revolution. The layout of the Pittsburgh town got completed by Thos in 1784. The short-lived Whiskey Rebellion took place in 1794. The supply of British goods got stopped after the War of 1812, which stimulated American manufacture. Pittsburgh started producing iron, glass, brass and tin products by 1815. It was incorporated as the City of Pittsburgh after the act of March 18, 1816. Pittsburgh became one of the largest cities situated west of the Allegheny Mountains by 1840. 

Pittsburgh after Civil War & World War

The economy of the city got boosted after the American Civil war as the production of iron and armaments increased gradually. In 1875, Steel production started with the foundation of the J. Edgar Thomson Steel works. The U.S Steel Corporation got formed in 1901 making Pittsburgh one of the leading steel producers of the nation. After World War II, the city went through a renaissance and it shifted its economy to tourism, education, healthcare services and high technology by the beginning of 1980.

email to a friendAsk our travel experts a question about Pittsburgh
ask now

Things about Pittsburgh you may be interested in

• Pittsburgh Travel tips

 

+ list your site

 

ReviewsTravel TipsWrite a reviewWrite a travel tip

 

 

Read our members' reviews about Pittsburgh

No reviews have been added yet for this category. Be the first to add a new one.

 

Read our members' travel tips about Pittsburgh

• Carnegie Museum of Art
  travel tip by tylerd posted more then 30 days ago
  Truly an amazing museum where you see art come to life in the various paintings, artworks of famous and not so famous artists of the Impressionist and Post-Impressionist era. The Carnegie Museum of Art has not only a wide collection of...
• National Aviary
  travel tip by Sistazzione posted more then 30 days ago
  A facility that is constantly growing, the National Aviary, though still small a bit, offers a wonderful view on the lives and environments of various kinds of birds throughout the globe. There are guided tours and hands-on visiting...
• Carnegie Museum of Natural History
  travel tip by welt-raiser posted more then 30 days ago
  There are many fine museums which deal with different kinds of scientifically or historically significant events, creatures, people, but the Carnegie Museum of Natural History is something more than that. It not only has hands-on...

view all

 

 

Community

Members Who Have Been to Pittsburgh

See who has been to Pittsburgh and ask them a question (membership required)

MadSuh ask a question add to friends

Ronihs ask a question add to friends

georgianna ask a question add to friends

jmcameron ask a question add to friends

 

show all

 

 

the best travel deals provided by TravelZoo...