Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Pittsburgh
With a population of 312,819, Pittsburgh is Pennsylvania’s second largest city, behind only Philadelphia. The
total population of the metropolitan area of Pittsburgh that includes eight counties is significantly larger, with
2,462,571 people. Downtown Pittsburgh, (PA, Pennsylvania, Penn), is one of the most influential economic
regions in the country, ranking at 25th in the nation for jobs within the urban center and is sixth in job density.
The famous landscape of downtown is shaped by the mergence of two major rivers, the Allegheny and
Monongahela Rivers that form the Ohio River. The skyline of Pittsburgh features over 150 high-rise
buildings, over 400 bridges, two inclined railways, and a pre-revolutionary fortification. Pittsburgh has
become known as "The Steel City" and "The City of Bridges" for its many bridges and because of its long
history as the center of steel manufacturing.
Historically the city became known for its large steel industry, however today the heart of Pittsburgh is
focused on several industries, including healthcare, education, technology, robotics, fashion, and the
financial services sector. After many industrial sites were abandoned, the city began redeveloping the sites
with many new housing complexes, shopping centers, and offices, such as the SouthSide Works. Thanks to
making those strides, Pittsburgh has regained a successful economy after the steel industry began fading in
the 1970’s. As rest of the nation faces a crisis in the subprime mortgage sector, the housing market in
Pittsburgh has remained relatively stable and the city has added jobs in 2008 as the country faces a
recession.
Pittsburgh continually performs well in many rankings. Forbes Magazine ranked the city the 10th cleanest city
in 2007, and in 2008 they listed Pittsburgh as the 13th best city for young professionals to live. Places Rated
Almanac call Pittsburgh "America's Most Livable City", and the city performs well in livability surveys.
What’s In A Name
Pittsburgh was given its name in 1758 by General John Forbes, who named the city after Sir William Pitt, a
British statesman. Incorporated as a borough in 1794, Pittsburgh was officially named with its present spelling
on April 22, 1794, by an act of the Pennsylvania Department and was chartered as a city in 1816.
Although more common in towns and cities in Western Pennsylvania, the use of an “h” at the end of the
“burg” suffix is not a common practice nationwide. During the late 1800’s Pittsburgh was briefly referred to as
"Pittsburg", but the Pittsburgh spelling was officially re-established in 1911 after a campaign brought by the
citizens of the city.
History Of The Steel City
The descendants of William Penn purchased land that includes modern day Pittsburgh in the 1768 Treaty of
Fort Stanwix from the Six Nations. A year later, the land between the Allegheny and Monongahela Rivers was
named the “Manor of Pittsburgh”. Although this land was in dispute between Virginia and Pennsylvania, both
states agreed in 1780 to extend the Mason-Dixon Line westward, putting Pittsburgh in Pennsylvania. In 1784,
the laying out of the "Town of Pittsburgh" was completed by Thos. Viceroy of Bedford County and on March
5th, 1804 it became "Borough of Pittsburgh".
As an early industrial town, Pittsburgh found itself even more significance during the War of 1812 when
supplies were shut off from the British. Pittsburgh began producing large quantities of iron, brass, tin and
glass products, and through an Act on March 18th, 1816, the area became the City of Pittsburgh.
The city’s population continued to climb as many people migrated to Pittsburgh to find work in the
manufacturing industry. By the mid 19th century, Pittsburgh became one of the largest cities west of the
Allegheny Mountain Range. Although a great fire burned over much of the city in 1845, Pittsburgh was rebuilt
and by 1857, Pittsburgh had over 1,000 factories.
As an industrial town, the city’s economy was boosted during the American Civil War as their was a high
demand for manufacturing.
The American Civil War boosted the city's economy with increased production of iron and armaments.
Andrew Carnegie founded J. Edgar Thomson Steel Works in North Braddock, a large steel production that
began by 1875 and eventually evolved into the Carnegie Steel Company. Henry Bessemer, inventor of the
Bessemer Process is credited with much of the achievement of Carnegie Steel.
The beginning of the 20th century saw the formation of the U.S. Steel Corporation and shortly thereafter,
Pittsburgh was producing nearly one half of the nation's total steel. Many immigrants came to Pittsburgh for
work, and the city’s population rose to over one half million. During the Second World War, Pittsburgh
produced 95 million tons of steel. The sheer amount of production created an enormous amount of pollution
from burning coal that created a dense created a black fog over the city.
Following WWII, Pittsburgh began a clean air and civic revitalization phase known as the "Renaissance." This
was followed by "Renaissance II", a project which began in 1977 and focused on development of culture.
Although the industrial base continued to expand through the 1960s, the steel industry in the region began
fading in the 1970’s and massive layoffs and mill closures resulted. The city began shifting it’s base to
healthcare, education, tourism, and technology, and the city has seen a financial turnaround.
Geography
of the city, particularly the North Side of Pittsburgh and those areas south of the Bungalow, have extreme
terrain and are steeply sloped.
This terrain is often utilized for various physical activities. The city has some 712 sets of stairs, comprising
44,645 treads and 24,090 vertical feet. Pittsburgh also has many bike and walking trails along its riverfronts
and hollows. Soon, Pittsburgh will be fully connected to downtown Washington, D.C., some 245 miles away,
by a continuous bike and running trails through the Allegheny Mountains and along the Potomac Valley.
Climate
Pittsburgh features a wide variety of weather over the course of the year, and has four very well defined
seasons. The city has an average high temperature of 85 during the peak of Summer in July, and has an
average high temperature in January of 37 degrees Fahrenheit. The winter cold is somewhat less than that
of comparable cities because of Pittsburgh’s relative close location to the Atlantic Ocean and the
mountainous region that blocks some of the cold fronts from the north.
Pittsburgh tends to see more than its share of heavy precipitation and overcast skies because of its position
on the windward side of the Allegheny Mountains. The general location near the East Coast also makes the
city subject to some impact from Nor’easters. The month of May tends to produce the most precipitation in
Pittsburgh, with an average of 4.04 inches, while February has the least on average at 2.47 inches of
precipitation.
The City
The city of Pittsburgh contains 90 distinctive neighborhoods, and can be broken down into five main
sections. There is the downtown area, called the Golden Triangle, and four areas that surround that, the
North Side, South Side, West End, and the East End.
Downtown Pittsburgh features dozens of skyscrapers packed into a small area and is serviced by the Port
Authority's light rail and multiple north/south bridges. In total, there are 9 skyscrapers that top over 500 feet,
including the tallest in the U.S. Steel Tower that is 841 feet high. Along the Allegheny River in downtown is a
14 block Cultural District that features various art venues and theaters along with a growing residential
section with multiple 20-30 story towers. Bordering the Monongahela River and Mon Wharf in downtown is
the Firstside district. This area is mixed with residential and office towers, including the PPG Place Gothic
glass skyscraper complex. Many other institutions are located downtown, including Point Park University, The
Art Institute of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh Culinary Institute, a branch campus for Robert Morris University and
Duquesne University.
The North Side was once Allegheny City, a separate city from Pittsburgh, but has since merged. The North
Side is largely residential with many homes dating back over a century. Several attractions are located on the
North Side, including Heinz Field, PNC Park, National Aviary, Carnegie Science Center, Andy Warhol
Museum, Children's Museum of Pittsburgh, Penn Brewery and Allegheny Observatory.
The South Side, while once a low income housing area for mill workers, is now a vibrant area and an
attractive place for home buyers. The area is packed with shopping centers, many different eateries, and
contains many live music venues and an energetic nightlife. The Urban Redevelopment Authority of
Pittsburgh purchased the South Side Works steel mill property in 1993, and has since turned the location
into a multi-use development that includes a riverfront park, shopping, restaurants, office space, housing,
healthcare facilities, practice fields for the Pittsburgh Steelers and Pitt Panthers, and the world headquarters
for American Eagle Outfitters.
The West End is home to Mt. Washington, where a tremendous view of the Downtown Pittsburgh skyline and
many other residential neighborhoods like Sheraden and Elliott can be seen.
Local Lingo
Commonly referred to as ‘’Pittsburghese’’, the local Pittsburgh English dialect is a result of the great many
immigrants that fled to Pittsburgh for work, including the Scottish-Irish, Welsh, German, Central European
and Eastern European. Although ‘’Pittsburghese’’ is similar to other regional dialects, including Erie, PA and
Baltimore, MD, the dialect is also unique is its somewhat staccato rhythms. Referred to as ‘’Yinzers’’, meaning
‘’you people’’, the locals who speak this dialect use a number of borrowed words from various European
languages, including babushka, pierogi, and halušky. There are so many numerous peculiarities that the
New York Times once described Pittsburgh as "the Galapagos Islands of American dialect".
Demographics
As of the last census take in 2000, the population of Pittsburgh consisted of 334,563 individuals, while there
were 163,739 households and 74,169 families living within the city. At that time, the population of
metropolitan area surrounding the city had 2,658,695 individuals. Racially, the city is composed of 67.63%
White, 27.12% African American, 2.75% Asian, and 1.32% Hispanic of any race. More women than men live
in the city, with there being 1.14 females age 18 and over for every 1 male. As of 2000, the median income
for a household in Pittsburgh was $28,588, with 20.4% of the population living below the poverty line.
Many different ethnic groups make up the population of Pittsburgh. The most prominent within city limits are
German (19.7%), Irish (15.8%), Italian (11.8%), Polish (8.4%), and English (4.6%), while the larger
metropolitan area consists of 22% German, 16% Italian, and 12% Irish heritage. Pittsburgh’s Italian
community is one of the largest in the nation, while other prominent communities include the Ukrainian,
Croatian, Slovak, Slovenian, and Serbian communities.
Crime
For a city of its relative size and it’s higher than average poverty rate, Pittsburgh maintains a lower-than-
average property crime rate, although statistics indicate that the crime rate is slowly rising. Despite lower
property crime rate, the violent crime rate in Pittsburgh is higher than the national average. Compare to the
national average, the murder rate in the city is 2.6 times higher and the overall violent crime rate is nearly
twice the average of the nation.
Economy
The early growth of the Pittsburgh economy was rooted in the extensive trade in steel as the country was
going through a heavy industrial stage. As the steel industry in the region began to fade, then collapse,
Pittsburgh adapted to other industries. Today, the primary industries in the region are in the technological,
healthcare, financial, educational, and tourism sectors.
Pittsburgh maintains the corporate headquarters for seven Fortune 500 companies, and with the eighth-most
Fortune 500 headquarters in the nation it is considered a corporate headquarters city. Expansion Magazine
ranked the city in the top 10 for all metropolitan areas in the nation for climates favorable to business
expansion.
University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, with 26,000 employees is the largest employer in the city, with the
University of Pittsburgh second, with 10,700 employees. Other major employers include Allegheny
Technologies, H.J. Heinz Company, PNC Financial Services, PPG Industries, U.S. Steel, and WESCO
International. Pittsburgh is the Northeast U.S. regional headquarters for Nova Chemicals, FedEx Ground,
Ariba, Rand, and National City. Guru.com, 84 Lumber, Giant Eagle, Highmark, Rue 21, and GENCO are all
large non-public companies with headquarters in the Pittsburgh region. Other companies based in there
include General Nutrition Center and CNX Gas, a subsidiary of Consol Energy.
The Pittsburgh Life
Throughout the 1800’s and 1900’s, many well off businessmen and non-profit organizations gave large
donations to educational and cultural institutions in Pittsburgh, leading to a rich and unique art and cultural
life.
There are two major professional music venues, the Heinz Hall where the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra
performs, and the Benedum Center which houses the Pittsburgh Opera, although both venues provide a
location for other musical groups.
Pittsburgh has traditions in a wide variety of music, from a long history jazz, blues and bluegrass music to its
current large indie and punk rock scene. Additionally the first all African-American opera company in the
United States, the National Negro Opera Company, was founded in Pittsburgh and led the way to the
prominence of African-American singers, such as Leontyne Price, in the world of opera. In addition to its
history in music, Pittsburgh is also home to many theaters, including the Pittsburgh Playhouse of Point Park
University, which has four resident companies of professional actors.
A variety of dance events are hosted by the Pittsburgh Dance Council and the Pittsburgh Ballet Theater.
Pittsburgh has a long history of polka, folk, square and round dancing which are celebrated by the Duquesne
University Tamburitzans, a multi-cultural academy which aims to preserve folk songs and dance in the region.
Pittsburgh is also home to many famous museums. These include the Andy Warhol Museum, the Carnegie
Museum of Art, the Frick Art & Historical Center and the Mattress Factory. The Carnegie Museum of Natural
History has an extensive collection of dinosaur remains and an Ancient Egypt wing. The Carnegie Science
Center chiefly focuses on science and technology. Located in the Strip District is the Senator John Heinz
Pittsburgh Regional History Center and Western Pennsylvania Sports Museum. In the downtown area’s
cultural district is the Gallery Crawl that is held four times a year and the yearly Three Rivers Arts Fesival. Six
miles from downtown Pittsburgh is the unique Bayernhof Music Museum.
Pittsburgh Sports
Although there is no current NBA team in Pittsburgh, basketball has played a pivotal role in the sports history
of the city. Past professional teams are the Pittsburgh Pipers, Pittsburgh Condors, Pittsburgh Rens,
Pittsburgh Hard Hats, Pittsburgh Piranhas and the Pittsburgh Pit Bulls. Pittsburgh has seen basketball
success at the college level with the University of Pittsburgh Panthers who have made 7 straight NCAA
tournament trips as of 2009. The Panthers play at the Peterson Events Center which has been sold out
every season since its opening.
Although many sports are popular in Pittsburgh, none is more popular than football at every level. High
school games in the region are regularly attended by over 10,000 fans, college football fans root on the local
Pittsburgh Panthers, while the professional team is the Pittsburgh Steelers of the NFL, who have both a large
local and national following. Since being founded in 1933, the Steelers have been owned by the Rooney
family and have won 5 Super Bowls, including 4 in the 1970’s behind their defense nicknamed the ‘’Steel
Curtain’’.
The professional hockey team in Pittsburgh is the Pittsburgh Penguins of the National Hockey League. The
Penguins have won three Eastern Conference championships three times, 1991, 1992, and 2008, and
Stanley Cup twice, in 1991 and 1992. The Penguins are owned by former player Mario Lemieux, who played
for the team from 1984 to 2006. They play at the Mellon Arena, which will be replaced by the Consol Energy
Center beginning with the 2010-2011 NHL season.
Pittsburgh Authors
A graduate of Chatham College – which has since become Chatham University – Rachel Carson is Pittsburgh’
s most famous author. She was a marine biologist born in the Pittsburgh suburb of Springdale who turned
into a nature writer and whose writings are credited by many for helping bring forth the environmental
movement. She had three best selling books in the 1950’s which gained her fame, including The Sea Around
Us, The Edge of the Sea, and Under the Sea Wind. For her work in environmental conservatism, she
posthumously was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
Other notable writers from Pittsburgh include Pulitzer Prize winners August Wilson, David McCullough, and
Annie Dillard. University of Pittsburgh alumni Chris Kuzneski is a New York Times bestselling American author
who often mentions Pittsburgh in his books.
Pittsburgh
With a population of 312,819, Pittsburgh is Pennsylvania’s second largest city, behind only Philadelphia. The
total population of the metropolitan area of Pittsburgh that includes eight counties is significantly larger, with
2,462,571 people. Downtown Pittsburgh, (PA, Pennsylvania, Penn), is one of the most influential economic
regions in the country, ranking at 25th in the nation for jobs within the urban center and is sixth in job density.
The famous landscape of downtown is shaped by the mergence of two major rivers, the Allegheny and
Monongahela Rivers that form the Ohio River. The skyline of Pittsburgh features over 150 high-rise
buildings, over 400 bridges, two inclined railways, and a pre-revolutionary fortification. Pittsburgh has
become known as "The Steel City" and "The City of Bridges" for its many bridges and because of its long
history as the center of steel manufacturing.
Historically the city became known for its large steel industry, however today the heart of Pittsburgh is
focused on several industries, including healthcare, education, technology, robotics, fashion, and the
financial services sector. After many industrial sites were abandoned, the city began redeveloping the sites
with many new housing complexes, shopping centers, and offices, such as the SouthSide Works. Thanks to
making those strides, Pittsburgh has regained a successful economy after the steel industry began fading in
the 1970’s. As rest of the nation faces a crisis in the subprime mortgage sector, the housing market in
Pittsburgh has remained relatively stable and the city has added jobs in 2008 as the country faces a
recession.
Pittsburgh continually performs well in many rankings. Forbes Magazine ranked the city the 10th cleanest city
in 2007, and in 2008 they listed Pittsburgh as the 13th best city for young professionals to live. Places Rated
Almanac call Pittsburgh "America's Most Livable City", and the city performs well in livability surveys.
What’s In A Name
Pittsburgh was given its name in 1758 by General John Forbes, who named the city after Sir William Pitt, a
British statesman. Incorporated as a borough in 1794, Pittsburgh was officially named with its present spelling
on April 22, 1794, by an act of the Pennsylvania Department and was chartered as a city in 1816.
Although more common in towns and cities in Western Pennsylvania, the use of an “h” at the end of the
“burg” suffix is not a common practice nationwide. During the late 1800’s Pittsburgh was briefly referred to as
"Pittsburg", but the Pittsburgh spelling was officially re-established in 1911 after a campaign brought by the
citizens of the city.
History Of The Steel City
- Although first inhabited by Native Americans, French explorer and trader Sieur de
La Salle was the first European to discover the modern day Pittsburgh area in 1669
by taking an expedition down the Ohio River from Lake Ontario. Subsequent this
discovery, many Europeans traveled through this area at the beginning of the 18th
century.
In 1717, Michael Bezallion described the river forks in a manuscript and European
traders began establishing posts and settlements. In the mid 18th century, in hopes
of uniting French Canada with French Louisiana, French soldiers launched an
expedition of the area that led to the French and Indian War. Eventually, General
John Forbes led a campaign that defeated the French and ordered the creation of
Fort Pitt, named after British Secretary of State William Pitt the Elder, and also
named the settlement “Pittsborough”.
The descendants of William Penn purchased land that includes modern day Pittsburgh in the 1768 Treaty of
Fort Stanwix from the Six Nations. A year later, the land between the Allegheny and Monongahela Rivers was
named the “Manor of Pittsburgh”. Although this land was in dispute between Virginia and Pennsylvania, both
states agreed in 1780 to extend the Mason-Dixon Line westward, putting Pittsburgh in Pennsylvania. In 1784,
the laying out of the "Town of Pittsburgh" was completed by Thos. Viceroy of Bedford County and on March
5th, 1804 it became "Borough of Pittsburgh".
As an early industrial town, Pittsburgh found itself even more significance during the War of 1812 when
supplies were shut off from the British. Pittsburgh began producing large quantities of iron, brass, tin and
glass products, and through an Act on March 18th, 1816, the area became the City of Pittsburgh.
The city’s population continued to climb as many people migrated to Pittsburgh to find work in the
manufacturing industry. By the mid 19th century, Pittsburgh became one of the largest cities west of the
Allegheny Mountain Range. Although a great fire burned over much of the city in 1845, Pittsburgh was rebuilt
and by 1857, Pittsburgh had over 1,000 factories.
As an industrial town, the city’s economy was boosted during the American Civil War as their was a high
demand for manufacturing.
The American Civil War boosted the city's economy with increased production of iron and armaments.
Andrew Carnegie founded J. Edgar Thomson Steel Works in North Braddock, a large steel production that
began by 1875 and eventually evolved into the Carnegie Steel Company. Henry Bessemer, inventor of the
Bessemer Process is credited with much of the achievement of Carnegie Steel.
The beginning of the 20th century saw the formation of the U.S. Steel Corporation and shortly thereafter,
Pittsburgh was producing nearly one half of the nation's total steel. Many immigrants came to Pittsburgh for
work, and the city’s population rose to over one half million. During the Second World War, Pittsburgh
produced 95 million tons of steel. The sheer amount of production created an enormous amount of pollution
from burning coal that created a dense created a black fog over the city.
Following WWII, Pittsburgh began a clean air and civic revitalization phase known as the "Renaissance." This
was followed by "Renaissance II", a project which began in 1977 and focused on development of culture.
Although the industrial base continued to expand through the 1960s, the steel industry in the region began
fading in the 1970’s and massive layoffs and mill closures resulted. The city began shifting it’s base to
healthcare, education, tourism, and technology, and the city has seen a financial turnaround.
Geography
- Encompassing a total area of 58.3 square miles, the city of Pittsburgh
is located on the Allegheny Plateau, where the Allegheny and
Monongahela rivers form the Ohio River. Golden Triangle is the
downtown area of the city between the rivers, while the city limits
extend northeast and houses the Oakland and Shadyside sections,
where the University of Pittsburgh, Carnegie Mellon University,
Carnegie Museum and Library, and many other medical, educational,
sports, and other cultural institutions are located.
of the city, particularly the North Side of Pittsburgh and those areas south of the Bungalow, have extreme
terrain and are steeply sloped.
This terrain is often utilized for various physical activities. The city has some 712 sets of stairs, comprising
44,645 treads and 24,090 vertical feet. Pittsburgh also has many bike and walking trails along its riverfronts
and hollows. Soon, Pittsburgh will be fully connected to downtown Washington, D.C., some 245 miles away,
by a continuous bike and running trails through the Allegheny Mountains and along the Potomac Valley.
Climate
Pittsburgh features a wide variety of weather over the course of the year, and has four very well defined
seasons. The city has an average high temperature of 85 during the peak of Summer in July, and has an
average high temperature in January of 37 degrees Fahrenheit. The winter cold is somewhat less than that
of comparable cities because of Pittsburgh’s relative close location to the Atlantic Ocean and the
mountainous region that blocks some of the cold fronts from the north.
Pittsburgh tends to see more than its share of heavy precipitation and overcast skies because of its position
on the windward side of the Allegheny Mountains. The general location near the East Coast also makes the
city subject to some impact from Nor’easters. The month of May tends to produce the most precipitation in
Pittsburgh, with an average of 4.04 inches, while February has the least on average at 2.47 inches of
precipitation.
The City
The city of Pittsburgh contains 90 distinctive neighborhoods, and can be broken down into five main
sections. There is the downtown area, called the Golden Triangle, and four areas that surround that, the
North Side, South Side, West End, and the East End.
Downtown Pittsburgh features dozens of skyscrapers packed into a small area and is serviced by the Port
Authority's light rail and multiple north/south bridges. In total, there are 9 skyscrapers that top over 500 feet,
including the tallest in the U.S. Steel Tower that is 841 feet high. Along the Allegheny River in downtown is a
14 block Cultural District that features various art venues and theaters along with a growing residential
section with multiple 20-30 story towers. Bordering the Monongahela River and Mon Wharf in downtown is
the Firstside district. This area is mixed with residential and office towers, including the PPG Place Gothic
glass skyscraper complex. Many other institutions are located downtown, including Point Park University, The
Art Institute of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh Culinary Institute, a branch campus for Robert Morris University and
Duquesne University.
The North Side was once Allegheny City, a separate city from Pittsburgh, but has since merged. The North
Side is largely residential with many homes dating back over a century. Several attractions are located on the
North Side, including Heinz Field, PNC Park, National Aviary, Carnegie Science Center, Andy Warhol
Museum, Children's Museum of Pittsburgh, Penn Brewery and Allegheny Observatory.
The South Side, while once a low income housing area for mill workers, is now a vibrant area and an
attractive place for home buyers. The area is packed with shopping centers, many different eateries, and
contains many live music venues and an energetic nightlife. The Urban Redevelopment Authority of
Pittsburgh purchased the South Side Works steel mill property in 1993, and has since turned the location
into a multi-use development that includes a riverfront park, shopping, restaurants, office space, housing,
healthcare facilities, practice fields for the Pittsburgh Steelers and Pitt Panthers, and the world headquarters
for American Eagle Outfitters.
- The East End contains several higher education institutions, including
the University of Pittsburgh, Carnegie Mellon University, Carlow
University, and Chatham University. Other buildings include the
Carnegie Institute's Museums of Art and Natural History, Frick Art &
Historical Center (Clayton and the Frick art museum), Soldiers and
Sailors Memorial Hall, Phipps Conservatory, and the Pittsburgh Zoo
and PPG Aquarium. A number of neighborhoods make up the East
End, from the large and wealthy neighborhoods of Shadyside and
Squirrel Hill to university center of Oakland – from Pittsburgh’s Little
Italy in Bloomfield, to the Strip District where the city’s most vibrant
nightlife exists.
The West End is home to Mt. Washington, where a tremendous view of the Downtown Pittsburgh skyline and
many other residential neighborhoods like Sheraden and Elliott can be seen.
Local Lingo
Commonly referred to as ‘’Pittsburghese’’, the local Pittsburgh English dialect is a result of the great many
immigrants that fled to Pittsburgh for work, including the Scottish-Irish, Welsh, German, Central European
and Eastern European. Although ‘’Pittsburghese’’ is similar to other regional dialects, including Erie, PA and
Baltimore, MD, the dialect is also unique is its somewhat staccato rhythms. Referred to as ‘’Yinzers’’, meaning
‘’you people’’, the locals who speak this dialect use a number of borrowed words from various European
languages, including babushka, pierogi, and halušky. There are so many numerous peculiarities that the
New York Times once described Pittsburgh as "the Galapagos Islands of American dialect".
Demographics
As of the last census take in 2000, the population of Pittsburgh consisted of 334,563 individuals, while there
were 163,739 households and 74,169 families living within the city. At that time, the population of
metropolitan area surrounding the city had 2,658,695 individuals. Racially, the city is composed of 67.63%
White, 27.12% African American, 2.75% Asian, and 1.32% Hispanic of any race. More women than men live
in the city, with there being 1.14 females age 18 and over for every 1 male. As of 2000, the median income
for a household in Pittsburgh was $28,588, with 20.4% of the population living below the poverty line.
Many different ethnic groups make up the population of Pittsburgh. The most prominent within city limits are
German (19.7%), Irish (15.8%), Italian (11.8%), Polish (8.4%), and English (4.6%), while the larger
metropolitan area consists of 22% German, 16% Italian, and 12% Irish heritage. Pittsburgh’s Italian
community is one of the largest in the nation, while other prominent communities include the Ukrainian,
Croatian, Slovak, Slovenian, and Serbian communities.
Crime
For a city of its relative size and it’s higher than average poverty rate, Pittsburgh maintains a lower-than-
average property crime rate, although statistics indicate that the crime rate is slowly rising. Despite lower
property crime rate, the violent crime rate in Pittsburgh is higher than the national average. Compare to the
national average, the murder rate in the city is 2.6 times higher and the overall violent crime rate is nearly
twice the average of the nation.
Economy
The early growth of the Pittsburgh economy was rooted in the extensive trade in steel as the country was
going through a heavy industrial stage. As the steel industry in the region began to fade, then collapse,
Pittsburgh adapted to other industries. Today, the primary industries in the region are in the technological,
healthcare, financial, educational, and tourism sectors.
Pittsburgh maintains the corporate headquarters for seven Fortune 500 companies, and with the eighth-most
Fortune 500 headquarters in the nation it is considered a corporate headquarters city. Expansion Magazine
ranked the city in the top 10 for all metropolitan areas in the nation for climates favorable to business
expansion.
University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, with 26,000 employees is the largest employer in the city, with the
University of Pittsburgh second, with 10,700 employees. Other major employers include Allegheny
Technologies, H.J. Heinz Company, PNC Financial Services, PPG Industries, U.S. Steel, and WESCO
International. Pittsburgh is the Northeast U.S. regional headquarters for Nova Chemicals, FedEx Ground,
Ariba, Rand, and National City. Guru.com, 84 Lumber, Giant Eagle, Highmark, Rue 21, and GENCO are all
large non-public companies with headquarters in the Pittsburgh region. Other companies based in there
include General Nutrition Center and CNX Gas, a subsidiary of Consol Energy.
The Pittsburgh Life
Throughout the 1800’s and 1900’s, many well off businessmen and non-profit organizations gave large
donations to educational and cultural institutions in Pittsburgh, leading to a rich and unique art and cultural
life.
There are two major professional music venues, the Heinz Hall where the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra
performs, and the Benedum Center which houses the Pittsburgh Opera, although both venues provide a
location for other musical groups.
Pittsburgh has traditions in a wide variety of music, from a long history jazz, blues and bluegrass music to its
current large indie and punk rock scene. Additionally the first all African-American opera company in the
United States, the National Negro Opera Company, was founded in Pittsburgh and led the way to the
prominence of African-American singers, such as Leontyne Price, in the world of opera. In addition to its
history in music, Pittsburgh is also home to many theaters, including the Pittsburgh Playhouse of Point Park
University, which has four resident companies of professional actors.
A variety of dance events are hosted by the Pittsburgh Dance Council and the Pittsburgh Ballet Theater.
Pittsburgh has a long history of polka, folk, square and round dancing which are celebrated by the Duquesne
University Tamburitzans, a multi-cultural academy which aims to preserve folk songs and dance in the region.
Pittsburgh is also home to many famous museums. These include the Andy Warhol Museum, the Carnegie
Museum of Art, the Frick Art & Historical Center and the Mattress Factory. The Carnegie Museum of Natural
History has an extensive collection of dinosaur remains and an Ancient Egypt wing. The Carnegie Science
Center chiefly focuses on science and technology. Located in the Strip District is the Senator John Heinz
Pittsburgh Regional History Center and Western Pennsylvania Sports Museum. In the downtown area’s
cultural district is the Gallery Crawl that is held four times a year and the yearly Three Rivers Arts Fesival. Six
miles from downtown Pittsburgh is the unique Bayernhof Music Museum.
Pittsburgh Sports
- Pittsburgh has a long history and tradition in professional sports. All
major sports teams in Pittsburgh share the same two colors, black and
gold, and is the only city to do so. The color scheme is also used by
the city’s police department and much of the city is decked out in the
same two colors.
- The current Major League Baseball team in Pittsburgh is the
Pittsburgh Pirates, who play at the one of the leagues’ nicest stadiums,
PNC Park. The Pirates play in the Central Division of the National
League and are four time World Champions, with their last World
Series victory coming in 1979 over the Baltimore Orioles. Previous
teams in Pittsburgh include the Pittsburgh Crawfords and the
Homestead Grays of the Negro League, who are credited with 14 world
titles and produced 11 Hall of Famers.
Although there is no current NBA team in Pittsburgh, basketball has played a pivotal role in the sports history
of the city. Past professional teams are the Pittsburgh Pipers, Pittsburgh Condors, Pittsburgh Rens,
Pittsburgh Hard Hats, Pittsburgh Piranhas and the Pittsburgh Pit Bulls. Pittsburgh has seen basketball
success at the college level with the University of Pittsburgh Panthers who have made 7 straight NCAA
tournament trips as of 2009. The Panthers play at the Peterson Events Center which has been sold out
every season since its opening.
Although many sports are popular in Pittsburgh, none is more popular than football at every level. High
school games in the region are regularly attended by over 10,000 fans, college football fans root on the local
Pittsburgh Panthers, while the professional team is the Pittsburgh Steelers of the NFL, who have both a large
local and national following. Since being founded in 1933, the Steelers have been owned by the Rooney
family and have won 5 Super Bowls, including 4 in the 1970’s behind their defense nicknamed the ‘’Steel
Curtain’’.
The professional hockey team in Pittsburgh is the Pittsburgh Penguins of the National Hockey League. The
Penguins have won three Eastern Conference championships three times, 1991, 1992, and 2008, and
Stanley Cup twice, in 1991 and 1992. The Penguins are owned by former player Mario Lemieux, who played
for the team from 1984 to 2006. They play at the Mellon Arena, which will be replaced by the Consol Energy
Center beginning with the 2010-2011 NHL season.
Pittsburgh Authors
A graduate of Chatham College – which has since become Chatham University – Rachel Carson is Pittsburgh’
s most famous author. She was a marine biologist born in the Pittsburgh suburb of Springdale who turned
into a nature writer and whose writings are credited by many for helping bring forth the environmental
movement. She had three best selling books in the 1950’s which gained her fame, including The Sea Around
Us, The Edge of the Sea, and Under the Sea Wind. For her work in environmental conservatism, she
posthumously was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
Other notable writers from Pittsburgh include Pulitzer Prize winners August Wilson, David McCullough, and
Annie Dillard. University of Pittsburgh alumni Chris Kuzneski is a New York Times bestselling American author
who often mentions Pittsburgh in his books.
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Population History
- 1810 4,768
1820 7,248
1830 12,568
1840 21,115
1850 46,601
1860 49,221
1870 86,076
1880 156,389
1890 238,617
1900 321,616
1910 533,905
1920 588,343
1930 669,817
1940 671,659
1950 676,806
1960 604,332
1970 520,117
1980 423,938
1990 369,879
2000 334,563
Pittsburgh
Championships
Championships
1909 MLB Pirates
1925 MLB Pirates
1960 MLB Pirates
1971 MLB Pirates
1974 NFL Steelers
1975 NFL Steelers
1978 NFL Steelers
1979 NFL Steelers
1979 MLB Pirates
1991 NHL Penguins
1992 NHL Penguins
2005 NFL Steelers
Pittsburgh Attractions
- A.J. Palumbo Center
- Andy Warhol Museum
- Carnegie Museums
of Pittsburgh - Carnegie Science
Center - Cathedral of Learning
- Children's Museum
of Pittsburgh - Church of the
Immaculate Heart of
Mary in Pittsburgh - Duquesne Incline
- Monongahela Incline
- Fort Duquesne
- Fort Pitt
- Frick Art & Historical
Center - Frick Park
- Gateway Clipper
- Great Allegheny
Passage - Heinz History Center
- Heinz Field
- Majestic Star Casino
- Mattress Factory
- Mellon Arena
- National Aviary
- Petersen Events
Center - Pittsburgh Zoo &
PPG Aquarium - PNC Park
- Point State Park
- PPG Place
- Primanti Bros.
- Kennywood
Amusement Park - Sandcastle
- Southside Works
- Station Square
- The South Side
- The Strip District
- The Waterfront
- U.S. Steel Tower
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