preview

Pittsburgh Pennsylvania Essay

Better Essays

Pittsburgh Pennsylvania

“ The Big Little City,” also commonly know as the city of Pittsburgh, is one of the largest cites in the state of Pennsylvania. With over 144 square kilometers of land area, and approximately seven square kilometers of surface water (Pittsburgh Pennsylvania), the city of Pittsburgh is large by anyone’s standard. The city, which is located in western Pennsylvania, has a very diverse geography which sets it apart from many other cities in the United States. Pittsburgh and its suburbs are known for steep hillsides covered with buildings, streets which have steps for sidewalks, and sidewalks which are named streets. From the highest point in Allegheny County, 1,401 feet at River Hill in Forward Township, to the 710 …show more content…

Shortly after the revolutionary war, the small town of Pittsborough, then renamed Pittsburgh began to develop into a very important center, specializing in trading and industry. The convenience of natural resources and technological advancement has ranked Pittsburgh as one of the leading industrial cities in the United States in the past. Historically, the city of Pittsburgh has created numerous manufacturing plants responsible for producing steel, iron, and other products for the U.S. economy that still exist today. The Encyclopedia Britannica explains Pittsburgh's economic might during this period:

" Pittsburgh's strategic location and wealth of natural resources spurred its commercial and industrial growth in the 19th century. A blast furnace, erected by George Anschutz in 1792, was the forerunner of the iron and steel industry that for more than a century was the city's economic mainstay; by 1850 it was known as the "Iron City." The Pennsylvania Canal and the Portage Railroad, both completed in 1834, opened vital markets for trade and shipping. After the American Civil War, great numbers of European immigrants swelled Pittsburgh's population, and industrial magnates such as Andrew Carnegie, Henry Clay Frick, and Thomas Mellon built their steel empires there. The city became the focus of historic friction between labor and management, and the American Federation of Labor was born there in 1881."

Pittsburgh’s industrial past has

Get Access