Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh (/ˈpɪtsbɜːrɡ/ PITS-burg) is a city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Allegheny County. It is the second-most populous city in Pennsylvania after Philadelphia and the 68th-most populous city in the U.S., with a population of 302,971 as of the 2020 census. The city anchors the Pittsburgh metropolitan area of Western Pennsylvania. Its population of 2.457 million is the largest in both the Ohio Valley and Appalachia, the second-largest in Pennsylvania, the 7th-largest in the Mid-Atlantic region and the 26th-largest in the U.S. Pittsburgh is the principal city of the greater Pittsburgh–Weirton–Steubenville combined statistical area which includes parts of Ohio and West Virginia.
This article is about the city in Pennsylvania. For the region, see Greater Pittsburgh. For other uses, see Pittsburgh (disambiguation).
Pittsburgh
United States
November 27, 1758 (fort)
- April 22, 1794 (borough)
- March 18, 1816 (city)
- Brigadier General George Washington
- Brigadier General John Forbes
- Bobby Wilson
- Theresa Kail-Smith
- Robert Charland III
- Anthony Coghill
- Barbara Greenwood Warwick
- Daniel Lavelle (President)
- Deborah Gross
- Erika Strassburger
- Khari Mosley
58.35 sq mi (151.12 km2)
55.38 sq mi (143.42 km2)
2.97 sq mi (7.70 km2)
1,370 ft (420 m)
710 ft (220 m)
302,971
5,471.26/sq mi (2,112.47/km2)
1,745,039 (US: 30th)
1,924.7/sq mi (743.1/km2)
2,457,000 (US: 26th)
Pittsburgher, Yinzer
$153.3 billion (2022)
- 15122, 15201-15244, 15250-15255, 15257-15262, 15264-15265, 15267-15268, 15270, 15272, 15274-15279, 15281-15283, 15286, 15289-15290, 15295
42-61000
1213644
1946[6]
Pittsburgh is located in southwest Pennsylvania at the confluence of the Allegheny River and the Monongahela River, which combine to form the Ohio River.[7] It developed as a vital link of the Atlantic coast and Midwest, as the mineral-rich Allegheny Mountains led to the region being contested by the French and British Empires, Virginians, Whiskey Rebels, and Civil War raiders.[8] Pittsburgh is known both as "the Steel City" for its dominant role in the history of the U.S. steel industry, and as the "City of Bridges" for its 446 bridges.[9] For part of the 20th century, Pittsburgh was behind only New York City and Chicago in corporate headquarters employment; it had the most U.S. stockholders per capita.[10] Starting in the post-war era, Pittsburgh leaders began to strategically divest in manufacturing and invest instead in education, science, technology, health care, and art.[11] This led to deindustrialization in the 1970s and 1980s, resulting in massive layoffs among blue-collar workers as steel and other heavy industries declined, and thousands of downtown white-collar workers also losing jobs when several Pittsburgh-based companies moved out.[12]
After 1990, Pittsburgh has focused its energies on the healthcare, education, and technology industries.[13] Pittsburgh is home to large medical providers, including the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Allegheny Health Network, and 68 colleges and universities, including research and development leaders Carnegie Mellon University and the University of Pittsburgh.[14] The area has served as the federal agency headquarters for cyber defense, software engineering, robotics, energy research, and the nuclear navy.[15] In the private sector, Pittsburgh-based PNC is the nation's fifth-largest bank, and the city is home to eight Fortune 500 companies and seven of the largest 300 U.S. law firms. RAND Corporation, BNY Mellon, Nova, FedEx, Bayer, and the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health have regional headquarters and offices that helped Pittsburgh become the sixth-best area for U.S. job growth.[16] Furthermore, the region is a hub for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design and energy extraction.[17]
Pittsburgh's rich industrial history left the area with renowned cultural institutions, including the Carnegie Museums of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy, Pittsburgh Zoo & Aquarium, Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens, the National Aviary, and a diverse cultural district.[18] The city's major league professional sports teams include the Pittsburgh Steelers, Pittsburgh Penguins, and Pittsburgh Pirates. Pittsburgh is additionally where Jehovah's Witnesses traces its earliest origins, and was the host of the 2009 G20 Pittsburgh summit.
Etymology[edit]
Pittsburgh was named in 1758, by General John Forbes, in honor of British statesman William Pitt, 1st Earl of Chatham. As Forbes was a Scotsman, he probably pronounced the name /ˈpɪtsbərə/ PITS-bər-ə (similar to Edinburgh).[19][20]
Pittsburgh was incorporated as a borough on April 22, 1794, with the following Act:[21]
"Be it enacted by the Pennsylvania State Senate and Pennsylvania House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania ... by the authority of the same, that the said town of Pittsburgh shall be ... erected into a borough, which shall be called the borough of Pittsburgh for ever."[22]
From 1891 to 1911, the city's name was federally recognized as "Pittsburg", though use of the final h was retained during this period by the city government and other local organizations.[23][19] After a public campaign, the federal decision to drop the h was reversed.[19] The Pittsburg Press continued spelling the city without an h until 1921.[24]