PITTSBURGH

city, seat (1788) of Allegheny county, southwestern Pennsylvania, U.S. The city is located at the confluence of the Allegheny and Monongahela rivers, which unite at the point of the Golden Triangle (the business district) to form the Ohio River. A city of hills, parks, and valleys, it is the centre of an urban industrial complex that includes the surrounding cities of Aliquippa, McKeesport, New Kensington, and Washington and the borough of Wilkinsburg. The conflict between the British and French over territorial claims in the area was settled in 1758, when General John Forbes and his British and colonial army expelled the French from Fort Duquesne (built 1754). Forbes named the site for the British statesman William Pitt the Elder. To ensure their dominance at the source of the Ohio, the British built Fort Pitt (1761). After the defeat of Pontiac's Indian forces (1763), a later agreement with Indian tribes by the Penn family, and the end of a boundary dispute between Pennsylvania and Virginia, settlers began arriving. Pittsburgh was laid out (1764) by John Campbell in the area around the fort (now the Golden Triangle). Following the American Revolution, the town became an outfitting point for settlers traveling westward down the Ohio River. 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 about 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 labour and management, and the American Federation of Labor was born there in 1881. By 1900 the city's population had reached 321,616. Growth continued nearly unabated through World War II, the war years bringing a particularly great boon for the economy. The population crested at more than 675,000 in 1950, after which it steadily declined; by the end of the century, it had returned almost to the 1900 level. During the period of economic and population growth, Pittsburgh came to epitomize the grimy, polluted industrial city. After the war, however, the city undertook an extensive redevelopment program with emphasis on smoke-pollution control, flood prevention, and sewage disposal. In 1957 it became the first American city to generate electricity by nuclear power. By the late 1970s and early '80s, the steel industry had virtually disappeareda result of foreign competition and decreased demand. Many of the surrounding mill towns were laid waste by unemployment. Pittsburgh, however, successfully diversified its economy through more emphasis on light industriesthough metalworking, chemicals, and plastics remained importantand on such high-technology industries as computer software, industrial automation (robotics), and biomedical and environmental technologies. Numerous industrial research laboratories were established in the area, and the services sector became increasingly important. Pittsburgh long has been one of the nation's largest inland ports, and it remains a leading transportation centre. Much of the Golden Triangle has been rebuilt and includes the Civic Arena, Point State Park (containing Fort Pitt Blockhouse and Fort Pitt Museum), and the Gateway Center (site of several skyscrapers and a garden). The University of Pittsburgh was chartered in 1787. Other educational institutions include Carnegie Mellon (1900) and Duquesne (1878) universities, Chatham (1869), Carlow (1929), and Point Park (1960) colleges, and two campuses of the Community College of Allegheny County (1966). Central to the city's cultural life is the Carnegie Museums of Pittsburgh (formerly Carnegie Institute), an umbrella organization consisting of a number of institutions. Its museums include those for the fine arts and natural history (both founded in 1895); the Carnegie Science Center (1991), which now also houses the Henry Buhl, Jr., Planetarium and Observatory (1939); and the Andy Warhol Museum, exhibiting works of the artist and filmmaker, a Pittsburgh native. Other institutions in the organization are the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh, containing more than 3.3 million volumes, and the Carnegie Music Hall. The Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra performs at Heinz Hall, a restored movie theatre. Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens (1893) is noted for its extensive greenhouses, covering 2.5 acres (1 hectare). Three Rivers Stadium is the home of two professional sports teams, the Pittsburgh Pirates (baseball) and Steelers (American football), and the Civic Arena hosts the Penguins (professional hockey). Inc. borough, 1794; city, 1816. Pop. (1990) city, 369,879; Pittsburgh MSA, 2,394,811; (1998 est.) city, 340,520; (1996 est.) Pittsburgh MSA, 2,379,411.