The French and British vied to control "the Point" where the three rivers meet. Constructed here were Fort Prince George (British, 1754), Fort Duquesne (French, 1754 - 1758), and Fort Pitt (British; 1759 - 1792).
The Battle of Fort Duquesne takes place on September 1758. In November 25, British take Fort Duquesne, rename it "Pittsburg". It incorporated as a city in 1816. General John Forbes is credited for naming Pittsburgh after William Pitt, a British statesman.
The original site for the city was chosen in 1753 by George Washington, who noted that this location at the fork in the Ohio River was "extremely well situated for a Fort, as it has the absolute Command of both Rivers." The presence of these rivers and the steep, coal-laden hills that surround them played a major role in the early growth of Pittsburgh.
Its boundaries grew numerous times through annexations of surrounding land, with the last annexation occurring in 1955.
The Civil War (1860s) boosted the city's economy with increased iron and armament demand. With his introduction of the Bessemer steel making process, Scottish immigrant Andrew Carnegie, completed his rise from obscurity to become the richest man in the world. Carnegie began steel production in 1875.
Pittsburgh is home to a number of advanced industries that are comprised of companies of all sizes, ranging from startups to global headquarters. Firms like PNC, UPMC, Google, Uber, Alcoa, Bayer, Allegheny Technologies, Duolingo, and hundreds of others are investing in technology and leveraging the city’s innovation capacity.
Pittsburgh in Pennsylvania
