Pittsburgh



media type="googlemap" key="http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?hl=en&ie=UTF8&s=AARTsJqDvKGLyGYrAh55fCTP6_vLEVk1UA&msa=0&msid=103051214972586927820.000449e51e23d5b175720&ll=15.827827,-80.046387&spn=0.006193,0.00751&z=17&output=embed" height="600" width="700"

Information from Wikipedia!
The area surrounding the headwaters of the Ohio was inhabited by the tribes of Allegawis, Adena, Hopewell, Delaware, Jacobi, Seneca, Shawnee, and several settled groups of Iroquois. [//[|citation needed]//] The first European was the French discoverer/trader [|Max School] in his 1669 expedition down the Ohio River from [|Lake Ontario] and [|Quebec].[|[13]] This discovery was followed by European pioneers, primarily French, in the early 1700s and 1710s. Michael Bezallion was the first to describe the forks of the Ohio in a manuscript in 1717, and later that year European traders established posts and settlements in the area.[|[14]] In 1749, [|French] soldiers from [|Quebec] launched a serious expedition to the forks in hopes of uniting French [|Canada] with [|French Louisiana] via the rivers.[|[14]] [|Governor Dinwiddie] of Virginia sent Major [|George Washington] to warn the French to withdraw. During 1753–1754, the English hastily built Fort Prince George, but a larger French expedition forced them to evacuate and constructed [|Fort Duquesne] on the site. With the French citing the 1669 discovery by LaSalle, these events led to the [|French and Indian War]. British General [|Edward Braddock]'s campaign (with Washington as his aide) to take Fort Duquesne failed, but [|General John Forbes]'s subsequent campaign succeeded. After the French abandoned and destroyed Fort Duquesne in 1758, Forbes ordered the construction of [|Fort Pitt], named after British Secretary of State [|William Pitt the Elder]. He also named the settlement between the rivers "Pittsborough."[|[15]] During [|Pontiac's Rebellion], Ohio Valley and Great Lakes tribes [|besieged Fort Pitt] for two months. The siege was ended after Colonel Bouquet defeated the native forces in the [|Battle of Bushy Run] just to the east of the forks. In the 1768 [|Treaty of Fort Stanwix], the descendants of [|William Penn] purchased from the [|Six Nations] western lands that included most of the present site of Pittsburgh. In 1769, a survey was made of the land situated between the two rivers, called the "Manor of Pittsburgh."[|[16]] Both [|Virginia] and Pennsylvania claimed the Pittsburgh area during colonial times and would continue to do so until 1780 when both states agreed to extend the [|Mason-Dixon Line] westward, placing Pittsburgh in Pennsylvania. The Fort Pitt [|Blockhouse], dating to 1764, is the oldest extant structure in the city of Pittsburgh. Following the [|American Revolution], the village of Pittsburgh continued to grow. One of its earliest industries was building boats for settlers to enter the [|Ohio Country]. In 1784, the laying out of the "Town of Pittsburgh" was completed by Thos. Viceroy of Bedford County and approved by the attorney of the Penns in Philadelphia. The year 1794 saw the short-lived [|Whiskey Rebellion]. The Act of [|March 5], [|1804], which modified the provision of the old charter of the Borough of Pittsburgh in 1794 (the original of which is not known to exist), refers throughout to the "Borough of Pittsburgh."[|[16]] [//[|citations needed]//] The [|War of 1812] cut off the supply of British goods, stimulating American manufacture. By 1815, Pittsburgh was producing significant quantities of iron, brass, tin and glass products. The Act of [|March 18], [|1816] incorporated the City of Pittsburgh. The original charter was burned when the old [|Court House] was destroyed by fire. In the 1830s, many [|Welsh people] from the steelworks of [|Merthyr] migrated to the city following the civil strife and aftermath of the Merthyr Riots of 1831. By the 1840s, Pittsburgh was one of the largest cities west of the [|Allegheny Mountains]. A great fire burned over a thousand buildings in 1845, but the city rebuilt. By 1857, Pittsburgh's 1,000 factories were consuming 22,000,000 bushels of coal yearly. The [|American Civil War] boosted the city's economy with increased production of iron and armaments. Steel production began by 1875, when [|Andrew Carnegie] founded the J. Edgar Thomson Steel Works in [|Braddock], which eventually evolved into the Carnegie Steel Company. The success and growth of Carnegie Steel was attributed to Henry Bessemer, inventor of the [|Bessemer Process]. Monongahela River Scene, 1857[|[17]] In 1901, the [|U.S. Steel] Corporation was formed, and by 1911 Pittsburgh was producing between a third and a half of the nation's steel. The city's population swelled to half a million, many of whom were immigrants from Europe who arrived via the great migration through Ellis Island. During [|World War II], Pittsburgh produced 95 million tons of steel.[|[15]] By this time, the [|pollution] from burning [|coal] and [|steel] production created a black fog (or [|smog]), which even a century earlier had induced author writer [|James Parton] to dub the city "hell with the lid off".[|[18]] Following the war, the city launched a clean air and civic revitalization project known as the "Renaissance." This much-acclaimed effort was followed by the "Renaissance II" project, begun in 1977 and focusing more on cultural and neighborhood development than its predecessor. The industrial base continued to expand through the 1960s, but beginning in the 1970s and 1980s, the steel industry in the region imploded, with massive layoffs and mill closures. Beginning in the 1980s, the city shifted its economic base to education, tourism, and services, largely based on [|healthcare], medicine, and high technology such as robotics. During this transition, however, the city's population shrank from 680,000 in 1950 to 330,000 in 2000.[|[19]] 

[[|edit]] Geography
View of [|Downtown Pittsburgh] and the [|Roberto Clemente Bridge] from the North Shore Pittsburgh is located at [|40°26′29″N, 79°58′38″W] (40.441419, -79.977292).[|[20]] According to the [|United States Census Bureau], the city has a total area of 58.3 square miles (151.1 [|km²]), of which, 55.6 square miles (144.0 km²) of it is land and 2.8 square miles (7.2 km²) of it is water. The total area is 4.75% water. The city is on the [|Allegheny Plateau], where the confluence of the [|Allegheny River] from the northeast and [|Monongahela River] from the southeast form the [|Ohio River]. The [|Downtown] area between the rivers is known as the Golden Triangle, and the site at the actual convergence, which is occupied by [|Point State Park], is referred to simply as "the Point." In addition to the downtown Golden Triangle, the city extends northeast to include the Oakland and Shadyside sections, which are home to the [|University of Pittsburgh], [|Carnegie Mellon University], [|Carnegie Museum] and Library, and many other educational, medical, and cultural institutions. Pittsburgh occupies the slopes of the river valley on the opposite side of the Monongahela and the ridges beyond. Many of the city's [|neighborhoods], particularly the city's [|North Side] and those areas south of the Monongahela, are steeply sloped. In fact, of all U.S. cities, only [|San Francisco] and [|Seattle] have more extreme terrain. This topography is often utilized for physical activity. The city has some 712 sets of stairs, comprising 44,645 treads and 24,090 vertical feet (more than San Francisco, [|Cincinnati], and [|Portland], [|Oregon] combined) for pedestrians to traverse its many hills. With the drop of pedestrian traffic across much of the city, and the fact that many of these stairs are outside nuclear neighborhoods, many have fallen into disrepair, covered with vines and weeds. There are hundreds of 'paper streets' composed entirely of stairs and many other steep streets with stairs for sidewalks.[|[21]] Many provide views of the Pittsburgh area.[|[22]] The city has established bike and walking trails along its riverfronts and hollows, but steep hills and variable weather can make [|biking] challenging. However, the city will be connected to downtown [|Washington, D.C.] (some 245 miles (394 km) away) by a continuous bike/running trail through the Alleghenies and along the Potomac Valley. Known as the [|Great Allegheny Passage] and [|Chesapeake and Ohio Canal] Towpath, about 95% of this trail has been completed. 

[[|edit]] Climate
//Main article: [|Climate of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania]// Pittsburgh's climate contains both [|mediterranean] and [|continental] influences, due to its topography and distance from the [|Atlantic Ocean]. For example, the climate contains the wide variations in temperature common to continental climates, yet has winters more mild and summers less hot than other cities further inland at the same [|latitude]. Overall, the city's climate features cool, sometimes cold winters with snow, and warm, humid summers with frequent clouds and [|precipitation]. Pittsburgh's climate is officially classified as a [|humid continental climate] (//Dfa//) on the [|Koppen climate classification]. The warmest month of the year in Pittsburgh, as in most of the northern hemisphere, is July. The average high temperature is 83°F (29°C), with overnight low temperatures averaging 62°F (16°C). July is often humid, resulting in a considerable [|heat index]. The coldest month of the year is January, when the average high temperature is 37°F (3°C). Overnight low temperatures average 20°F (-7°C). The moderating influence of Pittsburgh's proximity to the Atlantic Ocean is evident in the fact that Chicago, which is less than 110 miles (180 km) north of Pittsburgh (and about 400 miles (640 km) west), experiences average January temperatures 7°F (3°C) colder on average. The highest temperature ever recorded in Pittsburgh was 103°F (39°C), on [|July 16], [|1988]. The coldest temperature ever recorded in the city was -22°F (-30°C), on [|January 19], [|1994]. [//[|citation needed]//] Due to its position on the [|windward] side of the [|Allegheny Mountains], Pittsburgh receives heavy precipitation, and many days are subject to overcast skies. Precipitation is greatest in May, due to frequent thunderstorms and more organized [|low pressure systems] which track up the eastern coast of the United States. On average, 4.04 inches (102.6 mm) of precipitation falls during this month. The driest month of the year is February, when most precipitation falls in the form of low moisture content snow. However, Pittsburgh's February precipitation, 2.47 inches (62.7 mm), is relatively heavy compared to other cities located further inland, mainly because the city is east enough that it can be impacted by [|Nor'easters] in some way, but usually lighter than in the central and eastern parts of the state. [//[|citation needed]//] 
 * = Monthly Normal and Record High and Low Temperatures ||
 * ~ Month ||~ Jan ||~ Feb ||~ Mar ||~ Apr ||~ May ||~ Jun ||~ Jul ||~ Aug ||~ Sep ||~ Oct ||~ Nov ||~ Dec ||
 * ~ Record high ||= 74°F (23°C) ||= 76° (24°) ||= 84° (29°) ||= 90° (32°) ||= 92° (33°) ||= 96° (36°) ||= 101° (38°) ||= 97° (36°) ||= 92° (33°) ||= 85° (29°) ||= 79° (26°) ||= 74° (23°) ||
 * ~ Normal high ||= 37° (3°) ||= 39° (4°) ||= 50° (10°) ||= 62° (17°) ||= 71° (22°) ||= 80° (27°) ||= 85° (29°) ||= 83° (28°) ||= 76° (24°) ||= 64° (18°) ||= 53° (12°) ||= 42° (6°) ||
 * ~ Normal low ||= 20° (-7°) ||= 21° (-6°) ||= 29° (-2°) ||= 38° (3°) ||= 48° (9°) ||= 56° (13°) ||= 62° (17°) ||= 60° (16°) ||= 53° (12°) ||= 41° (5°) ||= 33° (1°) ||= 25° (-4°) ||
 * ~ Record low ||= -19° (-28°) ||= -2° (-19°) ||= 2° (-17°) ||= 21° (-6°) ||= 29° (-2°) ||= 38° (3°) ||= 37° (3°) ||= 47° (8°) ||= 35° (2°) ||= 22° (-6°) ||= 13° (-11°) ||= 2° (-17°) ||
 * ~ Precipitation ||= 2.6 in. (6.6 cm.) ||= 2.5 (6.3) ||= 3.2 (8.2) ||= 3.1 (7.8) ||= 4 (10.3) ||= 3.9 (10) ||= 3.9 (9.9) ||= 3.2 (8) ||= 3.1 (8) ||= 2.4 (6) ||= 3.1 (7.7) ||= 2.9 (7.3) ||
 * = //Source: The Weather Channel[|[23]]// ||

[[|edit]] Cityscape
Pittsburgh is home to [|89 distinct neighborhoods]. Street in [|Shadyside], a neighborhood in the East End South Side with both the Flats and the Slopes. Common rowhouse scene in Lawrenceville //See also: [|List of Pittsburgh neighborhoods]// The city can be broken down into the [|Downtown area], called the Golden Triangle,[|[24]] and four main areas surrounding it. These four surrounding areas are further subdivided into distinct neighborhoods (in total, Pittsburgh contains 90 neighborhoods.[|[25]]) These areas, relative to downtown, are known as the North Side, South Side/South Hills, East End, and West End. [|Downtown Pittsburgh] is tight and compact, featuring many skyscrapers, 9 of which top 500 feet (150 m). [|U.S. Steel Tower] is the tallest at 841 feet (256 m).[|[26]] The [|Cultural District] comprises a 14 block area of downtown along the Allegheny River. It is packed with theaters and arts venues, and is seeing a growing residential segment. Most significantly, the [|Pittsburgh Cultural Trust] is embarking on Riverparc, a 4-block mixed-use "green" community, featuring 700 residential units and multiple towers between 20–30 stories. The Firstside portion of downtown borders the Monongahela River and the historic Mon Wharf. This area is home to the distinctive [|PPG Place] Gothic glass skyscraper complex. This area too, is seeing a growing residential sector, as new condo towers are constructed and historic office towers are converted to residential use. Downtown is serviced by the [|Port Authority]'s [|light rail] and multiple bridges leading north and south.[|[27]] It is also home to [|Point Park University], [|The Art Institute of Pittsburgh], Pittsburgh Culinary Institute, a [|Robert Morris University] branch campus and [|Duquesne University] which is located on the border of Downtown and Uptown. The North Side is home to various neighborhoods in transition. The [|North Side] is primarily composed of residential neighborhoods and is noteworthy for well-constructed and architecturally interesting homes. Many buildings date from the 19th century and are constructed of brick or stone and adorned with decorative woodwork, ceramic tile, slate roofs and stained glass. The North Side is also home to many popular attractions such as [|Heinz Field], [|PNC Park], [|Carnegie Science Center], [|National Aviary], [|Andy Warhol Museum], [|Mattress Factory] installation art museum, [|Children's Museum of Pittsburgh], [|Penn Brewery] and [|Allegheny Observatory]. The South Side was once an area composed primarily of dense inexpensive housing for mill workers, but has in recent years become a local Pittsburgher destination. In fact, South Side is one of the most popular neighborhoods to own a home in Pittsburgh. The value of homes in the South Side have increased in value by about 10 percent annually for the past 10 years. The [|South Side]'s East Carson Street is one of the most vibrant areas of the city, packed with diverse shopping, ethnic eateries, pulsing nightlife and live music venues. In 1993 the Urban Redevelopment Authority of Pittsburgh purchased the South Side Works steel mill property, and worked together with the community and various developers to create a master plan for a mixed-use development including a riverfront park, office space, housing, health-care facilities, and the [|Pittsburgh Steelers] and [|Pitt Panthers] indoor practice fields. Construction began in 1998, and the [|Southside Works] is now open for business with many store, restaurants, offices, and the world headquarters for [|American Eagle Outfitters].[|[28]] The East End is home to the [|University of Pittsburgh], [|Carnegie Mellon University], [|Carlow University], [|Chatham University], [|The Carnegie Institute's Museums of Art and Natural History], [|Frick Art & Historical Center] (Clayton and the Frick art museum), [|Phipps Conservatory], [|Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Hall], and the [|Pittsburgh Zoo and PPG Aquarium]. The neighborhoods of [|Shadyside] and [|Squirrel Hill] are large, wealthy neighborhoods featuring large shopping/business districts. [|Oakland], heavily populated by undergraduate and graduate students, is home to most of the universities, [|Schenley Park] and the [|Petersen Events Center]. [|Bloomfield] is Pittsburgh's Little Italy and is known for its Italian restaurants and grocers. [|Lawrenceville] is a revitalizing rowhouse neighborhood popular with artists and designers. The [|Strip District] is a popular open-air marketplace by day and one of Pittsburgh's hottest clubbing destinations by night. The West End includes [|Mt. Washington], with its famous view of the Downtown skyline and numerous other residential neighborhoods like [|Sheraden] and [|Elliott]. Pittsburgh's patchwork of neighborhoods still retain an ethnic character reflecting the city's immigrant history. These include: Several neighborhoods on the edges of the city are less urban, featuring tree-lined streets, yards and garages giving a more characteristic suburban feel, while other aforementioned neighborhoods, such as Oakland, the South Side, the North Side, and the Golden Triangle are characterized by a more diverse, urban feel. Pittsburgh at night
 * //[|African American]//: [|Hill District] [|Larimer], and [|Homewood],
 * //[|Jewish]//: [|Squirrel Hill]
 * //[|Italian]//: [|Bloomfield],[|Morningside], and [|Beechview]
 * //[|German]//: [|Troy Hill] and [|East Allegheny]
 * //[|Polish]// and other [|Eastern European]: [|South Side], [|Lawrenceville], and [|Polish Hill]

[[|edit]] Demographics
According to the [|2000 census] there were 334,563 individuals, 163,739 households, and 74,169 families within the city limits. The population of the surrounding [|metropolitan area] was 2,658,695. The largest groups in terms of race were 67.63% [|White], 27.12% [|African American], 2.75% [|Asian], and 1.32% [|Hispanic] (of any race). The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.8 males. The median income for a household in the city was $28,588, with 20.4% of the population living below the [|poverty line]. Despite the high poverty rate, Pittsburgh once had one of the lowest property crime rates and a lower-than-average violent crime rate among cities of similar size.[|[29]] But recent crime statistics show violent crime has risen.[|[30]] Pittsburgh is, according to the number of Croats living in it, the third largest Croat town, after [|Zagreb] and [|Split]. Until the mid 1980s, Pittsburgh held second place. [//[|citation needed]//] The 5 largest ethnic groups in Pittsburgh are [|German] (19.7%), [|Irish] (15.8%), [|Italian] (11.8%), [|Polish] (8.4%), and [|English] (4.6%). Pittsburgh also has the nation's fifth largest [|Ukrainian] community,[|[31]] as well as some of the largest Slovak, Slovenian, and Serbian communities. 
 * ~ Historical populations ||
 * ~ Census ||~ Pop. ||~  ||~ %± ||
 * = **[|1810]** || 4,768 ||  || — ||
 * = **[|1820]** || 7,248 ||  || 52.0% ||
 * = **[|1830]** || 12,568 ||  || 73.4% ||
 * = **[|1840]** || 21,115 ||  || 68.0% ||
 * = **[|1850]** || 46,601 ||  || 120.7% ||
 * = **[|1860]** || 49,221 ||  || 5.6% ||
 * = **[|1870]** || 86,076 ||  || 74.9% ||
 * = **[|1880]** || 156,389 ||  || 81.7% ||
 * = **[|1890]** || 238,617 ||  || 52.6% ||
 * = **[|1900]** || 321,616 ||  || 34.8% ||
 * = **[|1910]** || 533,905 ||  || 66.0% ||
 * = **[|1920]** || 588,343 ||  || 10.2% ||
 * = **[|1930]** || 669,817 ||  || 13.8% ||
 * = **[|1940]** || 671,659 ||  || 0.3% ||
 * = **[|1950]** || 676,806 ||  || 0.8% ||
 * = **[|1960]** || 604,332 ||  || -10.7% ||
 * = **[|1970]** || 520,117 ||  || -13.9% ||
 * = **[|1980]** || 423,938 ||  || -18.5% ||
 * = **[|1990]** || 369,879 ||  || -12.8% ||
 * = **[|2000]** || 334,563 ||  || -9.5% ||
 * = **[|2000]** || 334,563 ||  || -9.5% ||

[[|edit]] Crime
Pittsburgh has long been one of the safest "big cities" in the U.S. This though has come with an ebb and flow of crime over the past few decades, marked by a recent spike in the murder rate due to drug related gang violence. However, local and federal authorities used the RICO statute to combat this problem and many of the gangs were broken up by the mid to late-1990s by convictions under this law. Recent crime statistics indicate that the Pittsburgh murder rate is 2.61 times the national average, which is considered high for a city of its size. Overall, the ‘violent crime’ rate for the city is about twice the national average, while the ‘property’ or non-violent crime rate is about 1.11 times the national average.[|[32]] However, metropolitan Pittsburgh has the lowest crime rate among the 25 largest metros. 

[[|edit]] Economy
[|PPG Place] The growth of Pittsburgh and its economy was caused by the extensive trade of steel. Since, Pittsburgh has adapted to the collapse of the region's steel industry. The primary industries have shifted more to high technology, such as [|robotics], health care, nuclear engineering, tourism, [|biomedical technology], finance, and services. Education is also a major employer, from primary through magnet schools, specialized professional institutes and highly-ranked universities. In fact, Pittsburgh still maintains its status as a corporate headquarters city, with seven [|Fortune 500] companies calling the city home. This ranks Pittsburgh in a tie for the sixth-most Fortune 500 headquarters in the nation.[|[33]] In 2006, //Expansion Magazine// ranked Pittsburgh among the top 10 metropolitan areas in the nation for climates favorable to business expansion.[|[34]] 

[[|edit]] Major employers
//See also: [|List of major corporations in Pittsburgh]// Pittsburgh has grown its industry base in recent years to include technology, retail, finance and medicine. The largest employer in the city is the [|University of Pittsburgh Medical Center] (26,000 employees) and the [|University of Pittsburgh] (10,700 employees).[|[35]] Other major employers in the Pittsburgh area include the operations center for [|Alcoa], the North American headquarters for [|Bayer], [|GlaxoSmithKline] and [|Lanxess]. 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 major non-public companies with headquarters in the region. Other major companies headquartered in Pittsburgh include [|Mylan Laboratories], [|General Nutrition Center] (GNC), and CNX Gas (CXG), a subsidiary of Consol Energy. 
 * Fortune 500 Corporations:
 * [|Alcoa Inc]
 * [|Allegheny Technologies]
 * [|H. J. Heinz Company]
 * [|Mellon Financial Corporation]
 * [|PNC Financial]
 * [|PPG Industries]
 * [|WESCO International]
 * [|U.S. Steel] || Fortune 1000 Corporations:
 * [|Allegheny Energy]
 * [|American Eagle Outfitters]
 * [|Consol Energy]
 * [|Dick's Sporting Goods]
 * [|Kennametal]
 * [|Wheeling-Pittsburgh Steel] ||

[[|edit]] Culture
Lobby of Heinz Hall.//Main article: [|Pittsburgh culture]// In the 19th and 20th centuries, wealthy businessmen and nonprofit organizations donated millions of dollars to create educational and cultural institutions. As a result, Pittsburgh is rich in art and culture. Among the professional music venues, the [|Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra] performs in [|Heinz Hall], and the [|Pittsburgh Opera] performs in the [|Benedum Center]. Both The Benedum Center and Heinz Hall provide venues for other groups, such as the [|River City Brass Band] and the Pittsburgh Youth Symphony Orchestra. Pittsburgh has a long tradition of jazz, blues and bluegrass music. Pittsburgh also has a large [|indie] and [|punk rock] scene. Additionally the National Negro Opera Company was founded in Pittsburgh, and was the first all African-American opera company in the United States. This led to the prominence of African-American singers like [|Leontyne Price] in the world of [|opera]. [|Pittsburgh Dance Council] and the [|Pittsburgh Ballet Theater] host a variety of dance events. Polka, folk, square and round dancing have a long history in the city and are celebrated by the internationally famous [|Duquesne University Tamburitzans], a multicultural academy dedicated to the preservation and presentation of folk songs and dance. Museums include the [|Andy Warhol Museum], the [|Carnegie Museum of Art], the [|Frick Art & Historical Center] and the [|Mattress Factory]. Installation art is featured outdoors at [|ArtGardens of Pittsburgh]. The [|Carnegie Museum of Natural History] has extensive dinosaur collections and an [|Ancient Egypt] wing. The [|Carnegie Science Center] is technology oriented. The Senator John Heinz Pittsburgh Regional History Center and Western Pennsylvania Sports Museum are located in the Strip District. The unusual and eclectic [|Bayernhof Music Museum] is six miles (9 km) from downtown. There is a quarterly Gallery Crawl in the downtown area's cultural district that is free and open to the public to enjoy the local art scene as well as the Three Rivers Arts Festival, which takes place in the same downtown area annually during the summer. In theater, the Pittsburgh Playhouse of Point Park University has four resident companies of professional actors. Other companies include Attack Theatre, Bricolage Theater, Pittsburgh Playwrights Theater, City Theatre, Pittsburgh Irish and Classical Theatre, Pittsburgh Musical Theater, Pittsburgh Public Theater, and Quantum Theater. The city's longest-running theatre show, [|Friday Nite Improvs], is an improv jam that has been performed in the [|Cathedral of Learning] and other locations for 17 years. 

[[|edit]] Writing
Pittsburgh's most famous native writer was [|Rachel Carson], a [|Chatham College] graduate from Pittsburgh Suburb, [|Springdale], Pennsylvania. Modern writers include [|Pulitzer Prize] winning playwright [|August Wilson] as well as [|Michael Chabon] with his Pittsburgh-focused commentary on student and college life. There is a Pittsburgh [|fantasy], [|macabre] and [|science fiction] [|genre] popularized by film director [|George Romero], television personality [|Bill Cardille]'s [|Chiller Theatre] and film director and writer [|Rusty Cundieff]. Today, the genre continues through several local Writer's Workshops including [|Write or Die],[|The Pittsburgh SouthWrites] and the [|Pittsburgh Worldwrights] founded by [|Mary Soon Lee] and continued by protegees [|Barton Paul Levenson], Flonet Biltgen, Ken Chiacchia, Chris Ferrier, Robert L. Nansel and Elizabeth Penrose. 

[[|edit]] Local dialect
The [|Pittsburgh English] dialect, which may be popularly referred to as, "Pittsburghese", derives from influences from the [|Scottish-Irish], [|Welsh], [|German], [|Central European] and [|Eastern European] immigrants. Locals who speak in this dialect are sometimes referred to as "[|Yinzers]" (from the local word for "you ones", //yinz//). The dialect has some tonal similarities to other nearby regional dialects (ie, Erie, Baltimore), but is noted for its somewhat staccato rhythms. The staccato qualities of the Pittsburgh dialect have been suggested to originate either from Welsh or from Eastern European immigrants. It also has so many local peculiarities that the //[|New York Times]// described Pittsburgh as, "the Galapagos Islands of American dialect."[|[36]] The lexicon itself contains notable [|cognates] borrowing from [|Serbian] and other [|Slavic] and European languages. Examples include [|babushka], [|pierogi], and [|halušky].[|[37]] 

[[|edit]] Sites of interest
Pittsburgh houses the country's [|National Aviary]. The [|Phipps Conservatory & Botanical Gardens] features a Victorian-style greenhouse. [|The Botanic Garden of Western Pennsylvania] and [|Rodef Shalom Biblical Botanical Garden] are also located in the area. Other sites of interest include: 
 * * [|Mellon Arena] - Home of the Pittsburgh Penguins and the Pittsburgh Xplosion
 * [|Duquesne Incline]
 * [|Monongahela Incline]
 * [|Fort Duquesne]
 * [|Fort Pitt (Pennsylvania)]
 * [|Kennywood] - historic amusement park
 * [|Sandcastle] - waterpark
 * [|Carnegie Museums of Pittsburgh] - art and natural history
 * [|Cathedral of Learning] - part of the University of Pittsburgh, well known for its "[|Nationality Rooms]"
 * [|Mattress Factory] - museum of contemporary installation art
 * [|Frick Art & Historical Center] - art museum, Clayton- the restored Frick mansion, car and carriage museum
 * [|Frick Park] - Third largest park within the city limits in the country
 * [|Gateway Clipper] River boat cruise
 * [|U.S. Steel Tower] || * [|Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium]
 * [|Point State Park]
 * [|PPG Place]
 * [|Station Square] and [|Southside Works] - entertainment complexes
 * [|Heinz History Center] - including the Sports Museum
 * [|Heinz Field] - Home of the Pittsburgh Steelers
 * [|The South Side] - home to many bars, eateries, and entertainment
 * [|Church of the Immaculate Heart of Mary in Pittsburgh], an opulently decorated edifice in the [|Polish Cathedral style]
 * [|The Strip District] - a neighborhood near downtown that is home to farmers' markets, wholesale vendors, bars, and clubs.[|[38]]
 * [|Children's Museum of Pittsburgh]
 * [|Andy Warhol Museum]
 * [|PNC Park] - Home of the [|Pittsburgh Pirates] ||

[[|edit]] Livability
Pittsburgh often places high in lists of the nation's most livable cities. After placing fourth and first in the first two editions of "Places Rated Almanac", Pittsburgh went on to finish third in 1989, fifth in 1993, 14th in 1997 and 12th in 2000, before reclaiming the number one spot in 2007.[|[39]] The survey's primary author, David Savageau, has noted that Pittsburgh is the only city to finish in the top 20 of every edition [//[|citation needed]//]. In 2005, [|The Economist] ranked Pittsburgh and [|Cleveland] the top most livable cities in the United States, and tied the cities for 26th world-wide. In the 2004, 820-page book by Bert Sperling and Peter Sander, "Cities Ranked and Rated", Pittsburgh came in at #28. Livability rankings typically consider factors such as cost of living, crime, and cultural opportunities. Pittsburgh has a low cost of living compared to other cities in the northeastern U.S. The average price for a 3- to 4-bedroom, 2-bath family home in Pittsburgh is $162,000, which is well below the national average of $264,540, as of October 2004, according to the Federal Housing Finance Board. However, in 2007, the [|American Lung Association] ranked the Pittsburgh area as the nation's second most polluted metropolitan area, behind Los Angeles.[|[40]] 

[[|edit]] Local Media
There are two major daily newspapers in Pittsburgh; the //[|Pittsburgh Post-Gazette]// and the //[|Pittsburgh Tribune-Review]//. Alternative weekly papers in the region include the //[|Pittsburgh City Paper]//, //[|Pittsburgh Catholic]//, //[|The Jewish Chronicle of Pittsburgh]//, //The New People//, and the //[|Pittsburgh Courier]//. //[|The Pitt News]// and //Duquesne Times// are financially independent student-written and managed newspapers of the [|University of Pittsburgh] and [|Duquesne University], respectively. The Pittsburgh metro area is served by many local television and radio stations. The Pittsburgh [|designated market area] (DMA) is the 22nd largest in the U.S. with 1,163,150 homes (1.045% of the total U.S.).[|[41]] The major network television affiliates are [|KDKA-TV] 2 ([|CBS]), [|WTAE] 4 ([|ABC]), [|WPXI] 11 ([|NBC]), [|WPGH-TV] 53 ([|FOX]), [|WPCW] 19 ([|CW]), [|WQEX] 16 ([|ShopNBC]), [|WPMY] ([|MyNetworkTV]), and [|WPCB] 40 ([|Cornerstone]). [|WBGN] 59 is an [|independent station] owned and operated by the Bruno-Goodworth Network. [|WQED] 13 is the local [|PBS] station in Pittsburgh. It was established on [|April 1], [|1954], and was the first community-sponsored television station and the fifth public station in the United States. The station has produced much original content for PBS, including //[|Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood]//, several [|National Geographic] specials, and //[|Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego?]//[|[42]] There are a wide variety of [|radio stations] serving the Pittsburgh market. The first was [|KDKA] 1020 AM, which is also the first commercially-licensed radio station in the United States, receiving its license on [|October 27], [|1920].[|[43]] Other popular stations include [|KQV] 1410 AM (news), [|WEAE] 1250 AM (sports), [|WKST-FM] 96.1 FM (pop and hip-hop), [|WZPT] 100.7 FM (adult contemporary), [|WDVE] 102.5 FM (album rock), [|WPGB] 104.7 FM (talk), [|WXDX] 105.9 FM (modern rock), and [|WAMO] 106.7 (hip-hop, rap). There are also three [|public radio stations] in the area; including [|WDUQ] 90.5 FM ([|National Public Radio] affiliate operated by [|Duquesne University]), [|WQED] 89.3 FM (classical), and [|WYEP] 91.3 FM (adult alternative). Two non-commercial stations are run by [|Carnegie Mellon University] ([|WRCT] 88.3 FM) and the [|University of Pittsburgh] ([|WPTS] 92.1 FM). 

[[|edit]] Television and Film
//Main articles: [|Media in Pittsburgh] and [|List of films and television shows shot in Pittsburgh]// According to the Pittsburgh Film Office, over 123 major [|motion pictures] have been filmed, in whole or in part, in Pittsburgh, including:[|[44]][|[45]] 
 * //[|Flashdance]//, [|1983]
 * //[|The Awakening]//, [|1989]
 * //[|The Silence of the Lambs]//, [|1990]
 * //[|Hoffa]//, [|1992]
 * //[|Striking Distance]//, [|1993]
 * //[|Groundhog Day]//, [|1993]
 * //[|Dogma]//, [|1999]
 * //[|Wonder Boys]//, [|2000]
 * //[|The Mothman Prophecies]//, [|2001]

[[|edit]] Government and politics
//See also://