Pittsburgh Facts and Points of Interest

Pittsburgh is on the cutting edge of technology and boasts being the home to Carnegie Mellon University, Google, Apple, and Duolingo to name only a couple.

Learn more about what make Pittsburgh special…

Where is KIPA?

Keystone International Preparatory Academy is located 20 miles north of downtown Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. This region has a rich history stemming from America’s earliest beginnings.

More than 300 years ago, as a frontier village located at the joining of the Allegheny and Monongahela Rivers where they form the Ohio River, Pittsburgh was referred to as the “Gateway to the West.” It was the furthest European settlement west and from this spot, explorers set out to discover and later settle the vast expanse we now know as the United States.

This history of discovery and innovation has followed the region ever since. From its earliest industrial days as the “Steel Capital of the World” through its current achievements in education, medicine, small manufacturing and Artificial Intelligence, Pittsburgh has moved forward.

Pittsburgh is a small all-American city with a genuine sense of community. It welcomes visitors from around the globe, many coming as students to Pittsburgh’s nine universities including Carnegie Mellon (with the surrounding region boasting dozens more), and employees to the growing number of technology companies. It has been ranked as one of the United States most livable cities several times. Its international airport, low cost of living and moderate climate are among its many appealing qualities.

Pittsburgh’s professional championship sports teams have enhanced the city’s reputation and earned it the name “City of Champions”. Their colors, black and gold, are synonymous with local pride.

Over the centuries, Pittsburgh has acquired many nicknames – “The Gateway to the West, The Smoky City, The Steel City, The City of Champions, The City with a Smile on Its Face, The City of Bridges, The World’s Most Livable City” – but to thousands, Pittsburgh is synonymous with another word:  Home.

Below are some historic and local points of interest:

Pittsburgh’s Historic and Industrial Past:

“Point of View” is a bronze sculpture of Seneca leader Guyasuta and George Washington by James A. West

  • First European traders arrive (1710)
  • George Washington surveys the Point (1753)
  • Fort Duquesne built (1754)
  • French and Indian War (1758)
  • Settlers establish a town and name it Pittsburgh (1764)
  • Revolutionary War (1776)
  • Whiskey Rebellion (1791)
  • City of Pittsburgh, established (1816)
  • Smithfield Street Bridge built (1846) – exists today and is the oldest steel bridge in America built by Pittsburgh architect John Roebling (who built the Brooklyn Bridge)
  • Allegheny Observatory (1859)
  • American Civil War Underground Railway stop (1860s)
  • Mellon Bank (1869) – now Bank of New York Mellon
  • J. Heinz Company (1869)
  • Frick Coke Manufacturing (1871) & Carnegie Steel (1875) – merged becoming US Steel (1901)
  • Westinghouse Electric Company (1886)
  • Alcoa (Aluminum Co of America) (1888)
  • Gulf Oil (1907)
  • Koppers (1915)
  • North American Rockwell (1967) – formerly Rockwell International
  • Google (2006)
  • Duolingo (2009)
  • G-20 Summit on Financial Markets and the World Economy (2009)
  • UBER ATG (2015) – self-driving test city
  • SmartCityPGH deployment (2016)
  • Argo Ai (2017) – Ford Motor Co. driverless technology
  • Amazon (2018) – HQ2 finalist

Higher Education:

  • The University of Pittsburgh (1787)
  • Chatham University (1869)
  • Duquesne University (1878)
  • Carnegie Mellon University (1901)
  • Robert Morris University (1921)
  • Carlow University (1929)
  • Pittsburgh Theological Seminary (1959)
  • La Roche College (1963)
  • Point Park University (1974)

Pittsburgh Culture:

Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens

  • Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens (1893)
  • Pittsburgh Symphony (1895)
  • Carnegie Museum of Art (1895)
  • Carnegie Museum of Natural History (1896)
  • Pittsburgh Zoo (1898)
  • Pittsburgh Opera (1939)
  • The National Aviary (1952)
  • Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre (1969)
  • Mattress Factory (1977)
  • Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh (1983)
  • The Frick Art and Historical Center (1990)
  • Andy Warhol Museum (1994)
  • Heinz History Center (1996)
  • PNC Park (2001)
  • Heinz Field (2001)
  • August Wilson Center for African American Culture (2009)

Medical Facilities and History:

  • Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh UPMC – Top 10 US children’s hospital
  • University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC) – Top 15 US hospital; home of Jonas Salk (polio vaccine), Benjamin Spock (child psychology), Peter Safar (CPR), Thomas Starzi (organ transplantation), Cyril Wecht (forensics), among others
  • Allegheny General Hospital – Top 25 US hospital

Sports Teams:

  • The Steelers (National Football League)
  • Pirates (Major League Baseball)
  • Penguins (National Hockey League)
  • The Riverhounds (United Soccer League)