Pittsbutgh

Pittsburgh Timeline

  • Marquis Duquesne

    Marquis Duquesne
    Marquis Duquesne starts to make forts on what is now Pittsburgh. He built three forts the last one being fort Duquesne. Today there is many things in Pittsburgh named after him like the Duquesne Incline.
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    Pitt history

    History of Pittsburgh from 1758 to 2014.
  • Pittsburgh is named

    Pittsburgh is named
    John Forbes named the land Pittsborough after The Prime Minister of England William Pitt the elder. John Forbes was also a british General. This is the same year John Forbes died.
  • Fort Pitt

    Fort Pitt
    Last and biggest fort built by The British and French. It was named after William Pitt the elder. It has the oldest building in Pittsburgh in it, The Blockhouse. In 1796 The fort was in ruins and was soon salvaged to make new houses.
  • blockhouse

    blockhouse
    The blockhouse is built. This building is the oldest building in the city of Pittsburgh. This extremely small building once held multiple families. There was also a candy shop that was run inside it.
  • Slavery outlawed in Pennsylvania

    Slavery outlawed in Pennsylvania
    In Pittsburgh and all other cities or boroughs in Pennsylvania slavery is outlawed. Pennsylvania is the first state to outlaw slavery.
  • Pittsburgh Gazette

    Pittsburgh Gazette
    John Scull creates The Pittsburgh Gazette. It is the first newspaper west of The Alleghany Mountains. This paper is still being made and given out to the people of Pittsburgh today.
  • Pittsburgh Develops

    Pittsburgh Develops
    Pittsburgh has developed into a town. Streets are built and housing is made. Also markets and a courthouse are built in the town. Also workers started building boats. This all led to Pittsburgh beginning to become the city it is today.
  • Duel between Tarleton Bates and Thomas Stewart

    Duel between Tarleton Bates and Thomas Stewart
    These two man started arguing and it resulted in a duel where Bates was shot and killed.
  • Grant Hill

    Grant Hill
    Projected from the bluff in the city. It is named for General James Grant. By the early 1900s it was just a hump.
  • Pittsburgh becomes a city

    Pittsburgh becomes a city
    On this day Pittsburgh evolves from a borough to a city. It's first mayor is Major Ebenezor Denoy.
  • Pioneer fast line

    Pioneer fast line
    This was a way for people in Philadelphia to cross almost the entire state of Pennsylvania to get to Pittsburgh. The trip took around three days. For people of the time three days was very fast for going across the state.
  • A new courthouse is built

    A new courthouse is built
    A courthouse is built by John Chrislett Pittsburgh's first professional architect. This building survives the upcoming fire.
  • A fire ravages the city

    A fire ravages the city
    A great fire starts in the heart of Pittsburgh. The fire destroyed around 24 blocks of housing and businesses before burning itself out. During this fire two people died, almost a thousand homes were destroyed, and 12,000 people were left homeless.
  • The first cable suspension bridge is made in Pittsburgh

    The first cable suspension bridge is made in Pittsburgh
    John Roebling designs the first cable suspension bridge. The bridge goes across the Monongahela River and replaces the bridge that was burned down in the great fire. John Roebling went on to be one of America's most prominent bridge engineer.
  • Jane Swisshelm

    Jane Swisshelm
    She was the publisher of the Pittsburgh Saturday Visitor. She was against slavery and supported woman's rights. She was able to help allow married woman to own land.
  • Through-train

    Through-train
    The first through-train from the east comes to Pittsburgh. It could cross the state in 15 hours.
  • Pittsburgh's first bank

    Pittsburgh's first bank
    Pittsburgh's first bank the dollar saving institution opened in 1855. There was a total of nine deposits the first day it opened.
  • David N. White

    David N. White
    He started the republican party. He had the republican party's first meetings in Old Lafeyette Hall.
  • Industry expands

    Industry expands
    Railroad companies begin to need more and more rails so the iron industry in Pittsburgh booms. More people begin to get jobs at iron factoies.
  • Henry K. Porter

    Henry K. Porter
    Henry K. Porter begins producing light switching locomotives in Pittsburgh. He continued to make over 600 a year until 1939.
  • Henry Clay Frick

    Henry Clay Frick
    Henry Frick begins mass producing coke. He had 10,000 ovens with 11,000 employees in just the Connelsville area,
  • Heinz

    Heinz
    Famous food company Heinz is founded. It was founded by Henry J. Heinz right outside of Pittsburgh city. Today Heinz is one of the most popular brnads of ketchup and other condiments.
  • First Massive production of steel

    First Massive production of steel
    Andrew Carnegie opens the first plant to produce steel on a mass scale. Henry Bessemer is the Inventer of steel. After this the steel industry began to take off in Pittsburgh. This led to Pittsburgh getting the name the steel city.
  • Duquesne Incline

    Duquesne Incline
    The Duquesne Incline was built in 1877 for forty-seven thousand dollars. By 1880 there was over five-hundred thousand passengers all together without one injury.
  • Riots

    Riots
    Railroad workers began rioting and protesting about wage cuts and lay offs. After police and local militia joined the rioters soldiers were called in from Philadelphia. They were shot at and outnumbered so they were forced to retreat. In the end it left 61 people dead, injured more than a hundred and cost over 7 million dollars in property damage.
  • The Smithfield Street Bridge.

    The Smithfield Street Bridge.
    This bridge replaced Roebling's Span and had a seperate roads for carriages and trolleys. It was updated in 1915 and then updated again in the 1990s.
  • Pittsburgh Female College

    Pittsburgh Female College
    An all female college in Pittsburgh. It was made because there was not many other places for woman to get a college education. It is now Chatham University.
  • Homestead Strike

    Homestead Strike
    Henry Frick started a lockout and sent 300 oinkerton guards to protect Carnegie Steel's homestead works. This started a strike which became a battle between the workers and guards. The workers forced the pinkertons to surrender but soon reinforcements came and the workers had to retreat.
  • Carnegie International

    Carnegie International
    It is a public exhibit with artwork from all over the world. It was founded by Andrew Carnegie. It is the first ever made in North America.
  • First Gas Station

    First Gas Station
    The first gas station is opened in Pittsburgh. It was opened by gulf oil. Before this station you would fill your car up with gas on the curb of the road.
  • WWI draft begins

    WWI draft begins
    The first contingent of draftees leave Pittsburgh to fight in World War 1. They leave the city via the railroads.
  • Soldier Parade

    Soldier Parade
    Soldiers come home from France after a year in the war and parade on Penn Avenue. The enright theater is named for a soldier who died that was in their division.
  • Women's voting rights

    Women's voting rights
    In 1920 women were given the right to vote. This was helped made possible by Jennie Roessing a Pittsburgh resident.
  • Radio Broadcasts

    Radio Broadcasts
    The first scheduled commercial radio broadcast takes place at the pittsburgh Post offices. It was broadcasted by KDKA.
  • Cathedral of learning

    Cathedral of learning
    The Cathedral of Learning is built. It was designed by Charles klouder. It is located at the Pitt University Campus.
  • Liberty Bridge

    Liberty Bridge
    The Liberty Bridge is built. The Bridge could have four automobiles on it abreast.
  • Floods

    Floods
    In 1936 a bad flood hit Pittsburgh leaving the streets under a sea of water. In some places it was over 20 feet of water covering the ground. During this time people traveled above the streets on the water in boats.
  • World's first Industrial atom smasher

    World's first Industrial atom smasher
    The world's first Industrial atom smasher is built and tested right outside of Pittsburgh. The project was led by Dr. William E. Shoupe.
  • World War II ends

    World War II ends
    The second world war ends. During the war Pittsburgh made almost 1/4 of the steel for the United States Army. Around 5,800 citizens of Pittsburgh died fighting in the war.
  • Pittsburgh's worst snow storm

    Pittsburgh's worst snow storm
    The worst snow storm in Pittsburgh history occurs on Novvember 23 1950. Over 30 inches of snow fall onto the ground. It was predicted by wetaherman to just be a few flurries.
  • Greater International airport

    Greater International airport
    The Greater International Airport opens in Pittsburgh. Many people took their families to watch the planes land and takeoff at the observatory deck. Today we use The Pittsburgh International Airport.
  • Polio Vaccine

    Polio Vaccine
    Dr. Jonas Salk and his team from the University of Pittsburgh Laboratory complete creating a polio vaccine. The next year mass imunization started.
  • Civic Arena

    Civic Arena
    The Civic Arena opened on September 19 1961. It had the largest retractable dome in the world. It was closed around 50 years later in 2010.
  • John F. Kennedy

    John F. Kennedy
    President Kennedy made a political visit to Pittsburgh at Pitt Field House. Around a year later he was assasinated in Dallas.
  • MLK Jr. is killed.

    MLK Jr. is killed.
    Martin Luther King Jr. is killed. This causes rioting in Pittsburgh and many other cities. The riot caused 505 fires, the death of a woman, and $620,000 in property damage.
  • Tropical storm Agnes

    Tropical storm Agnes
    Tropical storm Agnes hits Pittsburgh and floods some of the city. The storm did around $45 million dollars in damage to the city. Without the system of resevoirs and dams in The Monongahela and Alleghany Rivers there could have been much worse damage.
  • Point State Park Fountain

    Point State Park Fountain
    The famous fountain in Point State Park was finished. It could spray water up to 150 feet high. The fountain completed The park along with The Fort Pitt museum and the outline of Fort Pitt in the grass made in Belgian block.
  • The Steelers win the super bowl

    The Steelers win the super bowl
    The Steelers win Super Bowl IX. They won 16-6 against the Minnesota Vikings.
  • Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

    Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
    The Post-Gazette starts printing papers again after a 8 month long strike. The strike ended with the closure of the Pittsburgh Press.
  • Andy Warhal Museum

    Andy Warhal Museum
    The Andy Warhal Museum opened at the North Side. This is one of the four Carnegie Museums.
  • Mario Lemieux retires

    Mario Lemieux retires
    Mario Lemieux retires from the NHL. He came back in 2000 and then left for the last time in 2006. He also bought the team in 1999 when they almost went bankrupt.
  • Three Rivers Stadium is closed

    Three Rivers Stadium is closed
    Three rivers stadium is closed and demolished. It was home to both ThePirates and The Steelers. It was replaced by Heinz Field and PNC Park.
  • Steelers win Superbowl LX

    Steelers win Superbowl LX
    The Pittsburgh Steelers win the Superbowl in 2006. They won 21-10 against The Seattle Seahawks.
  • Penguins win the superbowl

    Penguins win the superbowl
    The Pittsburgh Penguins win the Stanley Cup. they won 4 of 3 games and became the champions.. Evgeni Malkin won the MVP award.
  • Mellon Arena is closed

    Mellon Arena is closed
    The mellon arena is demolished soon after it is cloded in 2010. The Penguins one 3 stanley cups here. It was replaced by Consol energy center.
  • UPMC

    UPMC
    University of Pittsburgh Medical center or UPMC becomes the largest academic medical center in the nation. It has 21 hospitals and 62,000 employees. Their headquarters is located at the top of the U.S Steel building.
  • Pittsburgh Light Rail extension

    Pittsburgh Light Rail extension
    In 2012 the Pittsburgh light rail, commonly known as the T was extended to The North Shore. The cost of it was 523.4 Million dollars.
  • Bill Peduto

    Bill Peduto
    On May 21st Bill Peduto was elected the 60th Mayor of Pittsburgh. He won the election with 52% of the vote.
  • Point Park Fountain

    Point Park Fountain
    The Fountain at the Point reopens after four years of renovation. The renovation cost was 9.6 Million dollars.
  • Polar Vortex

    Polar Vortex
    In 2014 a polar vortex hit the Northeast section of The United States causing many schools to close for days at a time. A polar vortex is a persistant and large cyclone that circles the North or South Poles.