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Our Past
Pittsburgh 250 is about celebrating the Pittsburgh region yesterday, today and tomorrow – including our unique, impressive (and sometimes surprising!) history.
250 Years Ago …
In November 1758, British General John Forbes, Colonel George Washington and their British and Colonial troops assumed possession the French Fort Duquesne at the confluence of the Allegheny, Monongahela and Ohio rivers. There constructed Fort Pitt, named after England’s Sir William Pitt.
There, the settlement of Pittsburgh (pronounced Pittsboro) grew to become known as the “Gateway to the West.” Bedford and Ligonier, forts established during the Forbes Campaign, celebrate their 250th anniversaries in 2008.
From the “Gateway to the West” to a Gateway of Innovation
Among the ‘firsts’ created in the Pittsburgh region are the polio vaccine, advanced organ transplantation, long distance electricity, the gas station, the radio station (KDKA), the robot, the Ferris wheel, the movie theater, the Big Mac, the first World Series and so much more!
Learn more about our rich and illustrious history at the Senator John Heinz History Center.
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