The Pittsburgh Point

The Pittsburgh Point. Three Rivers Heritage Trail. , Few cities have the visual drama of Pittsburgh, or so rich a collection of national memories. At the Pittsburgh Point two rivers converge: The Allegheny River flowing from the north and the Monongahela River from the south. These rivers drain the Allegheny Mountains, and unite to form the mighty Ohio River which flows west to the Mississippi. , , Geography is Destiny. The history of this city was determined by its rivers. Native Americans named these waterways long ago. French and British armies fought to dominate them in the 18th century. Fort Pitt was built in 1758 as a control point for the British Empire in America. After the Revolution, pioneers saw Pittsburgh as the Gateway to the West. In the mid-19th century, slaves saw Pittsburgh as the Crossroads to Freedom, and escaped north via river routes from the south. , , During the 19th century thousands of steamboats built along these shores carried immigrants and cargoes to the West. The rivers became busy commercial routes. Great fortunes were made in Pittsburgh's "Golden Triangle" as the city benefited from the inland water highways. , , Located in a region rich in fuel and mineral resources, Pittsburgh became a vital center of industry, commerce and transportation. Railways eventually paralleled the rivers, further linking the city to all parts of the expanding nation. , , After World War II, Pittsburgh rebuilt itself in a famous urban "Renaissance" and became the first major American city in the 20th century to undertake a complete renewal of its downtown core. Today Pittsburgh is a center of banking, medicine and education. When the era of "Big Steel" ended in the 1970s, the diversity of Pittsburgh industry was a key to the future. , , The Pittsburgh Point has always been a symbol. It represents the promises of American history, and new directions for the future city.