Pittsburgh Facts & Trivia

Firsts and fun facts about Pittsburgh.

Pittsburgh Firsts

  • First newspaper west of the Alleghenies (1789) - The Pittsburgh Gazette
  • First Ferris Wheel (1893)
  • World's First Commercial Radio Station (1920) - KDKA
  • First Ice Capades (1940)
  • First All-Aluminum Building (1953) - Regional Enterprise Tower (formerly the Alcoa Building)
  • First Polio Vaccine (1954) - Dr. Jonas Salk at the University of Pittsburgh
  • First U.S. Public Television Station (1954) - WQED
  • First Retractable Dome (1961) - Mellon Arena
  • First Mass Transit Busway System (1964) - Pittsburgh Regional Transit (formerly Port Authority of Allegheny County)
  • First Nighttime World Series Game (1971)
  • First Robotics Center (1979)- Carnegie Mellon University Robotics Institute
  • First Internet emoticon, the smiley :-) (1982) - Carnegie Mellon University computer scientist Scott Fahlman

Famous Pittsburghers

  • Dancers/choreographers Martha Graham and Gene Kelly
  • Musicians Stephen Foster, Henry Mancini, Billy Strayhorn, Billy Eckstine and George Benson
  • Vocalists Lena Horne and Perry Como
  • Pulitzer Prize-winning writers August Wilson and Annie Dillard
  • Environmentalist and Silent Spring author Rachel Carson
  • Actors/Musicians Michael Keaton, The Vogues, Rusted Root, Christina Aguilera,Bobby Vinton, Jeff Goldblum and Dennis Miller
  • Football superstars Mike Ditka, Tony Dorsett, Joe Montana, Johnny Unitas, Joe Namath, Dan Marino, Jim Kelly and Gus Frerotte
  • Find More Famous Pittsburghers

Pittsburgh's Famous Food

  • The Big Mac, the world's most famous hamburger, was 'invented' near Pittsburgh by McDonald's franchise owner Jim Delligatti in 1967 and distributed nationally in 1968.
  • Heinz Ketchup, invented in Pittsburgh by H.J. Heinz.
  • Pierogies, found at restaurants throughout Pittsburgh, reflect Pittsburgh's Polish heritage. Cooked in butter, these delicious dumplings are stuffed with potato and other flavorings depending on the creativity and tradition of the cook.
  • Chipped Ham is one of Pittsburgh's most famous foods. This spicy lunch meat made its debut in 1933 at Isaly's, a locally based family chain of dairy stores. Former Pittsburghers are known to have it trucked or flown across the country when they get a hankering for this hometown favorite.
  • The Klondike Bar, another Isaly's original, is a vanilla ice-cream bar dipped in pure chocolate and packaged in a familiar silver wrapper. They cost a nickel when Sam Isaly invented them in 1929.
  • Wedding Soup, that delectable Italian broth with tiny meatballs and rich egg pastina, is served throughout the city.
  • Fried Zucchini Strips - thin, crispy and savory, are a hometown original and popular as an appetizer.
  • 'Pittsburgh Salad' - take any salad and top with french fries.
  • Primanti Bros. Sandwich - A sandwich with the fries and coleslaw added right in. Invented during the Depression so that day laborers could hold their entire lunch in one hand.

Interesting Facts

  • The Andy Warhol Museum, the largest single-artist museum in North America, celebrates the life and work of Pittsburgh-born pop art icon Andy Warhol.
  • Freedom House Ambulance Service, founded in the 1960s in the Hill District, pioneered modern paramedic services. This was the first U.S. emergency medical team staffed by professionally trained paramedics—all Black Americans—setting the standard for modern emergency medical care nationwide. Learn more about Black History in Pittsburgh.
  • Nicknamed “The Steel City,” Pittsburgh played a dominant role in the U.S. steel industry, helping to build the nation’s infrastructure.
  • Pittsburghese, the city’s distinct dialect, includes the famous “yinz” (meaning “you all” or “you guys”)
  • The Cathedral of Learning at the University of Pittsburgh, stands at 535 feet tall and is the second-tallest educational building in the world.

Geographical Facts

  • Pittsburgh’s central location puts it within 500 miles of more than half the U.S. population.
  • With 446 bridges throughout the city, more than Venice, Italy, Pittsburgh has earned the title "City of Bridges."
  • The city’s highest elevation reaches 1,371 feet, while its lowest point sits at 710 feet above sea level.
  • Founded in 1758, Pittsburgh has grown to a population of over 303,000, with more than 1.25 million residents in Allegheny County.