Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania was once one of the major centers for steel production in the US, producing between half to a third of US steel.
This heritage left the area with both a legacy of industrial pollution and an accumulation of wealth that created renowned museums, medical center, parks, research centers, libraries, a diverse cultural district and the most bars per capita in the U.S.
Beginning in the early 1980s both the area’s steel and electronics industries imploded, with massive layoffs from mill and plant closures.
But the “Paris of Appalachia” has proven to be remarkably resilient and capable of reinventing itself. Pittsburgh has adapted since the collapse of its century-long steel and electronics industries.
The region has shifted to high technology, robotics, health care, nuclear engineering, tourism, biomedical technology, finance, education and services.
Pittsburgh’s transition from its industrial heritage has earned its praise as “the poster child for managing industrial transition.”
Today, Pittsburgh exhibits a fantastic energy and has the feeling of a land of possibility.
Photo credit: DollarPhotoClub