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About Pittsburgh
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Pittsburgh is a
lively and friendly community blending the cosmopolitan qualities of a large
city and the charm of a small town.
Once known as the
greatest steel-producing city in the country and one of the nation's leading
industrial centers, Pittsburgh's new image is that of a major corporate and
high technology center. The city has earned an international reputation as a
leader in the area of medical research through recent gains in organ
transplant technology, and its advanced technology industries now involve
more than 800 firms and 80,000 employees. With more than 170 academic,
industrial and governmental research laboratories, Pittsburgh boasts more
doctoral scientists and engineers per capita than Boston, Los Angeles or San
Francisco.
Further evidence of Pittsburgh's new image is the
reclamation of its three rivers for recreation and entertainment. The tugs
and barges of industry still have their place, but the Pittsburgh area now
ranks first in the country in the number
of registered pleasure craft. Restaurants on the shore and on floating
barges feature open-air decks and glass fronts to capture the view, and the
riverboats of the Gateway Clipper Fleet offer river tours and floating
dinner dances year-round. The Three Rivers Regatta, held each August, is a
grand celebration of the rivers, featuring a Formula One grand prix speed
boat race.
Pittsburgh's
reputation as the most fervent of sports towns is well known. Each year the
Penguins skate toward the Stanley Cup in the Civic Arena, and the Steelers
and Pirates make Heinz Field and PNC Park roar with excitement. Pittsburgh
is also gaining a reputation as the preferred site for international
professional and amateur competitions in sports such as golf, cycling,
rowing, and running.
Visitors and natives alike are often surprised to find
a vibrant cultural scene in the city. The world-class Pittsburgh Symphony,
Pittsburgh Opera, Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre, and Civic Light Opera, as well
as several other local and touring companies, provide a busy performance
schedule for two beautifully renovated downtown concert halls, as well as
several smaller venues. Many recent movies and TV shows have been filmed
here. The Carnegie is a unique cultural center housing the Museum of Natural
History ("Home of the Dinosaurs"), the Museum of Art, the Carnegie Public
Library, and the Carnegie Music Hall all under one roof. The city's newest
museum is devoted to the works of Pittsburgh native Andy Warhol.
Another surprise to many is the beauty of Pittsburgh's
surrounding countryside, which provides year-round opportunities for
recreation and fun. Frank Lloyd Wright's Fallingwater is a scenic two-hour
drive away a special treat in the fall when the leaves are turning. A
forty-minute drive can put the avid skier on the local slopes or into the
mountains of West Virginia. Ohiopyle Park, the Allegheny Forest and many
state parks offer everything from camping and caving to whitewater rafting
and windsurfing. Man-made thrills can be experienced at nearby Kennywood
Park; one of the finest amusement parks in the country and a registered
historic landmark, Kennywood was named "Roller Coaster Capitol of the
World".
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