Pittsburgh’s Immigrants

Since the mid-1700s, Pittsburgh has welcomed generations of immigrants. This region in southwestern Pennsylvania was once a magnet for European immigrants who carved out livings in steel, iron, glass, and other factories along its famous three rivers. Those immigrants built the city’s ethnic neighborhoods: the Irish North Side, the Polish South Side, the Italian Bloomfield, as well as other immigrant enclaves in smaller cities and towns in the surrounding areas. The diversity of Pittsburgh’s neighborhoods symbolizes a city truly rich in history and culture. Many notable Pittsburghers in business, the arts and entertainment, and sports were either immigrants themselves or children of immigrants. Pittsburgh’s Immigrants pays tribute to the hardworking men and women who made significant contributions to the growth and development of western Pennsylvania and left a legacy of rich and vibrant ethnic culture that endures to the present day.