Firsts in the World from Pittsburgh.
For two centuries Western Pennsylvania has been a cradle of invention in industry and technology in many fields, from medicine to manufacturing. The unique topography of hills and valleys required innovation in bridge-building and the transportation industry. The busy workshops and mills produced business entrepreneurs, engineers and inventors. Pittsburgh's growing population of laborers triggered firsts in hospital care, new educational programs, types of entertainment, and free public libraries. The heritage continues today in many forms, from educational programs such as Mister Roger's Neighborhood, to organ transplants, to bioengineering research and to designing the comunications network for computers.

Transportation

? Steamboat, New Orleans. First to navigate western waters, 1811

? Suspension Bridge. First successful wire cable bridge, built by John A. Roebling, 1845

? Air Brake. First used for a train, by George Westinghouse, 1869

? First automobile road map, provided by Gulf Oil, 1914

? First atomic engine. Built by Westinghouse Electric for submarine U.S.S. Nautilus, 1954.



Entertainment.

? First Ferris Wheel. Invented by George Ferris, 1892/3

? First World Series in baseball. Pirates and Cubs, 1903

? First motion picture theater. Nickelodeon opened on Smithfield Street, 1905

? First professionally-paid football player. William Heffelfinger, 1892



Ferris Wheel invented in Pittsburgh by George Ferris. The Ferris Wheel astonished the world at the Columbian Exhibition in Chicago in 1893 by carrying up to 2,000 people.



Industry.

? Petroleum refining. Distilling process for petroleum, 1853/4

? First labor union. American Federation of Labor, 1881

? Aluminum. Produced commercially, by forerunners of ALCOA, 1889

? First aluminum-faced skyscraper, ALCOA building, 1953



Mister Rogers.
The Pittsburgh star of the longest running program on public television. Family Communications, WQED.



Health.

? First federal hospital in America. Hand Hospital in Allegheny City, 1778

? Polio vaccine. Developed by Jonas Salk and staff at University of Pittsburgh, 1953

? Organ transplants. First heart, liver and kidney transplant in one operation at Presbyterian University Hospital, 1989



Communications

? Printing. First printing press to use a continuous roll of paper, 1863

? Carnegie Libraries. Free to the public, first in Braddock, PA, 1889

? First phonograph records regularly broadcast, from private garage in the East End, 1919

? First commercial radio station, KDKA, 1920

? First community supported public television station in the United States, WQED, 1954

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Firsts in the World from Pittsburgh
Langley Observatory Clock
The Pittsburgh Point
Three Rivers Stadium
County of Allegheny Law Enforcement Officers Memorial
First Professional Football Game
Mary Cassatt
The Immaculate Reception
Byers-Lyon House
Southwestern Pennsylvania World War II Memorial

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