Pittsburgh 250 - Imagine what you can do here.

Pittsburgh's 250th Anniversary in Three Minutes! from VisitPGH on Vimeo.

What an amazing year! Through Pittsburgh 250 we celebrated yesterday, today and tomorrow. We asked everyone to "imagine what you can do here" and raised the visibility of our region (with more than 1 billion media impressions worldwide) as a great place to visit, live, work and play. From a big-time international bike race and community trail ride to a celebration of lights, 100 Community Connections projects celebrating pride and progress, and a refurbished park and trail for the next generation, Pittsburgh 250 showcased all our wonderful region has to offer. An estimated one million people participated in Pittsburgh 250 signature events and projects—read more in our year-end recap.

The home of "America's Most Livable City" has so much to be proud of. We've shed our smoky, industrial image for green leadership, high-tech and high-art, while retaining a distinct sense of community and place. We're proud of where we came from, but we can't wait to see what the next 250 holds!

We hope you enjoy looking back through some of the year's highlights:

Signature Projects
Press Releases
eNewsletters
Videos
Photo Galleries

SIGNATURE PROJECTS

Pittsburgh 250 supported the completion of three grand openings that connect our past to our future, and will improve our quality of life for future generations:

PENNSYLVANIA'S FORBES TRAIL

Publication of Pennsylvania’s Forbes Trail: Gateways and Getaways along the Legendary Route from Philadelphia to Pittsburgh, the beautifully illustrated new guide to history, travel, outdoor adventure and family fun along the statewide trail. The 1758 Forbes Campaign was a turning point in the French and Indian War. After capturing French Fort Duquesne, British General John Forbes named the area Pittsburgh on November 25, 1758.
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GREAT ALLEGHENY PASSAGE

Completion of the Great Allegheny Passage (GAP), a 132-mile hiking and bicycling trail from Pittsburgh to Cumberland, Md. The GAP connects with the C&O Canal Towpath, creating a continuous trail from Pittsburgh to Washington, D.C. Much of the trail parallels the route travelled by George Washington, British General Edward Braddock and others used during the French and Indian War. The GAP and the Forbes Trail converge at Point State Park.
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TRANSFORMATION OF POINT STATE PARK

Renovation of Point State Park, Pittsburgh’s downtown centerpiece, through a multi-phased series of improvements that will enhance the beauty, accessibility and historic interpretation of the park, as well as upgrade its infrastructure. Located at the historic “Forks of the Ohio” – the convergence of the Allegheny, Monongahela and Ohio rivers –Point State Park is the former site of two French and Indian War-era forts, Fort Duquesne and Fort Pitt. Visitors to the park can see new tracery outlines of the forts, tour the Fort Pitt Museum and enjoy the refurbished green space during various outdoor festivals, concerts and events.

PRESS RELEASES

December 18, 2008
Pittsburgh 250 Blows Out Birthday Candles on Year-Long Celebration (PDF file)

December 17, 2008
Port Authority of Allegheny County has created a transit ad to congratulate the winners of the Snapshot250 photo competition that was sponsored by the Art Institute of Pittsburgh. (PDF file)

The in-transit ads may be seen in the entire fleet of 800 Port Authority busses beginning next week. The ad is designed to create awareness about the project, and to encourage people to visit the exhibit in Steel Plaza or online at snapshot250.com.

December 16, 2008
Soldiers & Sailors to Hold Press Conference - The Bow Ornament of the U.S.S. Pennsylvania Disembarks to Memorial Hall (PDF file)

November 21, 2008
City Council and City Clerk's Office Highlight Pittsburgh's History through Exhibition (PDF file)

November 20, 2008
Pittsburgh 250 Celebration Closes with Homecoming Weekend (PDF file)

November 18, 2008
Pittsburgh 250 Festival of Lights Extended Through November 21 (PDF file)

October 21, 2008
“My Tale of Two Cities” Screening is a Homecoming for Pittsburghers Everywhere (PDF file)

October 20, 2008
Ligonier 250 Fall Speaker Series Presents Professor Theodore J. Crackel (PDF file)

October 3, 2008
Montgomery Rust Inc. Joins ABC's "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" (PDF file)

October 3, 2008
Onorato, McAneny Announce Effort to Accommodate Great Allegheny Passage on Sandcastle Property (PDF file)

September 30, 2008
Specially Designed and Cast Bronze Marker Commemorates General John Forbes' 1758 Expedition (PDF file)

September 29, 2008
PNC Legacy Trail Riders Race to Finish Line, Start of Pittsburgh’s 250th (PDF file)

September 29, 2008
Descendant of General John Forbes Slated to Appear at Dedication Ceremony (PDF file)

September 25, 2008
Onorato, Surma Celebrate Major Milestone for Great Allegheny Passage (PDF file)