About the Region

Pittsburgh, second only to Philadelphia in population, is the runner-up as the largest city in Pennsylvania and is the largest urban area in Allegheny County. The city sits at the confluence of the Ohio, Allegheny, and Monongahela Rivers. As visually scenic as it is socially interactive, the area features lovely geography, which has been artfully shaped by the three rivers of the area into an exquisite combination of hillsides, plateaus, and narrow valleys.

An Overview of Allegheny County

Allegheny County is the principal county of the Pittsburgh metro area. The county is located in the southwest portion of the state of Pennsylvania.

In our use, the term Allegheny County Directory refers to the counties of Allegheny and West Westmoreland and the cities located within these areas. Sorted by geographic location within the region, Allegheny County and the neighboring Pittsburgh area encompass the following cities:

Cities in Northwest Pittsburgh: Bellevue, Ben Avon, Coraopolis, Emsworth, Gibsonia, McCandless, Millvale, Moon, Sewickley, Warrendale, Wexford

Cities in Northeast Pittsburgh: Allison Park, Aspinwall, Cheswick, Dorseyville, Etna, Fox Chapel, Glenshaw, Harmarville, Indianola, Natrona Heights, Oakmont, Plum, Russellton, Springdale, Tarentum, Verona

Cities in Southwest Pittsburgh: Baldwin, Bethel Park, Brentwood, Bridgeville, Carnegie, Castle Shannon, Dormont, Greentree, Kirwan Heights, Library, McKees Rocks, Mt. Lebanon, Mt. Oliver, Oakdale, South Park, Upper St. Clair, Whitehall

Cities in Southeast Pittsburgh: Braddock, Church Hill, Dravosburg, Duquesne, East McKeesport, Edgewood, Forest Hills, Glassport, Homestead, Jefferson Hills, McKeesport, Monroeville, North Versailles, Penn Hills, Pitcairn, Pleasant Hills, Squirrel Hill, Swissvale, Turtle Creek, West Mifflin, White Oak, Wilkinsburg, Wilmerding

The Climate of Allegheny County

Due to its Northern position, Allegheny County experiences a full complement of the seasons. The local parks are known for their beauty in the fall. The area averages 36 inches of rain per year that is distributed equally amid the glorious seasons, nourishing local vegetation as well as the dense forests on the outskirts of the city. Summers average 82.5 degrees and are humid. The average temperature in the winter is 33.7 degrees with snow accumulating during the winter months and March often the taking the brunt of it as the most snow-drenched month.

History of the Region

The Iroquois first inhabited the area and predominately controlled the region until 1763. In 1753, a young George Washington recommended a military fort be located at the junction of the three rivers that define the Pittsburgh region. The area was of major military significance during early American History, yet throughout its heritage changed hands three times from early Republic control to the French and then to the British. During the British occupation in 1760, the area was named Fort Pitt (Pitts borough) after William Pitt. With a major attribute being its site location at the junction of the three rivers, the fort became vital as a major trade junction for goods going west. In 1816 the city of Pittsburgh was incorporated into the union and began the transformation into the city many modern Americans call home.

In the 19th and 20th centuries, the city expanded rapidly and grew into a major industrial site while also developing into an active hub of commerce. From boat building and iron works to petroleum and steel production, the city grew rapidly and experienced intense cycles of growth, which directly formed the city's individual dynamic. Although modern Pittsburgh, sometimes known as the 'Iron City', is still a major producer of steel, the city has since become synonymous with the fields of medicine and science, to which it contributes extensive research and exploration of established concepts.

With the extraordinarily beautiful scenery and celebrated legacy of the area, the city of Pittsburgh is an upbeat and interesting place to live. The entire region offers a wide variety of senior living options and related senior care services as well as providing an extensive range of services for seniors that can only be found in large urban areas of the country.

Attractions of the Area

The history of Pittsburgh reflects early American heritage, specifically the history of Pittsburgh industrialists such as Andrew Carnegie and Henry Clay Frick. Around the city of Pittsburgh are numerous examples of 19th century entrepreneurial influence seen in such sites as the Phipps Conservatory, Lost Kennywood Park, The Carnegie's Museum of Natural History, Duquesne Incline, Mt. Washington Hillside and the Frick Art & Historical Center, to name a few.

Some of the more prominent attractions in the area are the local riverboats. With three magnificently raw rivers in the area, today's recreational riverboat industry is thriving. Begun in the early 1950's, the potential for recreational river traffic was recognized and the waters were established as not only commercial profit venues but as recreational resources as well.

A distinctive array of entertainment and sightseeing options are also available in the city of Pittsburgh as well. Some of these specialty attractions include the Nationality Rooms at the Cathedral of Learning, Mount Washington, the Andy Warhol Museum, the Frick Car and Carriage Museum, Hartwood Acres and Mansion, the Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens and the Pittsburgh Aquarium, all wonderfully interesting and thoroughly enjoyable.

Also, distinctive in the city of Pittsburgh is the renowned "Small Town Charm", which is a quality the city is known for. Although the Iron City is a sizeable contemporary metropolis, the city has many small, close-knit neighborhoods throughout its reaches, giving many the sense of community and shared purpose amid the demanding pursuits of the city.

Below is a breakdown of cities in and around the Pittsburgh area:

Baldwin – Featuring a population around 20,000 and a suitable location near the thriving Pittsburgh area, Baldwin is an averagely sized city with much to offer its residents.

Carnegie – Known as a colorful ethnically diverse region of Pittsburgh, Carnegie includes a myriad of churches, restaurants and community locales tailored to the cultures of many living in the Iron City. Despite its name, there were never any large steel mills in the city of Carnegie, seeing as it isn't situated along a river.

Dormont – Dormont is a suburb of Pittsburgh located in Allegheny County Pennsylvania and has a population of just over 9,000.

McKees Rocks – Located in Allegheny County, McKees Rocks had a population of 6,622 as of the 2000 census and lied along the west bank of the Ohio River. Home to several neighborhoods including Preston, Meyers Ridge and West Park, McKees Rocks is an individual Pittsburgh exurb where many native Pennsylvanians reside.

Mount Oliver – Mount Oliver, a borough of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania has a small population of approximately 4,000 and is positioned approximately three miles West of the Monongahela River.

Transportation of the Region

The Port Authority of Allegheny County in Pittsburgh and surrounding areas is a widespread systematic combined plan of bus ways, a 25-mile light rail system, known as the T, and two inclines, the Monongahela and the Duquesne, which transport passengers up steep gradients 400-650 in length. Within the regions of Allegheny county and Pittsburgh, senior citizens ride free with proof of age and Pennsylvania ID cards, and are also able to utilize ACCESS transit advanced reservation services that provide door-to-door transportation assistance to seniors and individuals with disabilities.

Senior Services in the Allegheny County

The urban areas of Allegheny and West Westmoreland Counties offer seniors a variety of specialty housing choices ranging from independent retirement communities, continuum of care communities, assisted living, skilled nursing, Alzheimer's assisted and Alzheimer's skilled nursing. Other senior services in the area include a wide choice of home health care, home medical services and senior support services. The state of Pennsylvania offers a Senior Interests Program, which plan and perform specially-tailored activities including pastimes like group sports and luncheons, while also providing invaluable government and referral support, such as tax preparation, housing rebates and transportation assistance, just for seniors. Use our Search Senior Services link to learn more about the variety of senior housing and senior support services located in Pittsburgh and Allegheny County, Pennsylvania.

Visit our Local Links web page to learn more about this area and use our Search Senior Services to find senior services. Tell companies you found them through www.SeniorsResourceGuide.com.

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