Local History Connected to the Month of February
Here are some interesting February-related stories tied to Pittsburgh neighborhoods and suburbs.
FEBRUARY 1916 – BIRTH OF MODERN RADIO
• Pittsburgh is often called the birthplace of commercial radio.
• In February 1916, local inventor Frank Conrad made one of the first regular radio music broadcasts from his garage in Wilkinsburg, just outside the city.
• This work directly led to KDKA, the world’ s first commercial radio station.
FEBRUARY 9, 1967 – THE PENGUINS ARE BORN
• The NHL officially awarded Pittsburgh an expansion franchise on Feb. 9, 1967.
• The team’ s name,“ Penguins,” was inspired by the Pittsburgh Civic Arena, nicknamed“ The Igloo.”
Mellon Arena in downtown Pittsburgh in 2007.
WINTER INDUSTRY & STEEL DOMINANCE
• February historically marked peak production time for Pittsburgh’ s steel mills, which ran nonstop through harsh winters.
• By the early 20th century, Pittsburgh was producing more steel than any city in the world, shaping its identity as the Steel City.
Photograph of molten pig iron being poured into an open-hearth furnace at the Jones and Laughlin Steel Company, Pittsburgh.
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