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| - I love this park! The Point is on 36 acres "acquired" through eminent domain from industrial companies back in the 1950's. This area is rich in history, forts once stood here, and it was a major battlefield. It's interesting to learn about their role in the French & Indian War and the American Revolution.
During the early days of Pittsburgh, the Point was the hub for industry. By the 1930s it was occupied by warehouses and railroad yards. Search the web for pictures of the Point way back when. Not a pretty sight. In 1945, the area was even worse due to World War II and the Great Depression. The total assessed property value in the Golden Triangle was at a record low and falling.
During World War II, federal and local authorities decided to create a park to commemorate the site's history. Pittsburgh department store owner, Edgar Kaufmann became chair person of a committee to look into the Point Park. Kaufmann wanted a plan for that was more urban and developed than others were imagining. He was a supporter of Pittsburgh CLO and wanted to provide it with a permanent building. He brought in Frank Lloyd Wright, who designed Fallingwater. Plans for Point Park Civic Center fell through and the site was turned into a park. Areas adjoining the park were condemned to permit commercial development, including Gateway Center.
The Fort Pitt blockhouse remains intact, and three of the five bastions of the fort have been restored. The state acquired almost all property for the site by 1949, at a cost of $7,588,500 and the park and fountain was finally completed in August 1974. The blockhouse is the only intact remnant of Fort Pitt. It was built in 1764 and is believed to be the oldest building in Western Pennsylvania. It was used for many years as a house. It was purchased and has been preserved by the Daughters of the American Revolution, who open it to the public.
The park also includes the outlines and remains of two of the oldest structures in Pittsburgh, Fort Pitt and Fort Duquesne. The Fort Pitt Museum commemorates the French and Indian War (1754-63). The park is a registered National Historic Landmark and is operated by the Pennsylvania Bureau of State Parks. Point State Park is so much more than just a place to watch the Regatta or walk your dog. When you are here, you are standing on history.
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