It is one of Pittsburgh’s landmarks, attracting around 1.8 million visitors each year and serving as a backdrop for marriage proposals, family photos and graduation ceremonies. This year marks the 50th anniversary of the fountain in Point State Park.
Although no “Happy Birthday” was sung for the 45-meter-high water feature, politicians, representatives of non-profit organizations and environmental activists still happily commemorated the 50-year existence of the fountain and its historic location.
The confluence of Pittsburgh’s rivers was an important site for Native Americans, who used the waters for transportation and food, and celebrated the rivers themselves. It then briefly became home to British soldiers at Fort Prince George before being surrendered to the French in 1754 and becoming Fort Duquesne.
The French held the fort during the French and Indian War, but four years later they burned it to the ground when news arrived that 6,000 British troops were on their way to take the area. The British victory led to the construction of Fort Pitt, named after William Pitt, Earl of Chatham (and the namesake of the city of Pittsburgh).
In the years that followed, Point developed into an industrial site. Several railroad lines passed through the area, and an exhibition hall was also built here. It was also the meeting point of two earlier bridges over the rivers, the Manchester Bridge and the Point Bridge. Several prominent architects of the time, including Robert Moses and Frank Lloyd Wright, made plans for the area in the early 1900s. Although their ideas were not celebrated by all, the majority of city leaders at the time saw the region as a public gathering place, which led to the creation of Point State Park, which is recognized as a Pennsylvania state park.
Katie Blackley
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90.5 WESA
After the two nearby bridges were removed in the early 1970s, work began on the fountain. It opened in 1974 when the Pittsburgh Pirates hosted the MLB All-Star Game. Since then, it has undergone several renovations, most notably between 2009 and 2013, when $9.6 million was invested in modernizing the structure.
Cindy Adams Dunn, secretary of the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, attended Wednesday’s memorial service and said the water feature is an integral part of the city’s character.
“That’s the best thing about parks – they bring people together. You see each other enjoying a public place,” Dunn said. “It’s one of those unifying features in the Pennsylvania landscape that’s really remarkable, and this fountain expresses all of that.”
DCNR’s Jake Weiland recalled all of the city’s sporting milestones that the fountain has witnessed since its opening.
“The fountain has witnessed all six Super Bowl victories of the Pittsburgh Steelers, all five Stanley Cup victories of the Pittsburgh Penguins and the 1979 World Series won by our hometown team, the Pittsburgh Pirates,” Weiland said.
The current well mainly uses water from an aquifer (sorry, there is actually no fourth river) with a capacity of about 1.2 million gallons of filtered water per hour. It also draws water from the Pittsburgh Water and Sewer Authority and operates 150-horsepower motors, three Peacock fans, and Infinity Edge.
Wednesday’s ceremony included proclamations from Governor Josh Shapiro and Mayor Ed Gainey, both of whom were absent in person but represented by members of their staff.
Katie Blackley
/
90.5 WESA
VisitPittsburgh President and CEO Jared Baker described the fountain and the landmarks surrounding it as one of the city’s most significant and representative elements.
“When you think of Pittsburgh, it’s hard not to picture this historic water feature,” Baker said. “It has become an emblem of who we are, a reminder of our transformation and the transformation of this amazing city, and a pillar of our welcoming city.”
The Point is the westernmost terminus of the Great Allegheny Passage, which runs from Pittsburgh to Washington, DC, and is frequently biked. It is also being considered as a site for the 2026 NFL Draft in Pittsburgh.
