mckeesport regional history & heritage center

This is a great little place for someone to visit. If you just moved here, passing by or been living here, you should stop in. It's not huge inside, but it's full of neat stuff.

At one time McKeesport rivaled Pittsburgh for its business and entertainment. The Heritage Center is a good place to learn about how important McKeesport was at one time. For those who have ties to the mills, especially U.S. Steel, there's a wonderful 3-d display, along with other industrial items. There's also various merchandise from other eras that profile the stores that once peppered the downtown area, and even the first schoolhouse. There's also a nice selection of antiques from everyday living. Even if you're not from the Mon Valley, if you have an interest in local history, plan a stop here. It's free and well worth your time. When I visited there was also an exhibit on SW PA Civil War history; the materials came from the Heinz History Center in Pittsburgh. The volunteers are passionate. Support them by visiting! The only negative thing I can say is that the Center is only open on a limited basis. Check the web site for hours and days. When you're done take a stroll in Renzie Park, where the Center is located. There's also a small pond across the street. You can definitely spend some quality time here.

This gem is a hidden treasure in the former industrial hub of McKeesport. I would recommend anyone who is interested in southwestern-Pennsylvania history specifically, or industrial history in general, to plan a trip here. To peruse their museum displays, you could probably do it within 45 minutes - 1 hour. However, if you're a true history buff, you could also scroll through their microfilmed-U.S. Census records or their microfilmed-collection of the McKeesport Daily News (going back nearly to the newspaper's inception over 100 years ago!)