Forging the Steel City: The Legacies of the Gilded Age in Pittsburgh Roundtable

During the Gilded Age, a small, but powerful group of industrialists called Pittsburgh their home. While they used their wealth and privilege to establish museums and universities, their lavish lifestyles filled with luxurious travel, private education, and sprawling estates sharply contrasted with the lived experience of most Pittsburghers, who made their livelihoods serving in wealthy homes and working in the hazardous steel and coke mills. These industrialists, including Henry Clay Frick and Andrew Carnegie, have left an indelible mark on the fabric of Pittsburgh, shaping the city, its economy, and culture.

This roundtable looks beneath the gleaming veneer of the Gilded Age to explore the impact, both positive and negative, of the industrialists who ruled Pittsburgh’s economy and society. In this roundtable, local experts in labor, ecology, the arts, philanthropy, and social issues will examine the legacies of Henry Clay Frick and his counterparts on the culture, land, and economy of Western PA.

(Header) Pittsburgh steel mill (1890’s). Getty Images.