A Brief History of Clairton

Clairton




Clairton began just after the turn of the 20th century. The Crucible Steel Company got a large piece of land along the Mon River just south of Pittsburgh. Afterwards, the Carnegie Steel Company built a steel mill and coke production facility—the world’s largest. On April 12, 1903, Clairton was incorporated as a borough and on January 1, 1922, the neighborhood was incorporated was a city of the third class. Over the next few years, Clairton grew and advanced. The city peaked in the late 1950s. When the steel industry declined, Clairton experienced problems with employment and its tax base. In 1988 it was designated a distressed muncipality by Pennsylvania’s Department of Community Affairs. More recently, Clairton High School’s football team has achieved success.



Facts about Clairton

Clairton




Clairton was the setting for the movie The Deer Hunter. However, none of the movie was filmed in Clairton. Interestingly enough, the movie was filmed in other mill towns in the Mon River Valley and in the tri-state area. The opening scene, which a large sign “Welcome to Clairton, City of Prayer” was used was actually shot in Mingo Junction, Ohio. The Montour Trail extends from Clairton to Coraopolis. The majority of Clairton is bordered by land with Jefferson Hills and West Mifflin to the north.



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