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Bounded by the Allegheny River to the north, Penn Hills, Pennsylvania is just a few miles east of the Pittsburgh downtown area. Settled in the years after the French and Indian War and Pontiac’s Rebellion, the area which eventually would be called Penn Hills was primarily home to a few scattered farms in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. In the mid-1800’s, as America’s industrial revolution revved up, Penn Hills became a center for coal mining and steel manufacturing. In 1906 the Universal Atlas Cement Company, a subsidiary of Andrew Carnegie’s United States Steel Corporation, opened in Penn Hills. Carnegie purchased the land from the Hershey family to build a 200-acre facility which at one time was one of the largest industrial plants in the world and the bedrock of the area’s economy. With the decline in old industries such as coal and steel in the second half of the 20th century, the Universal plant closed in 1979 amid new pollution regulations. Dormant for many years, it has, in recent years, become a destination for urban explorers who like to brave abandoned buildings and silos in search of adventure. Indeed, pictures of the plant today reveal an overgrown relic not unlike the temples of old which might be entered by the likes of Indiana Jones. Today, Penn Hills is mostly a quiet, residential community with many of its residents making the short commute Pittsburgh.

It’s certain that a Penn Hills tutor will keep you ahead of the academic curve so you can take some time away from the books to enjoy the attractions and amenities in Penn Hills and the Pittsburgh metropolitan region. For outdoor enthusiasts, there are several public parks in the Penn Hills area. Community Park on the eastern edge features athletic fields, pavilions and playgrounds. Other parks, including Sycamore Park, Maple Park and Red Oak Park offer the usual recreational opportunities for visitors including hiking and biking trails, basketball courts and picnic grounds.

Just a short drive west, the Pittsburgh Zoo and PPG Aquarium is a popular destination for residents and visitors alike. Opened in 1898, the zoo offered visitors a look at animals and plants from all over the world. Today, the zoo has many more exhibits and natural habitats including the Tropical Forest, African Savanna and Jungle Odyssey. Water’s Edge features polar bears, sea otters and sand tiger sharks. The aquarium, built in 1967, contains displays portraying different marine ecosystems such as a tropical rainforest and the Allegheny River. One of the more popular areas of the zoo is the sea lion exhibit in the Kid’s Kingdom.

Residents of Penn Hills benefit from being just a few minutes from downtown Pittsburgh. The Strip District along the eastern shore of the Allegheny has developed into a popular destination for shoppers and foodies alike. Originally a hub for industrial mills and manufacturing, the area is now home to open-air farmer’s markets, street vendors, art galleries and trendy shops. An affiliate of the Smithsonian, the Heinz History Center in the Strip District offers six floors of permanent and rotating exhibits that chronicle the history of Pennsylvania and the United States. Displays include “#Pixburgh: A Photgraphic Experience” and “Destination Moon: The Apollo 11 Mission.” The museum’s space is also home to the Western Pennsylvania Sports Museum and the Fort Pitt Museum.