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Situated southeast of Pittsburgh along the Monongahela River, McKeesport's growth was driven by the steel industry, reaching 55,000 residents in 1940. Following the decline of steel in the '70s and '80s, the population fell sharply to just over 16,700, a decline of nearly 70%.
This city vividly demonstrates how reliance on a single industry can devastate a community when that industry collapses.
3. Johnstown, Pennsylvania: The Flood City
Founded in 1852 and thriving on steel manufacturing, Johnstown's population reached 67,000 in 1920. However, the city also bears the scars of natural disaster, most notably the devastating flood of 1889 caused by dam failure, which caused destruction and loss of life.