National Geographic highlights this Pittsburgh street as American wonder
What do a tiny post office in Florida, a massive hot air balloon festival in New Mexico and a street in Pittsburgh have in common?
If you ask National Geographic, they're some of the many landmarks and pieces of culture that capture the spirit of America.
To celebrate the United State's 250th birthday, National Geographic compiled a Wonders of America list, which highlights "the grandest, wildest, strangest bits of geography and culture all across an eclectic country" to celebrate America's 250th birthday. Among numerous places around the country, Pittsburgh's Canton Avenue was highlighted for its steepness and the community in the area.
Pittsburgh's Canton Ave. lands on National Geographic list celebrating American landmarks
National Geographic's Wonders of America list includes natural landmarks, like the shadiest oak tree in Waycross, Georgia and the most biodiverse national park in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park in the South. It also highlights unique parts of America's culture, like the longest running hot dog stand in Fort Wayne, Indiana, the largest mosaic installation in St. Louis, Missouri, and the oldest rodeo in Prescott, Arizona.
Canton Avenue was highlighted for the steepness of the street, with National Geographic noting that because of the incline, the area "brings out good old-fashioned American neighborliness," with residents helping one another navigate the street with groceries, administering aid to cyclists during an annual race and warning delivery drivers not to stop on the hill, where transmissions can get stuck.
Is Pittsburgh home to America's steepest street?
Some streets in the U.S. have sections with a steeper grade than what you'll find on Canton Avenue, but the Pittsburgh street has the steepest average grade in the continental United States, according to Uncovering PA.
The 600-foot-long street, located in Pittsburgh's Beechview neighborhood southwest of downtown, has an average grade of 30%, and it reaches a grade of 37% at one section.
Finch Walker is the Pittsburgh Connect Reporter for the USA TODAY Network. Contact Walker at FWalker@usatodayco.com. Instagram: @finchwalker_. X: @_finchwalker.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: National Geographic highlights this Pittsburgh street as American wonder
Reporting by Finch Walker, USA TODAY NETWORK / USA TODAY
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This story was originally published July 10, 2026 at 1:08 PM.