Photos of the Week: Glimpse of the Future

‘Hell with the lid taken off.”

That infamous description of Pittsburgh was written by James Parton in 1868 after he toured the city that was on the cusp of becoming the biggest steel producer on the planet.

The bright orange glow of dozens of furnaces in the steel mills lining the rivers and the accompanying smoke and soot prompted Parton’s observation, and that image became the city’s identity for more than a century.

Pittsburgh’s steel history remains a large part of its DNA, and its residents are proud of their heritage as hardworking people who in many ways built the modern United States.

But it is history. The steel industry’s steep decline occurred 40 years ago, and Pittsburgh has since reinvented itself as a center for cutting-edge technology, finance, innovative health care, world-class higher education and advanced manufacturing.

That evolution is also a large part of the region’s DNA now, and it will fuel the next century of Pittsburgh’s story.

With the parks, skyscrapers, bridges, sports stadiums and universities, it’s tough to find a more beautiful sight than the three rivers carving their way through the lush rolling hills of western Pennsylvania.

Matt Grossman knows that, which is why he took this gorgeous aerial photo of Pittsburgh as he flew in from Charlotte this spring.

Of course, the most important growth takes place in people themselves. Learning new ideas and embracing new experiences is a fundamental part of our humanity, and you never know what may strike a spark to change someone’s life journey.

For example, when Kellie Moya’s sons Caiden and Ethan got to tour a cockpit after a flight from Orlando to Phoenix, they certainly looked like a pair of young pilots.

Perhaps, decades from now, they’ll remember this moment as the one that fueled the next chapter of their stories.

Thanks, Matt and Kellie!

Our readers continue to pass along shots of unique aircraft, international airports, historical events, gorgeous views and even family vacation photos for this feature. We love them! Keep them coming—you can click here for submission guidelines.

Kellie Moya’s sons – Caiden and Ethan – experience a tour of a Boeing 737 cockpit while traveling between Orlando and Phoenix. (Photo submitted by Angie Hart)