The Heartland region was once a hub of turn-of-the-century manufacturing and steel production and exemplified how the Industrial Revolution made cities thrive. However, many parts of the region in the late 1900s and early 2000s gained notoriety due to a combination of economic factors and industrial decline — giving it the baneful nickname “The Rust Belt.”
Pittsburgh, once known as the Steel City, was severely impacted by the decline of the steel industry in the 1970s and 1980s. Detroit,…
