The Pittsburgh railroad strike of 1877 was the most violent episode of the Great Railroad Strike, resulting in 61 deaths and millions in property damage.
Key Facts
- Deaths
- Estimated 61 killed (including women and children)
- Buildings destroyed
- Union Depot and 38 other buildings burned
- Locomotives destroyed
- More than 120
- Rail cars destroyed
- More than 1,200
- Estimated losses
- $2–$5 million (1877); ~$50–$140 million in 2024
- Duration of rail stoppage
- Trains did not run for one week after violence ended
By the Numbers
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
Railroad companies repeatedly cut wages and sometimes increased workloads during the economic recession that followed the Panic of 1873. These deteriorating conditions fueled widespread labor discontent across the United States, culminating in the Great Railroad Strike of 1877, with Pittsburgh—a major hub of the Pennsylvania Railroad—becoming a flashpoint.
Between July 21 and 22, 1877, striking workers and crowds rioted in Pittsburgh, killing an estimated 61 people. Strikers burned the Union Depot and 38 other railroad buildings, destroyed over 120 locomotives and 1,200 rail cars, and caused $2–$5 million in damages. Order was not restored until July 28–30, when fresh troops arrived and trains resumed service.
The Pittsburgh riots solidified public and political support for labor organizations that had weakened during years of economic downturn. Blame was distributed among railroad management, sympathetic militia members, and outside agitators. Historical markers were later erected across Pittsburgh to commemorate the events, and the strike influenced subsequent labor law and labor movement organizing in the United States.
Political Outcome
Violence was suppressed by fresh military troops by July 30, 1877; trains resumed service, but the strike strengthened the broader labor movement and prompted legislative inquiry into railroad practices.
Railroad companies held dominance over wages and working conditions amid post-Panic of 1873 recession
Labor groups gained increased public sympathy and organizational momentum following the riots