Plenty of Legendary Characters from W. Pa some myth others from real life.

If you ever spent any time around Pittsburgh you more than likely heard the legends about people like Joe Magarac the mighty Steel Worker  who saved the steel industry  and Mike Fink the King of the Keel Boaters  and Johnny Apple Seed.
As I drive thru the town of Braddock past USS Edgar Thompson Plant there is a statue to  Joe Magarac The Legendary Steel Worker who could bend railroad rails with his bare hands and  allowed himself to be consumed by the flames of a steel ladle to make the steel strong and pure to build a new steel mill in late 1800's.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joe_Magarac

http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/9492/1/Joe-Magarac-a-legendary-Croatian-steel-worker-in-the-USA.html

Joe Magarac Statue at Edgar Thompson Works

 There is even a fantastic stained glass window which lights up at night on an office building in downtown Pittsburgh at 6th & Wood Street

But While Joe Magarac is a made up legend

 Mike Fink the king of the Keel Boaters is based on a real life person .

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mike_Fink

 

http://www.patriotshistoryusa.com/teaching-materials/bonus-materials/mike-fink-king-of-the-river/

Before the system of locks and dams where put in place to make the rivers navigable they used keel boats which where meant for a one way trip from Pittsburgh  to points south  where they where then disasembled and used to build new structures.  Powered by powerful men with long wooden poles which sank into the river mud and provided the push. Among these men was Mike Fink.
 A marksmen Indian scout and brawler who they said could take on a whole boat full of men by himself .and shoot the feather off a Indians head at a 100yards.

Of course plenty of Mikes legendary exploits have become Tall tales along the way  much in the way Joe Majarac could bend steel rails in his bare hands.

On the other hand Johnny AppleSeed's  Tales are real 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johnny_Appleseed

http://www.biography.com/people/johnny-appleseed-38103#career

He was a well known nurseryman who planted Apple trees thru out Ohio, Pa , Indiana and other states and said to have lived in Pittsburgh on grants Hill at one time . while the legend has him just randomly throwing and planting trees he instead formed small nursery's where trees where properly and carefully raised.

He is the reason we have so many fantastic apple variety's to this day.

Yes Western Pa.   is full of Tall tales and legends and these are just 3 of them.