Pittsburg
John Knight was supposed to be the third settler in Noble County, who came into York Township sometime after 1829. Knight was a squatter and an adventurer,who did not care whether the land upon which he located was anything more than sufficient to furnish a living. He selected a burr-oak barren, when some of the finest farming land of the County lay within a mile. He was a skillful hunter, supporting himself and family largely by means of his rifle,although he cleared and cultivated a small garden of potatoes, corn, pumpkins, etc., which were traded to the Indians, who came often to his cabin. After Mr. Knight had been in the Township three or four years, Joseph Bradford proceeded to Fort Wayne and entered the quarter section upon which Knight had squatted, and the latter was obliged to leave the land, although Bradford had no excuse for his conduct except that he wanted to reap the reward of what few improvements had been made. Knight quietly took his departure and located in Elkhart Township.
John Knight united with William King and platted Pittsburg on the 9 June 1837 on the East half of the Northeast quarter of the East half of the Southeast quarter of Section 30 in Elkhart Township, on the North bank of the South fork of the Elkhart River, about 80 rods above the junction with the North fork, (or on the North side of Highway 6 approximately two miles West of Wawaka near the River.
Pittsburg was a dream City. Its founders had hoped it could become a steel producing community to rival its name-sake, Pittsburg, Pennsylvania. The dream never became a reality and Pittsburg became a Ghost town. Only one dwelling was ever started by Jacob Kessler, and it was never completed. The lots were soon returned to Agricultural pursuits.