[2] The Riverhounds were founded by Paul Heasley, chief executive of Pittsburgh-based Alliance International Ltd., a merchant banking and investment firm, in 1998 as a member of the USL A-League.
[6] Heasley, based in Belle Vernon, Pennsylvania, wanted to create role models and a pathway to a professional career for local talent.
John Kowalski was named the first head coach of the club and Justin Evans, a local Peters Township native, was the first player drafted to play for the Riverhounds.
[17] The Riverhounds played both the 2005 and 2006 seasons at the Wild Things' minor league baseball stadium, Consol Energy Park, on the outskirts of Washington, Pennsylvania, about 30 miles (48 km) south of Pittsburgh.
The franchise continued to hold soccer academies and training for youths across the tri-state Area, but went on hiatus and did not play during the 2007 season due to a structural reorganization.
Beginning with the 2008 season, Chartiers Valley High School's stadium, located just off the Kirwan Heights exit of Interstate 79 in Pittsburgh's South Hills, would be the new home of the Riverhounds.
[2][20] Months before the opening of the 2012 USL Pro season, despite speculation and previous attempts to build a permanent home for the Riverhounds at other locations, on December 8, 2011, it was revealed that a stadium for the club could be built at Station Square on what was, at the time, the site of the amphitheater close to downtown Pittsburgh as part of a redevelopment of the area.
[27] In 2012, the Riverhounds also experienced a short run in the 2012 U.S. Open Cup as they entered and were eliminated in the 2nd round after losing 0–1 to the Michigan Bucks of the lower division Premier Development League.
[22] Prior to the 2013 USL Pro season, Pittsburgh signed several experienced offensive players such as Rob Vincent,[30] Kevin Kerr, and José Angulo.
[43] In October following the 2013 season, it was announced that former minority shareholder Tuffy Shallenberger had become the majority owner of both the Riverhounds and Highmark Stadium with 51% ownership, with some of his new shares being purchased from Jason Kutney.
[45] Despite, and potentially because of, the Riverhounds organization's rapid growth, the team filed for voluntary Chapter 11 Bankruptcy Reorganization on March 26, 2014, before the start of the 2014 USL Pro season.
Riverhounds majority owner Tuffy Shallenberger stated that the voluntary filing was necessary to reorganize and alleviate financial stresses on the club that stemmed from additional spending which was incurred to increase construction speed at Highmark Stadium which was not part of the original $10.6 million budget.
Additionally, Riverhounds CEO Jason Kutney stated that the restructuring of debt would, "put the company in a position where that (joining MLS) can be considered, we have to right the ship and make sure we have a model that can work long-term" and that, "We want to break free of these shackles that have held this company hostage the last few months and restructure debt to the point that we can fully engage these (growth) models."
Shallenberger stated at that time that he would provide interim financing to keep the team and stadium running during bankruptcy and that the schedule and day-to-day operations of the club would be not affected.
[47] As part of the affiliation, Houston loaned Brian Ownby, Michael Lisch, Anthony Arena, Bryan Salazar, and Jason Johnson back and forth with the Riverhounds throughout the season.
[54] Although they did not qualify for the playoffs, the Riverhounds experienced a strong U.S. Open Cup run, advancing to the fourth round before losing to the Chicago Fire 1–2 after adverse weather conditions halted the match three minutes into the second half.
[59] International players such as South African Lebogang Moloto,[58] Brazilian Vini Dantas,[60] Haitian Max Touloute,[61] Jamaican Ryan Thompson, and Canadian Tyler Pasher[62] were signed to the heavily revamped roster while Colombian José Angulo, 2013 league MVP, former record-holding goalscorer, and the Riverhounds' top scorer the previous two seasons, left the club and signed with the Fort Lauderdale Strikers of the North American Soccer League.
[10][72][73] Three days later on May 30, 2015, the Riverhounds played what one columnist called the "club's greatest ever game" as the team scored three goals in stoppage time for a 6–5 victory over the Harrisburg City Islanders.
[78] The Riverhounds went on to earn a 2–1 victory in the match, clinching a playoff spot and fifth place in the eastern conference, in addition to securing the inaugural Keystone Derby Cup between the two Pennsylvania clubs.
[84] One source indicated the reason for the dismissal was a rift between the former general manager and the ownership, staff, and players created by Nightingale trying to impose his own decisions that Shallenberger preferred to leave to Steffens.
[87] In November 2015 it was announced that Jamaican international goalkeeper Ryan Thompson and the Riverhounds agreed to mutually part ways in the offseason so that he could pursue a contract in Europe or Major League Soccer following his performances as Jamaica's starter at the 2015 CONCACAF Gold Cup.
[91] Prior to the opening game of the 2016 season, the Riverhounds unveiled a signature beer available at Highmark Stadium, Golden Hound Ale brewed by Pittsburgh-based Penn Brewery.
[92] Following the sixth match of the season on May 7, 2016, the contract of Romeo Parkes, the team's top goal scorer, was terminated after he kicked New York Red Bulls II defender Karl Ouimette from behind in an incident that sent the player to the hospital.
[94] After not recording a win in the club's first seven games of the season and being eliminated from the 2016 U.S. Open Cup after losing its first match to amateur side Landsdowne Bhoys FC 0–2, head coach Mark Steffens was relieved of his duties on May 21, 2016.
[97] The club's top scorer for the season was Corey Hertzog who scored 13 goals in 30 matches and finishing the league golden boot race in sixth place.
[106] Saint Louis FC announced the signing of Riverhounds SC's top scorer Corey Hertzog on December 11, 2017, ending the striker's two-year stint with the club.
The new crest was designed in the traditional colors of Pittsburgh sports, black and gold, and incorporated iconic symbols of the city including its bridges and rivers.
[124] In April 2015, it was announced that the Riverhounds Academy would shift its center of operations from the Greentree SportsPlex to the Allegheny Health Network Sports Complex at Cool Springs in Pittsburgh's South Hills.
[127] Riverhounds CEO Jason Kutney stated that the purpose of the team would be to provide standout local college players a place to play in the summer, something that they had not previously had.
Chris Shovlin returned to form a play-by-play partnership with former Riverhounds assistant coach Paul Child on Fox Sports Radio.