David McKee emigrated from Scotland and was the first permanent white settler at the forks of the Monongahela and Youghiogheny Rivers, the site of present-day McKeesport, in 1755.

After taking over his father's local river ferry business, he devised a plan for a city to be called McKee's Port in 1795.

[4] John set out his proposal in the Pittsburgh Gazette, as part of a program under which new residents could purchase plots of land for $20.00.

The subsequent decline since then is attributable to the general economic malaise that descended upon the region when the steelmaking industry moved elsewhere.

Around 1,000 firefighters from more than 40 neighboring fire companies responded to assist, and a contingent of the Pennsylvania Army National Guard were deployed.

The McKeesport Daily News reported the next day that "only shells and piles of rubble" remained "where city landmarks once stood.

[16] McKeesport is located about 12 miles (19 km) upstream, and south, from Pittsburgh, at the confluence of the Monongahela and Youghiogheny rivers.

Port Vue, the Borough of Liberty and Elizabeth Township are located across the Youghiogheny River to the west, connected by the 15th Street Bridge.

Started in 1960, the three-day festival is one of the Pittsburgh-area's largest and oldest ethnic festivals and features traditional cuisines from Africa, China, Croatia, England, France, Germany, Greece, Hawaii, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Lebanon, the Mediterranean, Mexico, Poland, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Sweden, and Vietnam.

[25] McKeesport operates under a home rule charter based on a “Strong Mayor”/Council form of government, adopted in 1974.

The Mayor serves as the leader of the City government, and is vested exclusive executive and administrative authority.

[26] The current mayor of McKeesport is Democrat Michael Cherepko, a former City Councilman and McKeesport Area School District teacher, He was elected in 2011, defeating Independent candidate Raymond Malinchak and was re-elected for a second and third term, commencing in January 2016 and January 2020 respectively.

Mayor's Committees were first developed in their current form by Michael Cherepko and serve as advisory bodies with no formal powers.

The McKeesport City Council consists of seven individuals elected “at large” for staggered four‐ year terms.

The Council acts as the legislative body and is responsible for establishing policy through the adoption of ordinances, resolutions, or motions.

McKeesport is also connected to Route 837 by the McKeesport-Duquesne Bridge, the terminus of the Green Belt, providing a direct link to Pittsburgh.

The city is served by the Pittsburgh Regional Transit intracity and intercity bus network, and Heritage Community Transportation.

The McKeesport Transportation Center serves as the primary transit hub of the city, and underwent a $1 million redevelopment in 2017.

[citation needed] McKeesport appears briefly in the Marvel comic Dark Reign: Zodiac#1.