the lyrics of the second stanza refer to the geographical location of the university in pittsburgh and that city's role in the early nation as the "gateway to the west". "first beyond the mountains founded" refers to the fact that the university of pittsburgh is the oldest continuously chartered institution of learning in the u.s., west of the allegheny mountains. the verse stating "twin rivers forest bounded, merge and journey toward the sea" refers to the confluence of the allegheny river from the northeast and monongahela river from the southeast to form the ohio river which eventually merges into the mississippi river that runs in the gulf of mexico. the "dawning of the nation" refers to the cities establishment as a fort and trading post prior to the american revolution and the founding of the school in 1787, just before the beginning of the constitutional convention, and to the "rough-hewn habitation" refers to the mostly log and wooden structures that made up the early city at this time, including the school's own origins in a log cabin.