Connellsville, Pennsylvania
Encyclopedia
Connellsville is a city in Fayette County
, Pennsylvania
, USA
, 57 miles (92 km) southeast of Pittsburgh on the Youghiogheny River
, a tributary of the Monongahela River
. It is part of the Pittsburgh Metro Area
. In 1890, 5,629 people lived in Connellsville, which was a borough at that time. 7,170 people lived in Connellsville in 1900; 12,845 in the new city of Connellsville in 1910; 13,804 in 1920; and 13,608 in 1940. The population was 9,146 at the 2000 census.
of 2000, there were 9,146 people, 3,963 households, and 2,377 families residing in the city. The population density
was 4,053.5 people per square mile (1,562.5/km²). There were 4,434 housing units at an average density of 1,965.2 per square mile (757.5/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 94.54% White, 3.93% African American, 0.13% Native American, 0.33% Asian, 0.17% from other races
, and 0.90% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.54% of the population.
There were 3,963 households out of which 28.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 40.3% were married couples
living together, 15.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 40.0% were non-families. 35.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 19.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.28 and the average family size was 2.97.
In the city the population was spread out with 24.5% under the age of 18, 7.9% from 18 to 24, 27.6% from 25 to 44, 20.7% from 45 to 64, and 19.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 86.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 80.7 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $21,070, and the median income for a family was $28,105. Males had a median income of $28,942 versus $23,016 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $14,165. About 22.4% of families and 28.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 45.5% of those under age 18 and 16.4% of those age 65 or over.
, a British army commanded by General Edward Braddock approached Fort Duquesne
and crossed the Youghiogheny River at Stewart's Crossing, which is situated in the middle of what is now the City of Connellsville.
Connellsville was officially founded as a township in 1793 then as a borough on March 1, 1806 by Zachariah Connell
, a militia captain during the American Revolution. In February 1909, balloting in New Haven and Connellsville resulted in these two boroughs joining and becoming the first city in Fayette County on May 12, 1911.
Due to the city’s location in the center of the Connellsville coalfield
during the coke and coal mining
days, Connellsville had at one time more millionaires per capita than any other place in the country and possibly the world. Connellsville at this time was king of coal and coke, with beehive ovens lighting up the hillsides. Railroads crisscrossed the city; streetcars connected neighborhoods and other towns. When Connellsville became a city in 1909, estimates have the population at more than 22,000.
In December 1903, the Connellsville train wreck
killed 66 people as the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad
's Duquesne Limited ran into timber dropped from a freight train.
Coal mining and accompanying industries became the major source of employment and local revenue during the later half of the nineteenth century. It brought a great deal wealth to the Fayette county region. This prosperity, however, remained restricted to the wealthy elite. Many Italian and Slovak immigrants worked in the coal mines and coke
ovens in a state of poverty.
When the demand for coke around the turn of the century pushed many other emerging industries out, the city along with Fayette County became almost entirely dependent on both coal and coke. When better heating processes were developed, Connellsville's coke was no longer needed and the industry went bust — along with the economy of Fayette County.
and Geibel Catholic Middle-High School.
, a 43-mile crushed limestone trail, runs through Connellsville.
, the Pennsylvania Railroad
, the Western Maryland Railroad, the Pittsburgh and Lake Erie Railroad
, and the Norfolk and Western Railroad.
The Bailtimore and Ohio Railroad (now CSX Transportation
) entered Connellsville on the left side of the Youghiogheny River. This main line originated in Cumberland, MD and followed the river to Pittsburgh and eventually Chicago, Il.
The Pennsylvania Railroad's Southwest branch from Greensburg entered Connellsville from Connellsville Township crossing Route 119 and across the North End crossing the Youghiogheny on a tressle in the middle of the town as this line terminated in Uniontown, PA. This line has been severed and the tressle demolished in the late 80's. It remains as a coal loading facility behind the location of the former Back Creek Lumber Co where the line was severed. This line is now operated by the Southwest Pennsylvania Railroad.
The Western Maryland Railroad's line crossed over the Alleghenies from Cumberland, MD and entered Connellsville on the right side of the Youghiogheny river and connected with two separate railroad companies. The first connection was with the Pittsburgh and Lake Erie Railroad's line from Pittsburgh which continued down the right side of the river to Pittsburgh. This was in direct competition with the B & O directly across the river. The second connection of the Western Maryland was to the Norfolk and Western railroad which crossed the river to the left side on the former Pittsburgh & West Virginia railroad bridge.
The Norfolk & Western branch was acquired by the Wheeling and Lake Erie Railroad which build a new connection on the left side of the river to CSX which severed the old line across the bridge. This historic bridge is now threatened with demolition. Several of these former railway lines have been abandoned and the right of way acquired for other uses. The former Western Maryland railroad, and Pittsburgh & Lake Erie lines are now the part of the Youghiogheny River Trail
.
Amtrak
's provides passenger rail service to Connellsville, with service to Chicago
, Pittsburgh, Washington, DC, and other points in between.
Fayette County, Pennsylvania
Fayette County is a county located in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. As of the2010 census, the population was 136,606. The county is part of the Pittsburgh Metropolitan Statistical Area....
, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
, USA
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, 57 miles (92 km) southeast of Pittsburgh on the Youghiogheny River
Youghiogheny River
The Youghiogheny River , or the Yough for short, is a tributary of the Monongahela River in the U.S. states of West Virginia, Maryland, and Pennsylvania...
, a tributary of the Monongahela River
Monongahela River
The Monongahela River is a river on the Allegheny Plateau in north-central West Virginia and southwestern Pennsylvania in the United States...
. It is part of the Pittsburgh Metro Area
Pittsburgh Metro Area
The Pittsburgh Metropolitan Area is the metropolitan area surrounding the city of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It is renowned for its industries including steel, glass and oil; moreover, its economy also thrives on healthcare, education, technology, robotics, financial services and more recently film...
. In 1890, 5,629 people lived in Connellsville, which was a borough at that time. 7,170 people lived in Connellsville in 1900; 12,845 in the new city of Connellsville in 1910; 13,804 in 1920; and 13,608 in 1940. The population was 9,146 at the 2000 census.
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 9,146 people, 3,963 households, and 2,377 families residing in the city. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 4,053.5 people per square mile (1,562.5/km²). There were 4,434 housing units at an average density of 1,965.2 per square mile (757.5/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 94.54% White, 3.93% African American, 0.13% Native American, 0.33% Asian, 0.17% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 0.90% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.54% of the population.
There were 3,963 households out of which 28.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 40.3% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 15.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 40.0% were non-families. 35.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 19.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.28 and the average family size was 2.97.
In the city the population was spread out with 24.5% under the age of 18, 7.9% from 18 to 24, 27.6% from 25 to 44, 20.7% from 45 to 64, and 19.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 86.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 80.7 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $21,070, and the median income for a family was $28,105. Males had a median income of $28,942 versus $23,016 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the city was $14,165. About 22.4% of families and 28.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 45.5% of those under age 18 and 16.4% of those age 65 or over.
History
During the French and Indian WarFrench and Indian War
The French and Indian War is the common American name for the war between Great Britain and France in North America from 1754 to 1763. In 1756, the war erupted into the world-wide conflict known as the Seven Years' War and thus came to be regarded as the North American theater of that war...
, a British army commanded by General Edward Braddock approached Fort Duquesne
Fort Duquesne
Fort Duquesne was a fort established by the French in 1754, at the junction of the Allegheny and Monongahela rivers in what is now downtown Pittsburgh in the state of Pennsylvania....
and crossed the Youghiogheny River at Stewart's Crossing, which is situated in the middle of what is now the City of Connellsville.
Connellsville was officially founded as a township in 1793 then as a borough on March 1, 1806 by Zachariah Connell
Zachariah Connell
Zachariah Connell was the founder of Connellsville, Pennsylvania, United States.-References:...
, a militia captain during the American Revolution. In February 1909, balloting in New Haven and Connellsville resulted in these two boroughs joining and becoming the first city in Fayette County on May 12, 1911.
Due to the city’s location in the center of the Connellsville coalfield
Connellsville coalfield
The Connellsville Coalfield is located in Fayette County and Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, between the city of Latrobe and the small borough of Smithfield, and is sometimes known as the Connellsville Coke Field. This is because the section of the Pittsburgh coal seam here was famous as one of...
during the coke and coal mining
Coal mining
The goal of coal mining is to obtain coal from the ground. Coal is valued for its energy content, and since the 1880s has been widely used to generate electricity. Steel and cement industries use coal as a fuel for extraction of iron from iron ore and for cement production. In the United States,...
days, Connellsville had at one time more millionaires per capita than any other place in the country and possibly the world. Connellsville at this time was king of coal and coke, with beehive ovens lighting up the hillsides. Railroads crisscrossed the city; streetcars connected neighborhoods and other towns. When Connellsville became a city in 1909, estimates have the population at more than 22,000.
In December 1903, the Connellsville train wreck
Connellsville train wreck
The Connellsville train wreck killed 64 people and injured 68. It occurred on December 23, 1903, on the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad near Connellsville, Pennsylvania The Connellsville train wreck killed 64 people and injured 68. It occurred on December 23, 1903, on the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad...
killed 66 people as the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad
Baltimore and Ohio Railroad
The Baltimore and Ohio Railroad was one of the oldest railroads in the United States and the first common carrier railroad. It came into being mostly because the city of Baltimore wanted to compete with the newly constructed Erie Canal and another canal being proposed by Pennsylvania, which...
's Duquesne Limited ran into timber dropped from a freight train.
Coal mining and accompanying industries became the major source of employment and local revenue during the later half of the nineteenth century. It brought a great deal wealth to the Fayette county region. This prosperity, however, remained restricted to the wealthy elite. Many Italian and Slovak immigrants worked in the coal mines and coke
Coke (fuel)
Coke is the solid carbonaceous material derived from destructive distillation of low-ash, low-sulfur bituminous coal. Cokes from coal are grey, hard, and porous. While coke can be formed naturally, the commonly used form is man-made.- History :...
ovens in a state of poverty.
When the demand for coke around the turn of the century pushed many other emerging industries out, the city along with Fayette County became almost entirely dependent on both coal and coke. When better heating processes were developed, Connellsville's coke was no longer needed and the industry went bust — along with the economy of Fayette County.
Education
Connellsville is served by the Connellsville Area School DistrictConnellsville Area School District
The Connellsville Area School District covers the City of Connellsville, the Boroughs of Dawson, Dunbar, Ohiopyle, Seven Springs, South Connellsville and Vanderbilt and Bullskin Township, Connellsville Township, Dunbar Township, Saltlick Township, Springfield Township and Stewart Township in...
and Geibel Catholic Middle-High School.
Media
The Daily Courier, a newspaper based in the city, has been in publication for over a century.Parks and Trails
The Youghiogheny River TrailYoughiogheny River Trail
The Yough River Trail is a non-motorized multi-use rail trail that stretches between McKeesport, PA and Confluence, PA. It is part of the Great Allegheny Passage that will one day allow cyclists to bike from Pittsburgh, PA to Washington, D.C...
, a 43-mile crushed limestone trail, runs through Connellsville.
Public Services
- Highlands Hospital, one of three hospitals in the county, is located in Connellsville.
- The Connellsville Police Department serves the city with a full-time force.
- The Connellsville Fire Department is headquartered within the city
- New Haven Hose, another fire company, is headquartered on the city's west side.
Railroads
Connellsville has the distinction of being served at one time by 5 railroads: the Baltimore and Ohio RailroadBaltimore and Ohio Railroad
The Baltimore and Ohio Railroad was one of the oldest railroads in the United States and the first common carrier railroad. It came into being mostly because the city of Baltimore wanted to compete with the newly constructed Erie Canal and another canal being proposed by Pennsylvania, which...
, the Pennsylvania Railroad
Pennsylvania Railroad
The Pennsylvania Railroad was an American Class I railroad, founded in 1846. Commonly referred to as the "Pennsy", the PRR was headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania....
, the Western Maryland Railroad, the Pittsburgh and Lake Erie Railroad
Pittsburgh and Lake Erie Railroad
The Pittsburgh and Lake Erie Railroad , also known as the "Little Giant", was formed on May 11, 1875. Company headquarters were located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The line connected Pittsburgh in the east with Youngstown, Ohio at nearby Haselton, Ohio in the west and Connellsville, ...
, and the Norfolk and Western Railroad.
The Bailtimore and Ohio Railroad (now CSX Transportation
CSX Transportation
CSX Transportation operates a Class I railroad in the United States known as the CSX Railroad. It is the main subsidiary of the CSX Corporation. The company is headquartered in Jacksonville, Florida, and owns approximately 21,000 route miles...
) entered Connellsville on the left side of the Youghiogheny River. This main line originated in Cumberland, MD and followed the river to Pittsburgh and eventually Chicago, Il.
The Pennsylvania Railroad's Southwest branch from Greensburg entered Connellsville from Connellsville Township crossing Route 119 and across the North End crossing the Youghiogheny on a tressle in the middle of the town as this line terminated in Uniontown, PA. This line has been severed and the tressle demolished in the late 80's. It remains as a coal loading facility behind the location of the former Back Creek Lumber Co where the line was severed. This line is now operated by the Southwest Pennsylvania Railroad.
The Western Maryland Railroad's line crossed over the Alleghenies from Cumberland, MD and entered Connellsville on the right side of the Youghiogheny river and connected with two separate railroad companies. The first connection was with the Pittsburgh and Lake Erie Railroad's line from Pittsburgh which continued down the right side of the river to Pittsburgh. This was in direct competition with the B & O directly across the river. The second connection of the Western Maryland was to the Norfolk and Western railroad which crossed the river to the left side on the former Pittsburgh & West Virginia railroad bridge.
The Norfolk & Western branch was acquired by the Wheeling and Lake Erie Railroad which build a new connection on the left side of the river to CSX which severed the old line across the bridge. This historic bridge is now threatened with demolition. Several of these former railway lines have been abandoned and the right of way acquired for other uses. The former Western Maryland railroad, and Pittsburgh & Lake Erie lines are now the part of the Youghiogheny River Trail
Youghiogheny River Trail
The Yough River Trail is a non-motorized multi-use rail trail that stretches between McKeesport, PA and Confluence, PA. It is part of the Great Allegheny Passage that will one day allow cyclists to bike from Pittsburgh, PA to Washington, D.C...
.
Amtrak
Amtrak
The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, doing business as Amtrak , is a government-owned corporation that was organized on May 1, 1971, to provide intercity passenger train service in the United States. "Amtrak" is a portmanteau of the words "America" and "track". It is headquartered at Union...
's provides passenger rail service to Connellsville, with service to Chicago
Union Station (Chicago)
Union Station is a major train station that opened in 1925 in Chicago, replacing an earlier 1881 station. It is now the only intercity rail terminal in Chicago, as well as being the city's primary terminal for commuter trains. The station stands on the west side of the Chicago River between Adams...
, Pittsburgh, Washington, DC, and other points in between.
Roads
The main route through Connellsville is US 119. US 119 links Connellsville with nearby cities Uniontown and Greensburg, and provides access to many of the business on the outskirts of the city. PA 201 ends in Connellsville, and PA 711 serves as the main street through downtown before heading into the local mountains.Notable natives and residents
- Harold BettersHarold BettersHarold Betters is an American jazz trombone player. A prominent jazz musician in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Betters released nine LPs on Gateway Records, and three LPs for Reprise....
, jazz trombonist - Johnny LujackJohnny LujackJohn Christopher Lujack Jr. is a former American football quarterback and 1947 Heisman Trophy winner.Lujack was born on January 4, 1925, in Connellsville, Pennsylvania. He played college football for the University of Notre Dame, and professionally for the Chicago Bears. Lujack was the first of...
, HeismanHeisman TrophyThe Heisman Memorial Trophy Award , is awarded annually to the player deemed the most outstanding player in collegiate football. It was created in 1935 as the Downtown Athletic Club trophy and renamed in 1936 following the death of the Club's athletic director, John Heisman The Heisman Memorial...
-winning quarterbackQuarterbackQuarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
for the University of Notre DameUniversity of Notre DameThe University of Notre Dame du Lac is a Catholic research university located in Notre Dame, an unincorporated community north of the city of South Bend, in St. Joseph County, Indiana, United States... - Edwin S. PorterEdwin S. PorterEdwin Stanton Porter was an American early film pioneer, most famous as a director with Thomas Edison's company...
, movie director - John WoodruffJohn WoodruffJohn Youie Woodruff was an American athlete and winner of the 800 metres at the 1936 Summer Olympics....
, 1936 Olympic gold medallist in the 800 metresAthletics at the 1936 Summer Olympics – Men's 800 metresThe men's 800 metres event at the 1936 Summer Olympic Games took place between August 2 and August 4. The final was won by American John Woodruff.-Semifinals:The fastest three runners in each of the three heats advanced to the final round....