Mars, Pennsylvania
Encyclopedia
Mars is a borough in Butler County
, Pennsylvania
, USA
. The population was 1,746 at the 2000 census.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the borough has a total area of 0.4 mi2, all of it land.
of Mars was founded in 1873, and is situated about halfway between the cities of Pittsburgh and Butler
. The small community is nestled in a small valley along Breakneck Creek
with PA 228
located about a mile south of Mars, and the Mars-Evans City Road
located to the north. It is home to the popular roadside attraction
, the Mars "Spaceship" or "Flying Saucer"http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=100+Pittsburgh+Street,+Mars,+PA,+United+States&sll=40.696025,-80.009889&sspn=0.000826,0.001742&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=100+Pittsburgh+St,+Mars,+Butler,+Pennsylvania+16046&t=h&ll=40.696083,-80.010188&spn=0.00083,0.001742&z=20&iwloc. It is also home to the Mars Station
which is one of the last railroad depots still standing from the now defunct Pittsburgh and Western Railroad.
In 1873, Samuel Parks constructed a home and a water-powered gristmill
along Breakneck Creek. Parks then decided to have a post office
placed in his home, so he received help from his friend, Samuel Marshall to help establish it. The name of the post office became Overbrook. In 1877, the Pittsburgh, New Castle and Lake Erie Railroad was constructed through Overbrook, and had a station built there. In 1882, the name of the community was changed to Mars since the railroad already had a stop with the name, "Overbrook". No one is sure how the name "Mars" came into being. Some say it was Park's wife who enjoyed astronomy
, or it was shortened after Samuel Marshall's name. On March 6, 1895, Mars was incorporated as a borough.
In 1904, the Pittsburgh and Butler Street Railway
gained permission from Mars to construct its right-of-way
through the borough. The line become part of the Pittsburgh, Harmony, Butler and New Castle Railway
in 1917, being renamed Pittsburgh, Mars and Butler Railway. The line closed in 1931.
The was named after the borough. The ship became part of the United States Pacific Fleet
in 1963, and was decommissioned in 1998. It was then sunk in 2006 as a target vessel. The bell of the USS Mars was donated to the borough, and has become a permanent memorial in the downtown park.
serves the boroughs of Mars, and Valencia
. It also serves Adams Township
and Middlesex Township
in Butler County. The Mars Fightin' Planets are one of the many teams located in the north Pittsburgh area.
As of the census
of 2000, there were 1,746 people, 687 households, and 395 families residing in the borough. The population density
was 3,906.5 people per square mile (1,498.1/km²). There were 715 housing units at an average density of 1,599.7 per square mile (613.5/km²). The racial makeup of the borough was 98.68% White, 0.46% African American, 0.06% Native American, 0.40% Asian, 0.06% Pacific Islander, 0.11% from other races
, and 0.23% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.40% of the population.
There were 687 households out of which 25.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 45.7% were married couples
living together, 10.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 42.4% were non-families. 38.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 24.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.
The average household size was 2.16 and the average family size was 2.89.
In the borough the population was spread out with 18.6% under the age of 18, 5.7% from 18 to 24, 24.8% from 25 to 44, 17.8% from 45 to 64, and 33.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 46 years. For every 100 females there were 70.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 64.2 males.
The median income for a household in the borough was $33,073, and the median income for a family was $46,136. Males had a median income of $34,083 versus $26,080 for females. The per capita income
for the borough was $17,701. About 7.8% of families and 9.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 11.8% of those under age 18 and 14.4% of those age 65 or over.
invited students from Mars Elementary School to attend the Pittsburgh premiere of Mars Needs Moms, after reading a featured article on Mars, PA by msnbc.com
. Mars was the only school nationwide invited to the film's premiere.
The borough has also been a location for films and television commercials. The 1988 comedic drama
film
, The Prince of Pennsylvania
, and the 1996 comedy
film, Kingpin
were filmed throughout the borough. In 2000, a Kraft
salad dressing commercial was filmed in downtown.
Canadian musician John Southworth
named his first album Mars, Pennsylvania for the town, which he had passed through many years earlier on a school trip.
denominations located within, and just outside the community. One of the largest churches was Saint Kilian Parish. Founded in 1917, the parish was originally located in downtown Mars, but by the early 2000s, membership had swelled so much that a new facility was constructed just outside of the neighboring Seven Fields
borough along PA 228
in 2008. There is also a large presence of Presbyterians
in the borough. The Mars United Presbyterian was founded in 1969 with the merging of two older churches (one under the United Presbyterian Church of North America
, the other under the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)
). There is also a Lutheran
and Methodist
church located within the borough. The Woodland Valley Church is one of the newer churches in Mars, and is one of several contemporary
churches that have recently started in the Mars/Cranberry area. Others include the Mars Alliance Church, and the Discovery Christian Church which will be built along PA 228 across from the former.http://cranberry.patch.com/articles/new-home-is-a-great-discovery-for-christian-church The Serbian Orthodox Diocese of Eastern America has its headquarters in Adams Township
, near Mars.
parade every fall. The borough also holds a Fourth of July
parade during the holiday, as well as Apple Fest, which is held on the first Saturday of October.
is a small airport
located about a mile and a half northwest of Mars. It is used for light, private aircraft. The next closest airports are the Butler County Airport
and the Zelienople Municipal Airport
.
operates on the P&W Subdivision
in Mars. It makes occasional rounds to Austin's Bleach in Downieville and to a small transfer with the Allegheny Valley Railroad
in Bakerstown
. The AVR will also on occasion bring long loads of railcars through Mars to Harmony Junction in Eidenau
. This usually occurs when there are too many cars to handle at the transfer point in Bakerstown.
. It is an important link for commuters because it connects with Pennsylvania Route 8
and Pennsylvania Route 356
to the east, and with Interstate 79
and US Route 19 to the west. Commuters on PA 228 can easily get on to Interstate 76
(Pennsylvania Turnpike
) via I-79 or US 19 in Cranberry Township
. The second busiest road in Mars is the Mars-Evans City Road which was originally Pennsylvania Route 855
. It is an important connecting road for Mars and the borough of Evans City
. The Red Belt of the Allegheny County Belt System
is located just three miles south of Mars.
Butler County, Pennsylvania
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 174,083 people, 65,862 households, and 46,827 families residing in the county. The population density was 221 people per square mile . There were 69,868 housing units at an average density of 89 per square mile...
, 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...
. The population was 1,746 at the 2000 census.
Geography
Mars is located at 40°41′48"N 80°0′44"W (40.696594, -80.012205).According to the United States Census Bureau
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the borough has a total area of 0.4 mi2, all of it land.
History
The boroughBorough (Pennsylvania)
In the U.S. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, a borough is a self-governing municipal entity that is usually smaller than a city. There are 958 boroughs in Pennsylvania. All municipalities in Pennsylvania are classified as either cities, boroughs, or townships...
of Mars was founded in 1873, and is situated about halfway between the cities of Pittsburgh and Butler
Butler, Pennsylvania
The city of Butler is the county seat of Butler County in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania, situated north of Pittsburgh. The population was 15,121 at the 2000 census.- History :...
. The small community is nestled in a small valley along Breakneck Creek
Breakneck Creek
Breakneck Creek is a tributary of Connoquenessing Creek that flows in a northwardly direction in Western Pennsylvania. It forms in the village of Bakerstown in Allegheny County then flows northwest through the borough of Valencia in Butler County....
with PA 228
Pennsylvania Route 228
Pennsylvania Route 228 is an long state highway located in Butler county in Pennsylvania. The western terminus is at US 19 in Cranberry Township. The eastern terminus is at PA 356 in Buffalo Township...
located about a mile south of Mars, and the Mars-Evans City Road
Pennsylvania Route 855
Pennsylvania Route 855 was a former state highway located in Butler County, Pennsylvania. When the highway was established in 1928, it became a spur route of PA 68. The highway was deleted in 1946...
located to the north. It is home to the popular roadside attraction
Roadside attraction
A roadside attraction is a feature along the side of a road, that is frequently advertised with billboards to attract tourists. In general, these are places one might stop on the way to somewhere else, rather than being a final or primary destination in and of themselves. The modern...
, the Mars "Spaceship" or "Flying Saucer"http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=100+Pittsburgh+Street,+Mars,+PA,+United+States&sll=40.696025,-80.009889&sspn=0.000826,0.001742&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=100+Pittsburgh+St,+Mars,+Butler,+Pennsylvania+16046&t=h&ll=40.696083,-80.010188&spn=0.00083,0.001742&z=20&iwloc. It is also home to the Mars Station
Mars Station
The Mars Station in Mars, Pennsylvania, was constructed in 1897 by the Pittsburgh and Western Railroad. For nearly fifty years, the station served the community by helping to transport freight and passengers in the area...
which is one of the last railroad depots still standing from the now defunct Pittsburgh and Western Railroad.
In 1873, Samuel Parks constructed a home and a water-powered gristmill
Gristmill
The terms gristmill or grist mill can refer either to a building in which grain is ground into flour, or to the grinding mechanism itself.- Early history :...
along Breakneck Creek. Parks then decided to have a post office
Post office
A post office is a facility forming part of a postal system for the posting, receipt, sorting, handling, transmission or delivery of mail.Post offices offer mail-related services such as post office boxes, postage and packaging supplies...
placed in his home, so he received help from his friend, Samuel Marshall to help establish it. The name of the post office became Overbrook. In 1877, the Pittsburgh, New Castle and Lake Erie Railroad was constructed through Overbrook, and had a station built there. In 1882, the name of the community was changed to Mars since the railroad already had a stop with the name, "Overbrook". No one is sure how the name "Mars" came into being. Some say it was Park's wife who enjoyed astronomy
Astronomy
Astronomy is a natural science that deals with the study of celestial objects and phenomena that originate outside the atmosphere of Earth...
, or it was shortened after Samuel Marshall's name. On March 6, 1895, Mars was incorporated as a borough.
In 1904, the Pittsburgh and Butler Street Railway
Pittsburgh and Butler Street Railway
The Pittsburgh and Butler Street Railway, commonly called the Butler Short Line, was a broad gauge interurban streetcar line connecting Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States to Butler via Mars.-History:...
gained permission from Mars to construct its right-of-way
Right-of-way (railroad)
A right-of-way is a strip of land that is granted, through an easement or other mechanism, for transportation purposes, such as for a trail, driveway, rail line or highway. A right-of-way is reserved for the purposes of maintenance or expansion of existing services with the right-of-way...
through the borough. The line become part of the Pittsburgh, Harmony, Butler and New Castle Railway
Pittsburgh, Harmony, Butler and New Castle Railway
The Pittsburgh, Harmony, Butler and New Castle Railway, commonly called the Harmony Line, was a broad gauge interurban streetcar line connecting Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States to Butler and New Castle via Harmony and a split at Evans City...
in 1917, being renamed Pittsburgh, Mars and Butler Railway. The line closed in 1931.
The was named after the borough. The ship became part of the United States Pacific Fleet
United States Pacific Fleet
The United States Pacific Fleet is a Pacific Ocean theater-level component command of the United States Navy that provides naval resources under the operational control of the United States Pacific Command. Its home port is at Pearl Harbor Naval Base, Hawaii. It is commanded by Admiral Patrick M...
in 1963, and was decommissioned in 1998. It was then sunk in 2006 as a target vessel. The bell of the USS Mars was donated to the borough, and has become a permanent memorial in the downtown park.
Economy
- Mars National BankMars National BankMars National Bank is a bank located throughout the north Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania area. The headquarters of the bank is located in the borough of Mars...
, founded in 1900, the bank has its headquarters located in the borough, with seven branches located in Butler and Allegheny CountyAllegheny County, PennsylvaniaAllegheny County is a county in the southwestern part of the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. As of the 2010 census, the population was 1,223,348; making it the second most populous county in Pennsylvania, following Philadelphia County. The county seat is Pittsburgh...
.
Schools
The Mars Area School DistrictMars Area School District
Mars Area School District is a public school district in Pennsylvania serving the communities of Mars and Valencia Boroughs as well as Adams Township and Middlesex Township in Butler County....
serves the boroughs of Mars, and Valencia
Valencia, Pennsylvania
Valencia is a borough in Butler County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 384 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Valencia is located at ....
. It also serves Adams Township
Adams Township, Butler County, Pennsylvania
Adams Township is a township in Butler County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 11,652 at the 2010 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of , of which, of it is land and of it is water.-Demographics:As of the census of 2000,...
and Middlesex Township
Middlesex Township, Butler County, Pennsylvania
Middlesex Township is a township in Butler County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 5,586 at the 2000 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of 23.0 square miles , of which, 23.0 square miles of it is land and...
in Butler County. The Mars Fightin' Planets are one of the many teams located in the north Pittsburgh area.
Demographics
Census
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 1,746 people, 687 households, and 395 families residing in the borough. 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 3,906.5 people per square mile (1,498.1/km²). There were 715 housing units at an average density of 1,599.7 per square mile (613.5/km²). The racial makeup of the borough was 98.68% White, 0.46% African American, 0.06% Native American, 0.40% Asian, 0.06% Pacific Islander, 0.11% 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 0.23% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.40% of the population.
There were 687 households out of which 25.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 45.7% 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, 10.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 42.4% were non-families. 38.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 24.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.
The average household size was 2.16 and the average family size was 2.89.
In the borough the population was spread out with 18.6% under the age of 18, 5.7% from 18 to 24, 24.8% from 25 to 44, 17.8% from 45 to 64, and 33.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 46 years. For every 100 females there were 70.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 64.2 males.
The median income for a household in the borough was $33,073, and the median income for a family was $46,136. Males had a median income of $34,083 versus $26,080 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 borough was $17,701. About 7.8% of families and 9.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 11.8% of those under age 18 and 14.4% of those age 65 or over.
Media
Because of its unique name, and proximity to Pittsburgh, Mars has on occasion received national media attention. In 2011, a representative from The Walt Disney CompanyThe Walt Disney Company
The Walt Disney Company is the largest media conglomerate in the world in terms of revenue. Founded on October 16, 1923, by Walt and Roy Disney as the Disney Brothers Cartoon Studio, Walt Disney Productions established itself as a leader in the American animation industry before diversifying into...
invited students from Mars Elementary School to attend the Pittsburgh premiere of Mars Needs Moms, after reading a featured article on Mars, PA by msnbc.com
Msnbc.com
msnbc.com is a news website owned and operated as a joint venture by NBCUniversal and Microsoft.In addition to original content from its news staff, msnbc.com is the news website for the NBC News family, with content from the cable television news channel MSNBC, NBC shows such as Today, NBC Nightly...
. Mars was the only school nationwide invited to the film's premiere.
The borough has also been a location for films and television commercials. The 1988 comedic drama
Comedy-drama
Comedy-drama is a genre of theatre, film and television programs which combines humorous and serious content.-Theatre:Traditional western theatre, beginning with the ancient Greeks, was divided into comedy and tragedy...
film
Film
A film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...
, The Prince of Pennsylvania
The Prince of Pennsylvania
The Prince of Pennsylvania is a 1988 comedic drama starring Keanu Reeves, Bonnie Bedelia, Fred Ward, and Amy Madigan. The Academy Award-nominated composer Thomas Newman wrote the music...
, and the 1996 comedy
Comedy
Comedy , as a popular meaning, is any humorous discourse or work generally intended to amuse by creating laughter, especially in television, film, and stand-up comedy. This must be carefully distinguished from its academic definition, namely the comic theatre, whose Western origins are found in...
film, Kingpin
Kingpin (film)
Kingpin is a 1996 slapstick comedy film directed by the Farrelly brothers and starring Woody Harrelson, Randy Quaid, Vanessa Angel, and Bill Murray...
were filmed throughout the borough. In 2000, a Kraft
Kraft Foods
Kraft Foods Inc. is an American confectionery, food and beverage conglomerate. It markets many brands in more than 170 countries. 12 of its brands annually earn more than $1 billion worldwide: Cadbury, Jacobs, Kraft, LU, Maxwell House, Milka, Nabisco, Oscar Mayer, Philadelphia, Trident, Tang...
salad dressing commercial was filmed in downtown.
Canadian musician John Southworth
John Southworth (musician)
John Southworth is an English-Canadian singer-songwriter. His style encompasses a range of popular song genres, from oldies-radio to folk, 80’s pop to cabaret...
named his first album Mars, Pennsylvania for the town, which he had passed through many years earlier on a school trip.
Religion
Mars has several ChristianChristianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
denominations located within, and just outside the community. One of the largest churches was Saint Kilian Parish. Founded in 1917, the parish was originally located in downtown Mars, but by the early 2000s, membership had swelled so much that a new facility was constructed just outside of the neighboring Seven Fields
Seven Fields, Pennsylvania
Seven Fields is a borough in Butler County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 1,986 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Seven Fields is located at ....
borough along PA 228
Pennsylvania Route 228
Pennsylvania Route 228 is an long state highway located in Butler county in Pennsylvania. The western terminus is at US 19 in Cranberry Township. The eastern terminus is at PA 356 in Buffalo Township...
in 2008. There is also a large presence of Presbyterians
Presbyterianism
Presbyterianism refers to a number of Christian churches adhering to the Calvinist theological tradition within Protestantism, which are organized according to a characteristic Presbyterian polity. Presbyterian theology typically emphasizes the sovereignty of God, the authority of the Scriptures,...
in the borough. The Mars United Presbyterian was founded in 1969 with the merging of two older churches (one under the United Presbyterian Church of North America
United Presbyterian Church of North America
The United Presbyterian Church of North America was an American Presbyterian denomination that existed for exactly one hundred years. It was formed on May 26, 1858 by the union of the Northern branch of the Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church with the Associate Presbyterian Church at a...
, the other under the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)
Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)
The Presbyterian Church , or PC, is a mainline Protestant Christian denomination in the United States. Part of the Reformed tradition, it is the largest Presbyterian denomination in the U.S...
). There is also a Lutheran
Lutheranism
Lutheranism is a major branch of Western Christianity that identifies with the theology of Martin Luther, a German reformer. Luther's efforts to reform the theology and practice of the church launched the Protestant Reformation...
and Methodist
Methodism
Methodism is a movement of Protestant Christianity represented by a number of denominations and organizations, claiming a total of approximately seventy million adherents worldwide. The movement traces its roots to John Wesley's evangelistic revival movement within Anglicanism. His younger brother...
church located within the borough. The Woodland Valley Church is one of the newer churches in Mars, and is one of several contemporary
Contemporary worship
Contemporary worship is a form of Christian worship that emerged within Western evangelical Protestantism in the twentieth century. It was originally confined to the charismatic movement, but is now found to varying extents in a wide range of churches, including many that do not subscribe to a...
churches that have recently started in the Mars/Cranberry area. Others include the Mars Alliance Church, and the Discovery Christian Church which will be built along PA 228 across from the former.http://cranberry.patch.com/articles/new-home-is-a-great-discovery-for-christian-church The Serbian Orthodox Diocese of Eastern America has its headquarters in Adams Township
Adams Township, Butler County, Pennsylvania
Adams Township is a township in Butler County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 11,652 at the 2010 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of , of which, of it is land and of it is water.-Demographics:As of the census of 2000,...
, near Mars.
Traditions and events
Residents of Mars are often called "Martians", or "Planets" because of the high school team name. The high school has a homecomingHomecoming
Homecoming is the tradition of welcoming back alumni of a school. It most commonly refers to a tradition in many universities, colleges and high schools in North America...
parade every fall. The borough also holds a Fourth of July
Independence Day (United States)
Independence Day, commonly known as the Fourth of July, is a federal holiday in the United States commemorating the adoption of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776, declaring independence from the Kingdom of Great Britain...
parade during the holiday, as well as Apple Fest, which is held on the first Saturday of October.
Airports
Lakehill AirportLakehill Airport
Lakehill Airport , is a privately owned airport in Mars, Pennsylvania, USA. It is the smallest of the three airports located in Butler County. The other two are the Butler County Airport and the Butler Farm Show Airport....
is a small airport
Airport
An airport is a location where aircraft such as fixed-wing aircraft, helicopters, and blimps take off and land. Aircraft may be stored or maintained at an airport...
located about a mile and a half northwest of Mars. It is used for light, private aircraft. The next closest airports are the Butler County Airport
Butler County Airport
Butler County Airport , also known as K. W. Scholter Field, is a public airport located five miles southwest of the central business district of Butler, a city in Butler County, Pennsylvania, United States...
and the Zelienople Municipal Airport
Zelienople Municipal Airport
Zelienople Airport , is a public airport located 1 mile west of Zelienople, Pennsylvania, USA. Though it primarily serves the community of Zelienople , the airport is actually located over the county line in neighboring Beaver County. The Zelienople Municipal Airport is located in Fombell, PA...
.
Railroads
The Buffalo and Pittsburgh RailroadBuffalo and Pittsburgh Railroad
The Buffalo and Pittsburgh Railroad is a Class II railroad operating in New York and Pennsylvania.The BPRR is owned by Genesee and Wyoming Industries. Its main line runs between Buffalo, New York and Eidenau, Pennsylvania, north of Pittsburgh. Here, connections are made to the city center via the...
operates on the P&W Subdivision
P&W Subdivision
The P&W Subdivision is a railroad line owned and operated by CSX Transportation, the Allegheny Valley Railroad , and the Buffalo and Pittsburgh Railroad in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania...
in Mars. It makes occasional rounds to Austin's Bleach in Downieville and to a small transfer with the Allegheny Valley Railroad
Allegheny Valley Railroad
The Allegheny Valley Railroad is a class III railroad that operates in Western Pennsylvania, and is owned by Carload Express, Inc.AVR acts as a feeder line connecting its many and varied customers to Class I railroads such as CSX Transportation and Norfolk Southern Railway , and regional lines...
in Bakerstown
Bakerstown, Pennsylvania
Bakerstown is a census-designated place within Richland Township in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, United States. As of the 2010 census, it had a population of 1,761....
. The AVR will also on occasion bring long loads of railcars through Mars to Harmony Junction in Eidenau
Eidenau, Pennsylvania
Eidenau is an unincorporated community in Jackson Township, Butler County, Pennsylvania, United States.- Geography :Eidenau is located in the area where Breakneck Creek flows into the Connoquenessing Creek. Pennsylvania Route 68 is the main road in Eidenau....
. This usually occurs when there are too many cars to handle at the transfer point in Bakerstown.
Roads
The largest and busiest road in Mars is Pennsylvania Route 228Pennsylvania Route 228
Pennsylvania Route 228 is an long state highway located in Butler county in Pennsylvania. The western terminus is at US 19 in Cranberry Township. The eastern terminus is at PA 356 in Buffalo Township...
. It is an important link for commuters because it connects with Pennsylvania Route 8
Pennsylvania Route 8
Pennsylvania Route 8 is a major long route in western Pennsylvania. Officially, PA 8 is named the William Flinn Highway. Its southern terminus is at Interstate 376, U.S. Route 22, and U.S. Route 30 in Pittsburgh...
and Pennsylvania Route 356
Pennsylvania Route 356
Pennsylvania Route 356 is an long state highway located in Westmoreland, Allegheny, Butler, and Armstrong counties in Pennsylvania. The southern terminus is at PA 66 near Oklahoma...
to the east, and with Interstate 79
Interstate 79
Interstate 79 is an Interstate Highway in the eastern United States, designated from Interstate 77 in Charleston, West Virginia to Pennsylvania Route 5 and Pennsylvania Route 290 in Erie, Pennsylvania...
and US Route 19 to the west. Commuters on PA 228 can easily get on to Interstate 76
Interstate 76 (east)
Interstate 76 is an Interstate Highway in the United States, running 435 miles from an interchange with Interstate 71 west of Akron, Ohio, east to Interstate 295 near Camden, New Jersey....
(Pennsylvania Turnpike
Pennsylvania Turnpike
The Pennsylvania Turnpike is a toll highway system operated by the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, United States. The three sections of the turnpike system total . The main section extends from Ohio to New Jersey and is long...
) via I-79 or US 19 in Cranberry Township
Cranberry Township, Butler County, Pennsylvania
Cranberry Township is a township in Butler County, Pennsylvania, United States. It is classified as a Second Class Township and follows the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Second Class Township Code. The population was 28,098 as of the 2010 census....
. The second busiest road in Mars is the Mars-Evans City Road which was originally Pennsylvania Route 855
Pennsylvania Route 855
Pennsylvania Route 855 was a former state highway located in Butler County, Pennsylvania. When the highway was established in 1928, it became a spur route of PA 68. The highway was deleted in 1946...
. It is an important connecting road for Mars and the borough of Evans City
Evans City, Pennsylvania
Evans City is a borough in Butler County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 2,009 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Evans City is located at ....
. The Red Belt of the Allegheny County Belt System
Allegheny County belt system
The Allegheny County Belt System color codes miscellaneous county roads to form a unique system of routes in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania and around the city of Pittsburgh....
is located just three miles south of Mars.
Notable people
Jillian O' Neilhttp://www.imdb.com/name/nm2593045/, film actress and directorSources
- An Historical Gazetteer of Butler County, Pennsylvania, Mechling Bookbindery., 2006, ISBN 978-0-9760563-9-3.