Shenango Township, Lawrence County, Pennsylvania
Encyclopedia
Shenango Township is a township in Lawrence County
, Pennsylvania
, United States
. The population was 7,633 at the 2000 census. Shenango Township is situated between the cities of New Castle, Pennsylvania
(to the north), and Ellwood City, Pennsylvania
(to the south).
, the township has a total area of 24.4 square miles (63.3 km²), of which, 24.4 square miles (63.2 km²) of it is land and 0.04% is water.
, Shenango Township was incorporated in 1796 as a part of Beaver County
, Pennsylvania
; since Lawrence County
did not yet exist at this time. It later became one of Lawrence County's original townships. It quickly became one of the most populous areas because the land was suitable for many different purposes. One of the first settlers to live in Shenango was William Carins. He came to this area in 1796 and was the man who gave Shenango its name. Carins was awarded the land after his service in the Revolutionary War, he was paid in 500 acres (2 km²) of land. Carins worked as a cloth weaver, and ran a small store where he sold his goods. William Tindall was another one of Shenango's first settlers. Tindal was paid 400 acres (1.6 km²) for his service in the Revolutionary War as well. He lived to the age of 93, and was buried in the Tindall family cemetery near the "Turkey Hill" section of the township. The Tindall family cemetery is most famously known as the resting place of Mary Black, a supposed, but never proven witch of around the same time period. Her grave can be located after following the path from the road until you arrive at the swamp, go around the swamp on the left side. Her grave is separate from the others and is the only one dug up. Shenango's largest land owner was a Philadelphia lawyer named Benjamin Chew. Chew bought up large portions of the southern extent of the township under assumed names for pennies an acre. He later resold the land for a profit, and the small town of Chewton was later named after him.
The township was linked to New Castle
, Ellwood
and Pittsburgh in 1908 by the Pittsburgh, Harmony, Butler and New Castle Railway
, an interurban
trolley line. The line closed on 15 June 1931 and the trolleys were replaced by buses.
of 2000, there were 7,633 people, 2,854 households, and 2,171 families residing in the township. The population density
was 312.6 people per square mile (120.7/km²). There were 2,996 housing units at an average density of 122.7/sq mi (47.4/km²). The racial makeup of the township was 97.29% White, 1.72% African American, 0.04% Native American, 0.10% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.41% from other races
, and 0.43% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.76% of the population.
There were 2,854 households out of which 31.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 63.2% were married couples
living together, 9.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 23.9% were non-families. 21.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.56 and the average family size was 2.99.
In the township the population was spread out with 24.1% under the age of 18, 7.1% from 18 to 24, 25.8% from 25 to 44, 24.3% from 45 to 64, and 18.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females there were 102.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.1 males.
The median income for a household in the township was $39,949, and the median income for a family was $46,933. Males had a median income of $36,387 versus $21,783 for females. The per capita income
for the township was $19,068. About 4.3% of families and 5.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 7.2% of those under age 18 and 3.2% of those age 65 or over.
residents as well.
A significant percentage of graduates attend college, with Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania
, Penn State University, Youngstown State University
, and Butler County Community College
being popular choices.
, Hallmark Cards
, and Dunhams Sports. This area is also served by many national chain fast food restaurants.
The 422 corridor is more of a light industrial focused area which is anchored by the McKesson Corporation, this area is also home to the townships lone remaining grocery store, Giant Eagle
.
Lawrence County, Pennsylvania
Lawrence County is a county located in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. In 2010, its population was 91,108. The county was added to the Pittsburgh Metropolitan Statistical Area in 2003. The county seat is New Castle....
, 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...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The population was 7,633 at the 2000 census. Shenango Township is situated between the cities of New Castle, Pennsylvania
New Castle, Pennsylvania
New Castle is a city in Lawrence County, Pennsylvania, United States, northwest of Pittsburgh and near the Pennsylvania-Ohio border just east of Youngstown, Ohio; in 1910, the total population was 36,280; in 1920, 44,938; and in 1940, 47,638. The population has fallen to 26,309 according to the...
(to the north), and Ellwood City, Pennsylvania
Ellwood City, Pennsylvania
Ellwood City is a borough in Beaver and Lawrence counties in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. Ellwood City is 30 miles northwest of Pittsburgh and some 8 miles south by southeast of New Castle...
(to the south).
Geography
According to the United States Census BureauUnited 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 township has a total area of 24.4 square miles (63.3 km²), of which, 24.4 square miles (63.2 km²) of it is land and 0.04% is water.
History
Named for the Shenango RiverShenango River
The Shenango River is a principal tributary of the Beaver River, approximately 100 mi long, in western Pennsylvania in the United States. It also briefly flows through small portions of northeastern Ohio...
, Shenango Township was incorporated in 1796 as a part of Beaver County
Beaver County, Pennsylvania
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 181,412 people, 72,576 households, and 50,512 families residing in the county. The population density was 418 people per square mile . There were 77,765 housing units at an average density of 179 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...
; since Lawrence County
Lawrence County, Pennsylvania
Lawrence County is a county located in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. In 2010, its population was 91,108. The county was added to the Pittsburgh Metropolitan Statistical Area in 2003. The county seat is New Castle....
did not yet exist at this time. It later became one of Lawrence County's original townships. It quickly became one of the most populous areas because the land was suitable for many different purposes. One of the first settlers to live in Shenango was William Carins. He came to this area in 1796 and was the man who gave Shenango its name. Carins was awarded the land after his service in the Revolutionary War, he was paid in 500 acres (2 km²) of land. Carins worked as a cloth weaver, and ran a small store where he sold his goods. William Tindall was another one of Shenango's first settlers. Tindal was paid 400 acres (1.6 km²) for his service in the Revolutionary War as well. He lived to the age of 93, and was buried in the Tindall family cemetery near the "Turkey Hill" section of the township. The Tindall family cemetery is most famously known as the resting place of Mary Black, a supposed, but never proven witch of around the same time period. Her grave can be located after following the path from the road until you arrive at the swamp, go around the swamp on the left side. Her grave is separate from the others and is the only one dug up. Shenango's largest land owner was a Philadelphia lawyer named Benjamin Chew. Chew bought up large portions of the southern extent of the township under assumed names for pennies an acre. He later resold the land for a profit, and the small town of Chewton was later named after him.
The township was linked to New Castle
New Castle, Pennsylvania
New Castle is a city in Lawrence County, Pennsylvania, United States, northwest of Pittsburgh and near the Pennsylvania-Ohio border just east of Youngstown, Ohio; in 1910, the total population was 36,280; in 1920, 44,938; and in 1940, 47,638. The population has fallen to 26,309 according to the...
, Ellwood
Ellwood City, Pennsylvania
Ellwood City is a borough in Beaver and Lawrence counties in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. Ellwood City is 30 miles northwest of Pittsburgh and some 8 miles south by southeast of New Castle...
and Pittsburgh in 1908 by 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...
, an interurban
Interurban
An interurban, also called a radial railway in parts of Canada, is a type of electric passenger railroad; in short a hybrid between tram and train. Interurbans enjoyed widespread popularity in the first three decades of the twentieth century in North America. Until the early 1920s, most roads were...
trolley line. The line closed on 15 June 1931 and the trolleys were replaced by buses.
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 7,633 people, 2,854 households, and 2,171 families residing in the township. 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 312.6 people per square mile (120.7/km²). There were 2,996 housing units at an average density of 122.7/sq mi (47.4/km²). The racial makeup of the township was 97.29% White, 1.72% African American, 0.04% Native American, 0.10% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.41% 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 0.43% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.76% of the population.
There were 2,854 households out of which 31.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 63.2% 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, 9.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 23.9% were non-families. 21.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.56 and the average family size was 2.99.
In the township the population was spread out with 24.1% under the age of 18, 7.1% from 18 to 24, 25.8% from 25 to 44, 24.3% from 45 to 64, and 18.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females there were 102.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.1 males.
The median income for a household in the township was $39,949, and the median income for a family was $46,933. Males had a median income of $36,387 versus $21,783 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 township was $19,068. About 4.3% of families and 5.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 7.2% of those under age 18 and 3.2% of those age 65 or over.
Education
Children residing in the township attend the Shenango Area School District. It was selected by Business Week as one of the top five schools in the state in 2009. Shenango Area schools also serves the adjacent municipality of South New Castle, PennsylvaniaSouth New Castle, Pennsylvania
South New Castle is a borough in Lawrence County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 808 at the 2000 census. South New Castle is primarily a residential neighborhood which lies south of the southern border of the city of New Castle, Pennsylvania...
residents as well.
A significant percentage of graduates attend college, with Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania
Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania
Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania is a public, master's-level university that offers some doctoral programs in cooperation with Indiana University of Pennsylvania. Both institutions are members of the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education...
, Penn State University, Youngstown State University
Youngstown State University
Youngstown State University, founded in 1908, is an urban research university located in Youngstown, Ohio, United States. As of fall 2010, there were 15,194 students and a student-faculty ratio of 19:1. It is recognized as being one of the premier schools in the country, comparable to Ivy League...
, and Butler County Community College
Butler County Community College (Pennsylvania)
Butler County Community College is located in Butler Township, Pennsylvania, United States. Its motto is "The Smart Place to Start," referring to the large number of students who attend two years before transferring to other colleges.The college also offers courses in Cranberry Township, as well...
being popular choices.
Residential
Shenango Township is made up by several smaller residential neighborhoods which were built by local developers over the last 50 years. These neighborhoods are interconected be the current state local road system in the township. Shenango saw its first residential developments in the late 1950s and 1960s with the Construction of most the homes that can be found today in Ridgewood Court, and Willowhurst Circle. These two developments were built at the same time that a new high school was being constructed to serve the community. The 1970s and 1980s saw limited residential development throughout the Township, this may be due to the strugling local economy at the time. The 1990s through the present have shown a great turnaround for the township, with the construction of several residential developments. Single family developments such as: "Woodland Hills", "Deer Run", "Orchardale Estates" Phase I, "Jason's Woods" Phase I & II, "Cambridge at Hidden Lake's" Phase I; have led to a significant population growth in Shenango Township over the last 15 years. Joined with the construction of townhomes and condos in "The Field's", and "Shenango Greens" Have added to the diversity of residences in Shenango Township.Business
Shenango Township is served by three separate commercial centers; the Route US 422 corridor, and the Route PA 65 Corridor, and the Shenango Industrial Park. The Route 65 Corridor is home to much of the townships shopping district. This area is served by the Lawrence Village Plaza, which is home to KmartKmart
Kmart, sometimes styled as "K-Mart," is a chain of discount department stores. The chain acquired Sears in 2005, forming a new corporation under the name Sears Holdings Corporation. The company was founded in 1962 and is the third largest discount store chain in the world, behind Wal-Mart and...
, Hallmark Cards
Hallmark Cards
Hallmark Cards is a privately owned American company based in Kansas City, Missouri. Founded in 1910 by Joyce C. Hall, Hallmark is the largest manufacturer of greeting cards in the United States. In 1985, the company was awarded the National Medal of Arts....
, and Dunhams Sports. This area is also served by many national chain fast food restaurants.
The 422 corridor is more of a light industrial focused area which is anchored by the McKesson Corporation, this area is also home to the townships lone remaining grocery store, Giant Eagle
Giant Eagle
Giant Eagle, Inc., is a supermarket chain with stores in the U.S. states of Pennsylvania, Ohio, West Virginia, and Maryland. The company was founded in 1918 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Supermarket News ranked Giant Eagle No. 21 in the 2009 "Top 75 North American Food Retailers" based on 2008...
.