Connellsville is a city in Fayette County, Pennsylvania, 57 miles (92 km) southeast of Pittsburgh on the Youghiogheny River, a tributary of the Monongahela river. 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.

Geography

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Connellsville is located at (40.016231, -79.589888).

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 6.1 km² (2.4 mi²). 5.9 km² (2.3 mi²) of it is land and 0.3 km² (0.1 mi²) of it (4.66%) is water.

Demographics

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As of the census of 2000, there were 9,146 people, 3,963 households, and 2,377 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,562.5/km² (4,053.5/mi²). There were 4,434 housing units at an average density of 757.5/km² (1,965.2/mi²). 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.

History

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During the French and Indian war, a British army commanded by General Edward Braddock approached fort Duquesne, crossing the Youghiogheny river at Stewart's crossing, situated in the middle of modern Connellsville. Connellsville was officially founded as a township in 1793 by Zachariah Connell, a militia captain during the American revolution. Connellsville became a borough in 1806 and a city in 1909 when it unified with the nearby town of New Haven.

Coal mining became big business in Connellsville during the later half of the nineteenth century, and the city became the center of the Connellsville coalfield. Heavy industry brought much wealth to the Fayette county region. However, such prosperity remained restricted to a wealthy elite, and many immigrants of Italian and Slavic origins worked the coal mines and coke ovens in a state of poverty.

Connellsville was the home of two prominent athletes of the first half of the 20th century: University of Notre Dame quarterback and 1947 Heisman Trophy winner Johnny Lujack and 1936 Olympic 800 meter gold medalist John Woodruff. Displays honoring the two star athletes can be found in Connellsville Area High School. Each year, a 5-kilometer road race is held in Connellsville to honor Woodruff.

As the coal industry faltered in the nineteen-fifties, a wave of deindustrialization affected Connellsville, removing the sources of wealth that had sustained it in the past. The city remains a railroad junction, and new sources of revenue are becoming available. Recently, modern sewerage systems were extended beyond the city limits, providing a draw for large businesses. New retail opportunities are emerging, and tourism based on the beauty of the Youghiogheny valley may mean economic recovery. However, major social and economic problems affect the city. High teen pregnancy rates, drug problems, and significant unemployment all face the people of Connellsville.

External links

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Cities in Pennsylvania | Fayette County, Pennsylvania