Austin, Pennsylvania facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Austin, Pennsylvania
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Borough
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Main Street (PA 607) in Austin, September 2007
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Location of Austin in Potter County, Pennsylvania.
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 Austin, Pennsylvania
Location in Pennsylvania
Austin, Pennsylvania
Location in the United States
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| Country | United States |
| State | Pennsylvania |
| County | Potter |
| Settled | 1856 |
| Incorporated (borough) | 1888 |
| Named for | Edward Orramel Austin |
| Government | |
| • Body | Borough council |
| Area | |
| • Total | 4.04 sq mi (10.47 km2) |
| • Land | 4.04 sq mi (10.47 km2) |
| • Water | 0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2) |
| Elevation
(borough benchmark)
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1,352 ft (412 m) |
| Highest elevation
(high points at east end of borough)
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2,260 ft (690 m) |
| Lowest elevation
(Freeman Run)
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1,305 ft (398 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 482 |
| • Density | 119.28/sq mi (46.05/km2) |
| Time zone | Eastern (EST) |
| • Summer (DST) | EDT |
| ZIP code |
16720
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| Area code(s) | 814 |
| FIPS code | 42-03576 |
Austin is a small town, also called a borough, located in southwestern Potter County, Pennsylvania, United States. It sits along a river called Freeman Run. In 2020, about 482 people lived there. Austin is known for its interesting history, especially a big event that happened over a hundred years ago involving a dam.
Contents
Austin's Story
How Austin Started
In September 1856, a man named Edward Orramel Austin discovered the beautiful area around Freeman Run. He loved it so much that he decided to build a village there. He lived his whole life in this valley, even serving in the Civil War before returning home.
His dream grew, and for a while, Austin was one of the biggest towns in Potter County. When Edward Austin passed away in 1908, the town was very busy with paper mills and sawmills. He got to see his big dream come true.
Just two years later, in 1911, almost the entire town was washed away. This happened when a huge dam, built by the Bayless Pulp and Paper Company, broke. It couldn't hold back over 500 million gallons of water. Edward Austin's own home was also swept away in the flood.
The New, Oldest Home in Austin
Today, there is a building that looks just like Edward O. Austin’s house from the 1800s. It stands almost exactly where his original home was before the 1911 flood.
Inside this house, you'll find a museum. It's full of cool items and memories from Austin and nearby places like Wharton, Keating Summit, and Odin. The main goal of "The New, Oldest Home in Austin" is to keep the town's history alive for everyone.
The 1911 Dam Disaster
The Austin Dam was also known as the Bayless Dam. It was a large concrete dam built in 1909 for the Bayless Pulp and Paper Mill. At the time, it was the biggest dam of its kind in Pennsylvania.
On September 30, 1911, the dam broke apart in a terrible disaster. This event destroyed a large part of the town and sadly, 78 people lost their lives.
After the disaster, the people of Austin worked hard to rebuild their town. They used the slogan "the town too tough to die." Later, this was changed to "the best town by a dam site," which is a clever play on words!
Where is Austin?
Austin is a borough, which means it's a type of town. It covers about 4.0 square miles (10.47 square kilometers) of land. There is no water area within the borough limits.
Who Lives in Austin?
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1890 | 1,679 | — | |
| 1900 | 2,300 | 37.0% | |
| 1910 | 2,941 | 27.9% | |
| 1920 | 1,556 | −47.1% | |
| 1930 | 1,116 | −28.3% | |
| 1940 | 1,050 | −5.9% | |
| 1950 | 804 | −23.4% | |
| 1960 | 721 | −10.3% | |
| 1970 | 626 | −13.2% | |
| 1980 | 740 | 18.2% | |
| 1990 | 569 | −23.1% | |
| 2000 | 623 | 9.5% | |
| 2010 | 562 | −9.8% | |
| 2020 | 482 | −14.2% | |
| 2021 (est.) | 477 | −15.1% | |
| Sources: | |||
In 2020, the United States Census counted 482 people living in Austin. There were 230 households in the borough. This means there were about 119.6 people living in each square mile.
Most people in Austin are White. A very small number of people are Hispanic or Latino, or Asian.
About 25.8% of households had children under 18 living with them. Many households, about 50.4%, were married couples. The average household had about 3.49 people.
The population of Austin includes people of all ages. About 6.8% are under 5 years old, and 19% are between 5 and 18. People aged 18 to 64 make up 56.2% of the population, and 18% are 65 or older. The average age in Austin is about 39.6 years.
The typical income for a household in Austin was $48,750. For families, the median income was $60,417. About 3.2% of the people in Austin live below the poverty line. This is lower than the average for all of Pennsylvania, which is 12.0%.
Many adults in Austin have a high school degree or more. About 49.1% have a high school degree or equivalent. Some have attended college, and a smaller number have earned a college degree.
Most people in Austin work for private companies. About 61.4% of the population was employed when the last census was taken.
Fun Things to Do in Austin
The Dam Show
'The Dam Show' is an outdoor music festival held every August. It takes place at the Austin Dam Memorial Park. This event features live music and a cool light show projected onto the dam ruins after dark. You can also find camping, food, and craft vendors. Musicians play throughout the three-day event. Some of the money raised helps support projects at the Austin Dam Memorial Park.
Gathering of the Artist Festival
The annual Gathering of the Artist Festival is a four-day arts festival. It happens every July at the Austin Dam Memorial Park. This festival brings together chainsaw carvers, art vendors, and musicians. There's also camping, food, and craft vendors. On the last day, Sunday, much of the art created during the festival is sold at an auction.
Austin Dam Pow Wow
The annual Austin Dam Pow-Wow takes place on the last weekend of September. The Wolf Pack Pow-Wow Association hosts this event at the Austin Dam Memorial Park. It features traditional Native American drumming and dancing. You can also see examples of Native American crafts, art, and food items.
Terrifying Trail
The annual Dam Terrifying Trail event is put on by the Austin PRIDE Committee. It happens in October at the Austin Dam Memorial Park. The park's setting is perfect for this spooky event! Paths around the camping area are turned into a "stage" for characters to create scary scenes. After that, a Halloween-themed movie is shown on the dam.
See also
In Spanish: Austin (Pensilvania) para niños
