Avella, Pennsylvania facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Avella
Census-designated place
Avella Location in Pennsylvania Show map of Pennsylvania Avella Location in the United States Show map of the United States
Country	United States
State	Pennsylvania
County	Washington
Area
• Total	0.90 sq mi (2.33 km2)
• Land	0.90 sq mi (2.33 km2)
• Water	0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2)
Population  (2020)
• Total	782
• Density	867.92/sq mi (335.02/km2)
Time zone	UTC-5 (Eastern (EST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-4 (EDT)
ZIP code	15312
Area code(s)	724
FIPS code	42-03616

A home in Avella from the time of the Civil War.

This schoolhouse in Avella was built in the 1930s.

The entrance to Independence Cemetery, located near Avella.

Avella is a small community in Independence Township, Washington County, Pennsylvania, United States. It is a census-designated place, which means it's a special area identified for population counting. In 2020, about 782 people lived there. Avella is located in southwestern Pennsylvania.

Population in Avella

This section looks at how many people live in Avella. The number of people living in a place is called its population.

As of the 2020 census, Avella had 782 residents. This information helps us understand how the community has grown or changed over time.

Avella's Long History

The area around Avella has a very long and interesting history. It was once home to some of North America's earliest people.

Ancient Inhabitants

• Meadowcroft Rockshelter: This is a special place near Avella. It's a natural shelter under a rock.
• Scientists believe early people used this shelter for thousands of years. They might have lived there as far back as 16,000 to 19,000 years ago.
• These early people were "foragers," meaning they found their food by hunting and gathering plants.
• Later, about 400 years ago, Native American groups known as Eastern Woodland Indians lived here.
• Today, the Meadowcroft Rockshelter is a National Historic Landmark. You can visit it to learn about early Native American life and how rural Americans lived in the 1800s.

Growth and Industry

• In the 1700s, Avella was part of the American frontier. It was a place for pioneers and farmers.
• There were grist mills to grind grain and forts for safety.
• Avella is still a farming community today.
• The town started to grow more in the early 1900s when the railroad arrived. The last railroad tunnel was finished in 1903.
• The railroad made it easier to transport coal. This led to many coal mines opening in the Avella and Burgettstown area.
• This region became very important for mining "bituminous coal," which is a type of soft coal.

Immigration and Challenges

• The new jobs in mining and on the railroad attracted many immigrants.
• People from southern and eastern Europe came to Avella in the early 1900s.
• This helped the area grow a lot in size and importance.
• However, there were also tough times. The coal mining industry sometimes had disagreements between workers and mine owners.
• One notable event was the Cliftonville Riot. This happened during a strike when mine owners hired new workers who were not part of the union.
• A conflict occurred between union workers, non-union workers, owners, and local police. This event was a difficult moment in the area's history.

Decline of Coal Mining

• Over time, the coal in the local mines started to run out.
• Also, the demand for coal and its price went down.
• Because of this, many coal mines closed.
• As jobs became harder to find, families moved away. This caused the population of Avella to slowly decrease.

See also

In Spanish: Avella (Pensilvania) para niños