Belle Vernon, Pennsylvania facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Belle Vernon, Pennsylvania
Borough
Belle Vernon, as seen from across the Monongahela River in a view showing the underside of the I-70 bridge looking east-north-east from Speers
Location of Belle Vernon in Fayette County, Pennsylvania.
Location of Pennsylvania in the United States
Country	United States
State	Pennsylvania
County	Fayette
Established	1813
Area
• Total	0.33 sq mi (0.85 km2)
• Land	0.26 sq mi (0.68 km2)
• Water	0.07 sq mi (0.18 km2)
Highest elevation	1,080 ft (330 m)
Lowest elevation	738 ft (225 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	1,024
• Density	3,923.37/sq mi (1,513.80/km2)
Time zone	UTC-4 (EST)
• Summer (DST)	UTC-5 (EDT)
ZIP code	15012
Area code(s)	724
FIPS code	42-05288

Belle Vernon is a small town, called a borough, in Fayette County, Pennsylvania, United States. It sits right next to the Monongahela River. This river acts as a border with two other counties: Westmoreland to the north and Washington across the river. In 2020, about 1,025 people lived in Belle Vernon.

The town was first called "Bellevernon" and was started in 1813 by Noah Speers. The name comes from French words meaning "beautiful green." Noah Speers chose this name for his community by the Monongahela River. Later, his son Louis started another town nearby with a similar name, North Belle Vernon, which is just up the hill. Right across the river is the town of Speers. This town is at one end of the important I-70 bridge.

Where is Belle Vernon?

Belle Vernon is located at 40°7′37″N 79°52′6″W / 40.12694°N 79.86833°W / 40.12694; -79.86833. It's in the northwest corner of Fayette County. The town borders Washington County to the west, across the river. It also borders Westmoreland County to the north.

The borough covers a total area of about 0.81 square kilometers (0.31 square miles). Most of this area is land, about 0.65 square kilometers (0.25 square miles). The rest, about 0.17 square kilometers (0.07 square miles), is water. This means about 20% of Belle Vernon is water.

Neighboring Towns

Belle Vernon shares land borders with a few other places. To the southeast, it borders Washington Township. To the north, it borders North Belle Vernon. To the northwest, it borders Rostraver Township. These last two towns are in Westmoreland County.

Across the Monongahela River, in Washington County, Belle Vernon is next to the towns of Speers and Dunlevy.

A Look Back in Time

Main Street in Belle Vernon

Louis M. Speers, born in 1810, was the son of Noah Speers. Louis played a big part in helping Belle Vernon grow. During his lifetime, the town's population reached about 700 people. There was a steam ferry that connected Belle Vernon to Allen Township across the river.

The small town had many businesses. There were five stores selling general goods and four grocery stores. It also had two glass factories that employed 87 people. Other shops included places for boots and shoes, furniture, wagons, and saddles. There were also blacksmiths, tanneries, and two sawmills. Louis Speers owned a sandbank outside of town. This sand was very good for making glass. He also owned a large coal mine and a big boatyard. The boatyard had more than 50 employees. Louis lived at the corner of Main and 2nd streets.

Boat hulls, which are the main bodies of boats, were built at Louis Speers' boatyard. He owned this yard with a partner named Morgan Gaskill. It was located on 3rd Street in the 1830s and 1840s. Many steamboats were built there. For example, the Minstrel was built in 1842. The St. Anthony was made for a trip to Galena, Illinois. The Cassandra was built to go to Knoxville, Tennessee. Two boats named the Alert and the Avalanche (built in 1847) were made for customers in Pittsburgh.

In 1853, Mr. Speers built a sawmill with William Latta, who was also a boat builder. This mill was located near Speers Run. A fire destroyed it in 1877. Louis's son, William F. Speers, rebuilt it. William had been a soldier in the Civil War. He sold the new mill in 1880 to the Belle Vernon Saw and Planing Company.

The small village of Speers, across the river, was started in 1860 by a relative of the Speers family. It got its name from the same family. North Belle Vernon, which is in Westmoreland County, was started by Louis Speers in 1872. It became an official town in 1876. Louis died two years later in 1878. He is buried at the Rehoboth Presbyterian Church Cemetery.

Samuel Dougherty, who was a carpenter, is believed to have built the first house in North Belle Vernon. It was on Broad Avenue. He was an important person in the community. The first two businesses in North Belle Vernon were a metal foundry in 1873 and a flour mill in 1874. Many of the early buildings were around the intersection of Short Street and Broad Avenue.

People in Belle Vernon

In 2000, there were 1,211 people living in Belle Vernon. The population density was about 4,647 people per square mile. There were 716 homes in the borough.

About 17% of the people were under 18 years old. About 29% were 65 years or older. The average age in Belle Vernon was 45 years old. For every 100 females, there were about 80 males.

Schools in Belle Vernon

Belle Vernon and its nearby towns, like Fayette City and North Belle Vernon, are part of the Belle Vernon Area School District. The school buildings are located in Rostraver Township, which is in Westmoreland County.

Famous People from Belle Vernon

• Dorian Johnson: An American football player.
• Frank Mascara: A U.S. Representative for Pennsylvania from 1995 to 2003.
• Robert Mountsier: An author, journalist, and literary agent.
• Gene Dodaro: The Comptroller General of the United States since 2010. He is the chief of the Government Accounting Office (GAO).
• Bert Rechichar: An NFL defensive back and kicker.

See also

In Spanish: Belle Vernon para niños