Butler, Pennsylvania facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Butler, Pennsylvania
City
View of Butler from the Southside neighborhood
Flag Seal
Location of Butler in Butler County, Pennsylvania.
Butler, Pennsylvania Location in Pennsylvania
Country	United States
State	Pennsylvania
County	Butler
Settled	1793
Incorporated (borough)	1816
Incorporated (city);	1918
Government
• Type	Mayor-Council
Area
• Total	2.72 sq mi (7.04 km2)
• Land	2.72 sq mi (7.04 km2)
• Water	0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2)
Population  (2020)
• Total	13,502
• Density	4,965.80/sq mi (1,917.47/km2)
Time zone	UTC−5 (Eastern (EST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC−4 (EDT)
ZIP Codes	16001–16003
Area code(s)	724, 878
FIPS code	42-10464

Edna & Floyd Cramer at their Maytag Store in Butler, Pennsylvania 1920s

Butler is a city in Pennsylvania, United States. It is the main city of Butler County. The city is about 35 miles north of Pittsburgh and is part of the larger Greater Pittsburgh area. In 2020, about 13,502 people lived there.

Butler was named after Major General Richard Butler. He was a brave general who died in a battle in 1791. The first settlers arrived in 1803, and it became a borough (a type of town) in 1817. Later, in 1918, it officially became a city. Many early settlers were from Ireland, Scotland, and Germany.

In the early 1900s, Butler was a busy place for factories, especially for making steel products. It was part of the "Steel Belt" region. The Standard Steel Car Company in Butler made some of the first all-steel train cars. Also, the American Bantam Car Company here helped create the famous WWII Jeep. Even though many factories closed later, Butler is working to grow its economy again. Important employers today include AK Steel and VA Butler Healthcare.

Butler has a public library, built in 1921, which was the last Carnegie library built in Pennsylvania. The city is also home to the Butler Little Theatre, which has been putting on plays since 1941. You can visit historical places like the Butler County Courthouse. Each year, Butler hosts fun events like the Bantam Jeep Heritage Festival and the Butler Italian Festival.

In July 2024, Butler gained attention when an event involving Donald Trump happened nearby. This event, which took place outside the city, brought a lot of focus to the area.

Butler's Past: A Look at Its History

Downtown Butler

Butler got its name from Major General Richard Butler. He was a military leader who died in a battle in Ohio in 1791.

The first people to settle in Butler were John and Samuel Cunningham in 1803. They planned out the town for others to join. By 1817, Butler became a borough. Many early settlers were from Ireland and Scotland. Later, in the early 1800s, many German immigrants arrived. They helped start other nearby towns like Zelienople and Harmony. By 1832, many German families lived in the county.

Butler officially became a city in 1918.

The first library in Butler started in 1894. The Butler Area Public Library, built in 1921, was the very last Carnegie library built in Pennsylvania. These libraries were funded by Andrew Carnegie to help communities learn and read.

How Rail and Cars Shaped Butler

In the early 1900s, Butler was a big center for manufacturing. It was known for its steel industry. In 1902, the Standard Steel Car Company opened a huge factory in Butler. They made some of the first train cars completely out of steel. This company later joined with another to become Pullman-Standard.

About 2,500 workers built 60 steel train cars every day in 1902. Many immigrants came to Butler for these jobs. The company even built housing and a store for its workers. During World War II, the steel workers in Butler made important parts for the war effort.

The Pullman-Standard factory closed in 1982. Today, the area where it stood is a shopping center and a bus station. A special train car built in 1974 is now at the bus terminal to remember the old factory.

The American Austin Car Company (later American Bantam Car Company) was also in Butler. This company made small, fuel-efficient cars in the 1930s. In 1940, their engineers helped design what became the famous WWII Jeep. However, larger companies ended up getting the big military contracts for Jeeps. A monument near the courthouse celebrates Bantam's role in creating the Jeep.

Butler is also home to one of the first Ford car dealerships, which opened in 1918 and is still open today.

In the 1950s, Butler was one of the first cities to add bells at crosswalks. This helped people know when it was safe to cross the street.

Butler from the 1970s to Today

By the late 1970s, many manufacturing jobs in Butler disappeared. This changed the local economy a lot.

In July 2024, a political event near Butler brought a lot of attention to the city. While the event happened outside the city limits, the Mayor of Butler, Bob Dandoy, noted the increased focus on the area.

Butler's Location and Environment

Connoquenessing Creek flows through Butler, Pennsylvania.

Butler covers about 2.7 square miles (7.0 square kilometers) of land.

The Connoquenessing Creek flows through the city. Years ago, this creek was very polluted. But thanks to less industry and clean-up efforts, the creek is much healthier now. People enjoy water sports there today.

Butler's Neighborhoods

Butler has six main neighborhoods:

• Institute Hill
• The Island
• North Butler
• South Hills
• South Side
• West End

Butler's Weather

Who Lives in Butler?

In 2000, Butler had 15,121 people living there. About 93.6% were White, and 2.7% were African American. About 23.7% of the people were under 18 years old. The average age was 36 years.

Butler's Economy: Major Employers

Some of the biggest employers in Butler are:

• Walmart
• AK Steel
• Armstrong Group of Companies
• Penn United Technologies
• VA Butler Healthcare
• Butler Area School District
• Independence Health System (formerly Butler Health System)

Arts and Fun in Butler

The Butler Little Theatre has been putting on plays since 1941. The Musical Theater Guild also performs a musical every year. The Hobnob Theatre Company puts on plays, including a yearly show of A Christmas Carol. They also do Shakespeare in the Park shows.

The Maridon Museum is special because it's the only museum in Western Pennsylvania focused on Chinese and Japanese art and culture.

The Little Red School House is an old one-room schoolhouse from 1839. It's now a museum run by the Butler County Historical Society.

Butler also has the Butler County Symphony Association, which performs concerts. There are also artist groups like the Associated Artists of Butler County.

Some books have been set in Butler:

• Snow Angels by Stewart O'Nan (1994)
• From A Buick 8 by Stephen King (2002)
• Benjamin's Field trilogy by J. J. Knights (2015)

Fun Events in Butler

• The Butler Road Race happens every summer in June. It's a running race that helps raise money for student scholarships.
• The Butler Italian Festival is a yearly street fair with Italian food, music, and activities.
• The Bantam Jeep Heritage Festival is the biggest Jeep festival in the U.S. It happens every June with off-road trails and a "Jeep Invasion" street party.

Historic Places to See in Butler

Butler County Courthouse

Senator Walter Lowrie House

Many buildings in Butler are listed on the National Register of Historic Places:

• The Butler Armory was built in 1922 for the National Guard.
• The Butler County Courthouse is the main government building. Diamond Park, across the street, has memorials for soldiers.
• The Butler County National Bank building, built in 1902–1903, was one of Butler's first tall buildings. It's now an apartment building.
• The Butler Historic District includes 128 important buildings in downtown Butler. These buildings show different architectural styles from 1828 to 1952.
• The Senator Walter Lowrie House was built in 1828 and was the home of U.S. Senator Walter Lowrie. It's now the headquarters for the Butler County Historical Society.
• Elm Court, also called Phillips Mansion, is a large, historic mansion built in 1929–1930. It's privately owned and hidden away in the city.

Sports in Butler

• The Butler BlueSox is a baseball team that has been active since 2006.
• Michelle Krill Field at Historic Pullman Park is a baseball stadium built in 1934. Famous players like Lou Gehrig and Joe DiMaggio played here. Today, it's the home field for the Butler BlueSox.

Parks and Outdoor Fun

Butler has several parks for recreation:

• Doughboy Park is a memorial park for those who served in World War I.
• Butler Memorial Park used to have a community pool.
• Father Marinaro Park has a skateboard park.
• Ritts Park is a small park with courts for sports.
• Rotary Park is a curved park near the Pullman baseball park.

Schools and Learning in Butler

• Butler Area School District serves the city's students.
  • Emily Brittain Elementary School is in Butler City.
  • Center Avenue School is an alternative school for students with different needs.
  • Butler Intermediate High School and Butler Area High School are in nearby Butler Township.

Other schools and colleges:

• Butler County Area Vocational-Technical School
• Butler Catholic School
• Butler County Community College (BC3)

Media and News in Butler

• The Butler Eagle is the daily newspaper.
• WBUT plays country music on the radio.
• WISR offers news, talk, and sports on the radio.
• WLER plays rock music on the radio.
• The Butler Radio Network is a news website.
• Armstrong Neighborhood Channel is a local TV and internet channel.
• Golden Tornado Television (channel 204) is the school district's channel.

Getting Around Butler: Transportation

Airports Near Butler

Butler County Airport terminal building

There are two airports close to Butler:

• Butler County Airport is used for general aviation and can handle larger planes.
• Butler Farm Show Airport is for smaller, private planes.

Buses and Public Transport

The Butler Transit Authority runs local bus routes. It also has a bus service that goes to Pittsburgh.

Train Services

Two train companies offer freight service in Butler:

• The Canadian National Railway's main line goes through the city.
• The Buffalo and Pittsburgh Railroad provides regional service. They have a large shop for train engines nearby.

Roads and Highways

Five main highways pass through or near Butler, connecting it to other parts of Western Pennsylvania:

• Pennsylvania Route 38 starts just north of the city.
• U.S. Route 422 goes around the north side of the city.
• PA 68 and PA 356 go right through downtown Butler.
• PA 8 is Butler's Main Street.

Famous People from Butler

Sports Stars

• Matt Clement (born 1974), former baseball pitcher who won the World Series.
• Khalil Greene (born 1979), former baseball player for the San Diego Padres.
• Don Kelly (born 1980), former baseball player, now a coach for the Pittsburgh Pirates.
• Jerry Meals (born 1961), a current baseball umpire.
• John Stuper (born 1957), former baseball pitcher and college coach.
• Terry Hanratty (born 1948), a famous college football quarterback.
• Paul Posluszny (born 1984), former NFL linebacker for the Buffalo Bills and Jacksonville Jaguars.
• Rich Saul (1948–2012), a six-time Pro Bowl NFL player for the Los Angeles Rams.
• Ron Saul (1948–2021), former NFL player for the Houston Oilers and Washington Redskins.
• Eric Namesnik (1970–2006), a two-time Olympic silver medalist in swimming.
• David Pichler (born 1968), an Olympic diver.

Film, Stage, and TV Personalities

• Marc Blucas (born 1972), actor known for Buffy the Vampire Slayer.
• Joan Chandler (1923–1979), actress in Alfred Hitchcock's Rope.
• Barbara Feldon (born 1933), actress known as Agent 99 in Get Smart.
• Grace Gealey (born 1984), actress who played 'Anika' on the TV show Empire.
• Michele Pawk (born 1961), an actress who won a Tony Award.

Musicians

• About a Mile, a Christian rock band.
• Bret Michaels (born 1963), lead singer of the rock band Poison.
• Jim Pugh (born 1950), a jazz trombonist.

Public Service and Military Leaders

• Judge William G. Bassler (born 1938), a former U.S. federal judge.
• Admiral Jonathan W. Greenert (born 1953), former head of the U.S. Navy.
• Mike Kelly (born 1948), a U.S. Representative.
• William J. Perry (born 1927), who was the Secretary of Defense under President Bill Clinton.
• Rick Santorum (born 1958), a former U.S. Senator from Pennsylvania.

Innovators in Technology

• Jay Last (1929–2021), a physicist who helped create silicon technology.
• Earl L. Warrick (1911–2002), a chemist who invented Silly Putty.

See also

In Spanish: Butler (Pensilvania) para niños