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Clairton, Pennsylvania facts for kids

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Clairton, Pennsylvania
Clairton in 1973
Clairton in 1973
Nickname(s): 
City of Prayer
Location in Allegheny County and the U.S. state of Pennsylvania.
Location in Allegheny County and the U.S. state of Pennsylvania.
Country  United States
State  Pennsylvania
County Allegheny
Incorporated April 12, 1903 (borough)
  January 1, 1922 (city)
Area
 • Total 3.00 sq mi (7.76 km2)
 • Land 2.77 sq mi (7.17 km2)
 • Water 0.23 sq mi (0.59 km2)
Population
 (2020)
 • Total 6,181
 • Density 2,232.21/sq mi (861.77/km2)
Time zone UTC-5 (EST)
 • Summer (DST) UTC-4 (EDT)
ZIP code
15025
Area code(s) 412
FIPS code 42-13704
Website www.cityofclairton.com

Clairton is a city in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, United States. It's located along the Monongahela River and is part of the larger Pittsburgh metropolitan area. In 2020, about 6,181 people lived there.

Clairton is famous for being home to U.S. Steel's Clairton Coke Works. This is the biggest facility in North America that makes coke, which is a type of fuel used in making steel.

The city was the setting for the 1978 movie The Deer Hunter. However, none of the movie was actually filmed in Clairton. Other towns in the Monongahela River Valley were used instead. The Montour Trail, a fun path for walking and biking, also starts in Clairton and goes all the way to Coraopolis, Pennsylvania.

Clairton's Story: A Look at Its History

Clairton started to grow in the early 1900s. The Crucible Steel Company bought a large area of land near the Monongahela River. Soon after, the Carnegie Steel Company (which later became U.S. Steel) built a huge steel mill and a coke production plant there. This plant eventually became one of the biggest in the world.

The area was perfect because it had over 1,000 acres of flat land. This was great for building a large industrial complex. On April 12, 1903, Clairton officially became a borough. Then, on January 1, 1922, it became a "City of the Third Class" with about 11,000 people. This change happened because the industries wanted a single city government to deal with, instead of three separate boroughs.

Growth and Challenges

For many years, Clairton was a busy and growing city. As the steel mill and coke plants got bigger, more people moved to Clairton. The city developed its own shopping areas, schools, churches, and cultural places. Clairton was at its busiest in the late 1950s.

However, things started to change. In the 1980s, the steel industry began to decline. This caused big problems for Clairton, as many people lost their jobs. The city's tax money also went down. In 1988, Pennsylvania's government called Clairton a "distressed municipality." This meant it needed help to recover.

Schools and Sports

In the late 1950s, Clairton High School (CHS) had many students. There were also several elementary schools feeding into it. But new schools in nearby towns started to draw students away.

During the mid-1950s and into the 1960s, CHS was a strong competitor in the Western Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic League (WPIAL). They played against other high schools from steel mill towns along the Monongahela River. By 1988, the Clairton School District combined all its schools into one building. This was a remodeled version of the high school. Today, Clairton High competes at a smaller level in the WPIAL. Their high school football team has been very successful recently, even gaining national attention!

Where is Clairton? (Geography)

Clairton is located at 40°17′47″N 79°53′14″W / 40.29639°N 79.88722°W / 40.29639; -79.88722.

The U.S. Census Bureau says the city covers about 3.0 square miles (7.76 square kilometers). Most of this is land (2.8 sq mi or 7.17 sq km), and a small part is water (0.2 sq mi or 0.59 sq km).

Nearby Areas

Clairton shares most of its land border with Jefferson Hills. It also has a short border with West Mifflin to the north.

Across the Monongahela River, Clairton is next to Glassport to the north and northeast. You can get there directly using the Clairton-Glassport Bridge. Further down the river, Clairton is also next to Lincoln from the northeast to the southeast.

Who Lives in Clairton? (Demographics)

Historical population
Census Pop.
1910 3,326
1920 6,264 88.3%
1930 15,291 144.1%
1940 16,381 7.1%
1950 19,652 20.0%
1960 18,389 −6.4%
1970 15,051 −18.2%
1980 12,188 −19.0%
1990 9,656 −20.8%
2000 8,491 −12.1%
2010 6,796 −20.0%
2020 6,181 −9.0%
U.S. Decennial Census

In 2000, there were 8,491 people living in Clairton. They lived in 3,710 households, with 2,203 of these being families. The city had about 3,072 people per square mile.

Most people in Clairton were White (69.12%), and a good number were African American (28.32%). A small percentage were from other backgrounds. About 0.73% of the population identified as Hispanic or Latino. Many people had European roots, like Italian (17.5%), German (9.8%), Irish (9.8%), Slovak (6.7%), and English (5.0%). Most people (96.4%) spoke English at home.

The average household had 2.25 people, and the average family had 2.92 people. About 23.6% of households had children under 18 living with them.

The median age in the city was 42 years old. This means half the people were younger than 42 and half were older. About 22.1% of the population was under 18.

The median income for a household was $25,596 per year. For families, it was $31,539. About 19.5% of all people, and 15.4% of families, lived below the poverty line. This included 32.9% of those under 18.

Famous People from Clairton

Clairton has been home to several notable people, including:

  • Nancy Y. Bekavac – A former president of Scripps College.
  • Benny Benack – A talented trumpet player.
  • Tyler Boyd – An NFL (National Football League) player.
  • Walter Cooper – A respected scientist.
  • Reginald B. Desiderio – A recipient of the Medal of Honor, a very brave award.
  • Marva Josie – A jazz vocalist.
  • George Kosana – An actor, known for playing the sheriff in the movie Night of the Living Dead.
  • Lance Parrish – A famous MLB (Major League Baseball) catcher who played for teams like the Detroit Tigers.
  • Ron Lancaster – A Canadian Football League Quarterback.

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See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Clairton para niños

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