Cresson, Pennsylvania facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Cresson, Pennsylvania
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Borough
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Houses on Second Street
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Location of Cresson in Cambria County, Pennsylvania.
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 Cresson, Pennsylvania
Location in Pennsylvania
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| Country | United States |
| State | Pennsylvania |
| County | Cambria |
| Incorporated | 1902 |
| Government | |
| • Type | Borough council |
| Area | |
| • Total | 0.48 sq mi (1.25 km2) |
| • Land | 0.48 sq mi (1.25 km2) |
| • Water | 0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2) |
| Elevation | 2,054 ft (626 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 1,525 |
| • Density | 3,163.90/sq mi (1,221.56/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (Eastern (EST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) |
| Zip code |
16630
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| Area code(s) | 814 |
| FIPS code | 42-17136 |
| GNIS feature ID | 1215014 |
Cresson is a small town, called a borough, in Cambria County, Pennsylvania, USA. It's about 80 miles east of Pittsburgh, a big city in Pennsylvania. Cresson sits high up in the mountains, over 2,000 feet above sea level.
Long ago, industries like lumber, coal mining, and making coke (a type of fuel) helped the town grow. In 1910, about 1,470 people lived here. Even though it's officially part of the Johnstown area, many people think of it as part of the Altoona area because it's closer to Altoona. In 2010, about 1,711 people lived in Cresson.
The town was named in 1854 to honor Elliott Cresson, a kind person who gave money to good causes. The growth of Cresson was greatly helped by railroads, starting with the Allegheny Portage Railroad. Many famous businessmen from Pittsburgh, like Charles M. Schwab, Andrew Carnegie, and Henry Clay Frick, had summer homes in the area. Cresson became an official borough in 1906, at the same time as its neighbor, Sankertown.
Contents
Where is Cresson Located?
Cresson is in the eastern part of Cambria County. It sits right on top of the Eastern Continental Divide. This is a high point of land that separates rivers flowing to the Atlantic Ocean from those flowing to the Ohio River valley.
Rivers and Waterways
The Little Conemaugh River starts in Cresson. It flows southwest and eventually joins other rivers like the Conemaugh River, Kiskiminetas River, Allegheny River, and finally the mighty Mississippi River. On the north side of Cresson, water flows north into Clearfield Creek. This creek is a branch of the West Branch of the Susquehanna River, which leads to Chesapeake Bay.
Important Roads and Landmarks
Just east of Cresson is Blair Gap. This is where the Allegheny Portage Railroad National Historic Site is located. This was the very first railroad to cross the Allegheny Mountains.
U.S. Route 22, a large highway, goes around Cresson to the south and east. You can get to Cresson from two exits: Pennsylvania Route 53 (Second Street) and the Admiral Peary Highway. Altoona is about 15 miles northeast using US 22. Ebensburg, the main town of Cambria County, is about 8 miles to the west.
Cresson covers a total area of about 0.48 square miles (1.25 square kilometers), and all of it is land.
A Look Back: Cresson's History
The Mountainhouse Era
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One of the first big buildings in the Cresson area was the Mountainhouse Hotel. The Pennsylvania Railroad opened this beautiful hotel in 1881. It was built in the Queen Anne style. The hotel was later sold and torn down in 1916.
People hoped the Mountainhouse would attract visitors from Pittsburgh and Johnstown. They came looking for clean mountain air and "healing" mineral springs. Even though the hotel itself didn't last, it helped other hotels and businesses grow. It also led to the development of the town of Cresson.
Today, this area is known as the "Mountainhouse Grounds" by local people. Some of the original small houses, called cottages, are still standing. These include cottages that belonged to famous people like Andrew Carnegie and Benjamin Jones.
Cool Old Photos by R.A. Bonine
A photographer named R.A. Bonine from Altoona took many special photos of the Cresson area. These photos were called stereographs, which make pictures look 3D. He took them in the 1870s and 1880s. His photos were part of a series called "Views Among the Alleghenies."
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Mountainhouse Hotel
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Cresson Springs Co. Building
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Hotel from Railroad Station
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Railroad Depot (looking east)
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Muller Cottage
People of Cresson
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1910 | 1,470 | — | |
| 1920 | 2,170 | 47.6% | |
| 1930 | 2,317 | 6.8% | |
| 1940 | 2,500 | 7.9% | |
| 1950 | 2,569 | 2.8% | |
| 1960 | 2,659 | 3.5% | |
| 1970 | 2,446 | −8.0% | |
| 1980 | 2,184 | −10.7% | |
| 1990 | 1,784 | −18.3% | |
| 2000 | 1,631 | −8.6% | |
| 2010 | 1,711 | 4.9% | |
| 2020 | 1,525 | −10.9% | |
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In the year 2000, there were 1,631 people living in Cresson. Most of the people (about 98.90%) were White. A small number were African American or Asian.
About 26% of the homes had children under 18 living there. Many homes (41.9%) were married couples living together. The average household had about 2.23 people.
The population was spread out by age:
- 21% were under 18 years old.
- 10.3% were between 18 and 24.
- 27.5% were between 25 and 44.
- 22.2% were between 45 and 64.
- 19% were 65 years or older.
The average age in Cresson was 39 years old.
Education in Cresson
Cresson has good educational opportunities:
- Mount Aloysius College is a four-year Roman Catholic college located right in Cresson.
- The Penn Cambria School District has its main offices in Cresson. This public school district serves students from kindergarten through 12th grade. It covers Cresson and nearby areas.
- Penn Cambria Pre-Primary (for younger kids) and Penn Cambria High School are both located in Cresson.
Famous People from Cresson
- Robert Edwin Peary, Sr. - He was a famous American explorer.
See also
In Spanish: Cresson (Pensilvania) para niños
