Ebensburg, Pennsylvania facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Ebensburg, Pennsylvania
Borough
The Cambria County Courthouse in Ebensburg
Flag
Motto(s):  Crossroads of Cambria
Location of Ebensburg in Cambria County, Pennsylvania.
Ebensburg, Pennsylvania Location in Pennsylvania
Country	United States
State	Pennsylvania
County	Cambria
Settled	1796
Incorporated	1825
Government
• Type	Borough council
Area
• Total	1.72 sq mi (4.46 km2)
• Land	1.69 sq mi (4.37 km2)
• Water	0.03 sq mi (0.08 km2)
Elevation	2,152 ft (656 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	3,404
• Density	2,016.59/sq mi (778.57/km2)
Time zone	UTC-5 (Eastern (EST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-4 (EDT)
ZIP code	15931
Area code(s)	814
FIPS code	42-22144
GNIS feature ID	1215018

Ebensburg is a small town, called a "borough," and it's the main town of Cambria County in Pennsylvania, USA. It's about 25 miles west of Altoona and is surrounded by Cambria Township. This town sits high up in the Allegheny Mountains, about 2,140 feet above sea level. Ebensburg is in an area known for its rich supply of bituminous coal. Long ago, there were sawmills, leather factories, wool factories, and a metal foundry here. In 1900, about 1,574 people lived here. The latest count in 2020 showed 3,404 people living in Ebensburg. It's also part of the larger Johnstown area.

A fun place to visit is the Ghost Town Trail, a path for walking and biking. It was made in 1991 on an old railroad track. Near the old Cambria County Jail, you can find the Veterans Park of Cambria County. This park honors brave soldiers from Cambria County who fought in many wars. These include the Revolutionary War, the War of 1812, the Mexican–American War, the Civil War, and the Spanish–American War.

Ebensburg's Early History

Beulah Cemetery west of Ebensburg.

Ebensburg started in November 1796. A church leader named Rees Lloyd led a small group of 20 Welsh people from Philadelphia. They came to the land that Morgan John Rhees had chosen for his new community. They picked a nice spot high in the Allegheny Mountains and built what would become Ebensburg. They named it after the minister's son, Eben Lloyd, who had passed away as a child.

Rees Lloyd offered land to the government. In return, he asked for Ebensburg to become the main town of the county. The government agreed. Another nearby town called Beula, Pennsylvania had also hoped to be the county seat. But once Ebensburg was chosen, Beula slowly disappeared. Today, only its old cemetery remains.

In 1940, a guide described Ebensburg as a town on a hill. Its streets sloped down from the center. It was founded in the early 1800s by Reverend Rees Lloyd, a religious leader of Welsh immigrants. Ebensburg became the county seat in 1805 because it was in the middle of Cambria County. Even in 1842, it was rare to hear church services in English instead of the old Welsh language. Ebensburg was once a popular vacation spot. Now, it mainly relies on farming, but many people work in nearby mines.

Ebensburg and the Mexican-American War

In the 1840s, a man named General William Rudolph Smith lived in Ebensburg. People called him "Captain." He was known for being very smart about books and history. He put together a group of men called the Cambria Guards. This group was ready to fight in the Mexican-American War, but Smith could not go with them.

The Cambria Guards left for the South in January 1847. They became Company D of the Second Regiment of Pennsylvania Volunteers, also known as the Highlanders. They had a pleasant trip to New Orleans. They didn't fight until August that year because many got smallpox and had to be kept separate. After they recovered, they fought hard battles at Contreras, Churubusco, and Chapultepec. After these battles, they stayed at a monastery until 1848. Then, they returned home to Ebensburg.

A Crossroads Town

Because of its location, Ebensburg became a busy crossroads. Roads going north and south, and east to west, all passed through it. A lot of travelers came through Ebensburg during the gold rush in the late 1840s. People were heading west to find their fortunes.

An apartment building in town was known as "The California House." It was an inn and tavern for many years. Thousands of travelers stayed there on their way to California. A young local boy named William J. Wherry joined a group heading west. He wrote detailed letters to his sister about his journey. He said he crossed 600 miles of plains by himself on his way to California.

As travel changed, railroads became very popular. The nearby town of Cresson had many railroads. But no main railroad line went through Ebensburg. However, in 1862, a branch line called the "Ebensburg Cresson Rail Road" was built into Ebensburg. People said that Ebensburg was a hardworking and smart town. But because of its location and mountains, it probably wouldn't become a big industrial city.

Ebensburg and the Underground Railroad

Ebensburg had some connections to the Underground Railroad before the Civil War. This was a secret network that helped enslaved people escape to freedom. Abraham A. Barker was involved in the movement to end slavery before he came to Ebensburg. He moved to town in 1856 to make money from the lumber business.

Barker lived in a log house in town. Before the Civil War, he helped an enslaved person who came to him from Bedford. This person stayed at his house overnight. The next morning, they were taken a few miles out of Ebensburg, hidden under a blanket on a sled. Many townspeople said that Barker was good friends with Abraham Lincoln. He even went to a meeting in 1860 to help Lincoln become president. Barker was later elected to Congress.

Ebensburg in the Civil War

During the American Civil War, many men from Ebensburg joined the army. They served in the 133rd Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry. These soldiers fought in important battles like Fredericksburg and Chancellorsville. At the Battle of Fredericksburg in December 1862, the 133rd bravely charged into battle. They lost many soldiers.

Another group, Company A of the 11th Pennsylvania Reserve Regiment, was also from Ebensburg and nearby towns. This company had about 80 men. Its captain was Robert Litzinger from Ebensburg. The 11th Pennsylvania Reserves fought at the Battle of South Mountain, Antietam, and the Battle of Gettysburg. At Gettysburg, on the second day, the 11th helped push back Confederate soldiers. They charged down Little Round Top into The Wheatfield.

Two men from Ebensburg received the Medal of Honor during the Civil War. They were Thomas Evans and James Snedden. Thomas Evans bravely took a flag from an enemy soldier. Evans is buried at Bethel Cemetery in Ebensburg.

A Prosperous Postwar Town

After the Civil War, Ebensburg grew and became a rich town. Wealthy people built large, fancy homes on the streets. Their beautiful carriages rode through town. Local gentlemen even started a debate club that met regularly.

This mountain town, high in the Alleghenies, attracted rich people from Pittsburgh. They came to escape the dirty, noisy, and unhealthy city. Locals saw how special their town was. Business owners wrote flyers praising the town's "many days of bright sunshine." They also talked about its "pure artesian well water" and "health giving atmosphere." They said it was "absolutely free from smoke and dust." This promise of a healthy life in Ebensburg's mountains brought many people. Those who could afford it built "summer cottages," some as grand as mansions. The first wave of tourists stayed in new, large hotels built in the fancy Victorian architecture style.

The Maple Park Springs Hotel was on a hill in the northwest part of town. An Altoona musician named J.W. Leman even wrote a song for the hotel. Richer townspeople started building their own Victorian homes. And the wealthy visitors began to arrive, ready to buy their own pieces of mountain paradise.

One of the new buildings was Ormsby Lodge, owned by the Phillips Family. It was built in 1889 by Duncan Phillips, a famous art collector. The lodge was an 18-room Victorian "cottage" built in the Eastlake architecture style. Artist Marjorie Acker Phillips, Duncan Phillips's wife, often spent her summers here.

Another summer home was the Bissel Home. It was designed by the famous architect Stanford White. He also designed the second Madison Square Garden in New York City.

David Park from Pittsburgh bought the Maple Park Springs Hotel and built his own mansion in town. A newspaper called the Johnstown Democrat wrote about Ebensburg around this time. It called Ebensburg "that delightful village" and said it was "more attractive than Cresson." It also joked that the town had enough pretty girls to make it famous!

The Great Fire of 1915

In February 1915, most of downtown Ebensburg was destroyed by a big fire. The fire started in a pool room. Every building in the block, from the pool room to the county courthouse, was burned down. The damage was estimated to be between $250,000 and $300,000. This would be over $6 million today!

The courthouse itself was not damaged, but the buildings next to it were destroyed. Firefighters from many nearby towns came to help the Ebensburg fire company. The Johnstown fire department also came. Thirteen buildings were destroyed, including banks, hotels, and offices. Telephone lines were cut off. People believed a cigarette dropped in the poolroom the night before started the fire.

To stop the fire from spreading, some buildings were blown up with dynamite. Despite the fire, many historic homes and buildings survived. Townspeople realized how important these buildings were. They created an historic district, identifying which buildings were special and added to the town's character. In 2019, the Ebensburg Historic District was added to the National Register of Historic Places. This means it's a very important historic area. The district is generally located around Highland Avenue and West, Sugar, and Triumph streets.

Art in Ebensburg

Impressionist painter Marjorie Acker Phillips had a summer home in Ebensburg called the Ormsby Lodge. Many people believe she found ideas for her paintings from the beautiful countryside around Ebensburg.

Learning in Ebensburg

Ebensburg has several schools for students. There are three public schools and two private schools. The private schools are Bishop Carroll High School and Holy Name Elementary. The public schools are Cambria High School, Central Cambria Middle School, and Cambria Elementary. Another school in the Central Cambria School District is about 5 miles west of town, near Route 22. For college, Pennsylvania Highlands Community College has a campus about 2 miles southwest of the town center, also near Route 22.

Ebensburg's Location

Ebensburg is located in the middle of Cambria County at 40°29′11″N 78°43′32″W / 40.48639°N 78.72556°W / 40.48639; -78.72556.

Three major U.S. highways pass near or through Ebensburg. U.S. Route 22 runs along the southern edge of the town. It goes east 18 miles to Hollidaysburg (south of Altoona) and west 72 miles to Pittsburgh. U.S. Route 219 goes around the west side of Ebensburg. You can get to it from U.S. 22 and U.S. 422. US 219 goes north 58 miles to DuBois and south 41 miles to Somerset. Finally, the western part of U.S. Route 422 starts at US 219 on the west side of Ebensburg. It goes west 26 miles to Indiana. Johnstown, the biggest city in Cambria County, is 22 miles southwest of Ebensburg.

The United States Census Bureau says that Ebensburg covers a total area of about 4.4 square kilometers (1.7 square miles). Most of this is land (4.3 square kilometers or 1.69 square miles), and a small part is water (0.1 square kilometers or 0.03 square miles).

Ebensburg's Climate

Who Lives in Ebensburg?

In 2010, there were 3,351 people living in Ebensburg. There were 1,612 households, which are groups of people living together. The population density was about 1,971 people per square mile. Most people (98.27%) were White. A smaller number were African American (0.48%), Asian (0.69%), or Native American (0.12%). Some people were from other backgrounds or more than one race. About 0.48% of the population was Hispanic or Latino.

About 22.7% of households had children under 18 living with them. About 48.3% were married couples. About 9.1% had a female head of household with no husband. And 39.3% were not families. About 35.3% of all households had only one person living there. About 17.3% had someone aged 65 or older living alone. On average, there were 2.23 people per household.

The population was spread out by age. About 19.2% were under 18. About 20.5% were 65 or older. The average age was 42 years old. About 46.55% of the population was male, and 53.45% was female.

Important Buildings in Ebensburg

• A.W. Buck House
• Cambria County Courthouse
• Cambria County Jail
• Ormsby Lodge
• Philip Noon House

Famous People from Ebensburg

• Abraham A. Barker: A congressman and someone who helped enslaved people escape to freedom.
• Alan Baylock: A jazz composer and band leader.
• Jack Darragh (1866–1939): A baseball player.
• Webster Davis (1861–1923): A mayor of Kansas City, Missouri.
• Ronald Duman (1954–2020): A professor who studied the brain.
• Alvin Evans (1845–1906): A congressman.
• Bill Hartack (1932–2007): A famous jockey (horse racer).
• James Russell Leech (1888–1952): A congressman.
• Carol Scott (1949–2005): A television producer and director.
• Harriet B. Jones (1856–1943): A doctor and politician in West Virginia.
• Harve Tibbott (1885–1969): A congressman.
• Samuel D. Pryce (1841–1923): A businessman, writer, and Civil War officer.
• William Pryce (1932–2006): A U.S. Ambassador to Honduras.

Images for kids

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  Fire damage in downtown Ebensburg from the 1915 fire.

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  The Cambria County Courthouse as seen from South Center Street in the late 19th century. Built in Victorian style, it features a clocktower, and a statue of Justice at its peak.

See also

In Spanish: Ebensburg para niños