Glassport, Pennsylvania facts for kids

A row of houses on the west side of the 800 block of Ohio Avenue

Location in Allegheny County and the state of Pennsylvania

Glassport is a small town, also called a borough, located in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania. It's about 10 miles south of Pittsburgh, where the Monongahela and Allegheny rivers meet to form the Ohio River. Glassport sits along the east side of the Monongahela River in an area known as the "Mon Valley." This area used to have many factories, especially for steel, but many jobs were lost when the steel industry declined. In 1910, Glassport had 5,540 people. Its population grew to 8,748 by 1940, but by the 2020 census, it had decreased to 4,475 residents.

Learning in Glassport

Students living in Glassport attend schools that are part of the South Allegheny School District.

Where is Glassport?

Glassport is located at 40°19′37″N 79°53′19″W / 40.326919°N 79.888693°W / 40.326919; -79.888693.

The United States Census Bureau says that Glassport covers a total area of about 1.9 square miles. Most of this area, about 1.7 square miles, is land. The remaining 0.2 square miles, which is about 11% of the total, is water.

Neighboring Towns

Glassport shares its land borders with four other towns. To the north is McKeesport, to the northeast is Port Vue, to the east is Liberty, and to the southeast is Lincoln.

Across the Monongahela River to the west, Glassport is close to Dravosburg, West Mifflin, and Clairton. You can reach Dravosburg by the Mansfield Bridge and Clairton by the Clairton-Glassport Bridge.

Keeping Everyone Safe

Police Department

Police department and municipal building

The Glassport Police Department is located at 440 Monongahela Avenue. It has a team of 10 full-time officers, led by a sergeant, a lieutenant, a deputy chief, and the chief, Shawn Deverse. They work to keep the community safe.

Fire and Medical Help

The local fire department, Citizen's Hose Co. #1, is based at 525 Allegheny Avenue. They are ready to respond to fires and other emergencies.

For medical emergencies, the McKeesport Ambulance Rescue Service provides emergency medical care to Glassport residents.

Glassport's Story

Glassport in 1902

Glassport in 1930

Glassport post office in 2018

Before Glassport became its own town, the land was part of other areas, including Elizabeth Township, then Lincoln Township, and later Port Vue. In 1902, Glassport officially became a separate town, covering about 1.52 square miles.

The town grew up around a large factory called The United States Glass Company, which was built in 1894. People often called this factory "the Glass House." Other factories soon came to the area. The Glassport Land Company, which was connected to the United States Glass Company, planned out the town's streets and buildings.

Glassport got its name from this very company, the Glassport Land Company.

The United States Glass Company was located near the Monongahela River on Seventh Street. They specialized in making "pressed glass," which included tableware and other glass items created using molds. In 1963, a strong tornado hit the United States Glass Company. The tornado caused an 80-foot water tower to crash through the factory's roof. This forced the furnaces to shut down, and the hot liquid glass inside cooled and became hard. This left a huge 250-ton block of solid glass, making it too expensive to rebuild the factory.

Some famous athletes have ties to Glassport. Former professional football player George Hays was born here. Also, Jesse James, who played as a tight end for the Detroit Lions, is from Glassport.

Population Changes Over Time

Glassport's population has changed quite a bit over the years. It grew steadily through the early 1900s, reaching its highest point in 1940 with 8,748 people. Since then, the population has slowly decreased. As of the 2020 census, 4,475 people live in Glassport.

See also

In Spanish: Glassport para niños