Layton, Pennsylvania facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Layton
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 Layton, Pennsylvania
Location in Pennsylvania
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| Country |  United States |
| State |  Pennsylvania |
| County | Fayette |
| Elevation | 250 m (810 ft) |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (EST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) |
| ZIP code |
15428
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Layton is a small place in Fayette County, Pennsylvania. It's called an unincorporated community. This means it's not officially a town or city with its own local government. Instead, it's part of the larger county.
Contents
Layton's Story: A Look Back
Layton used to be home to a big factory that made bricks. This was because there was a lot of special flint clay nearby. This clay was perfect for making strong bricks!
Railroad History in Layton
Layton was also an important spot for railroads. The Washington Run Railroad connected here with the famous B&O Railroad. The B&O Railroad Company wanted to build a railway through the Youghiogheny and Monongahela valleys.
In 1826, they got permission from the Pennsylvania General Assembly. Their goal was to build a railroad from Baltimore, Maryland, to the Ohio River. They had fifteen years to finish the project.
Building the Lines
Surveys for the B&O line in Fayette County happened between 1836 and 1838. But the company realized they couldn't meet their deadline. They asked for more time and got it until February 1847.
Still, they couldn't finish. Another company, the Pennsylvania Railroad, became a competitor. So, B&O decided not to build through Fayette County.
Instead, the Pittsburgh and Connellsville Railroad Company took over the plan. This company started in 1837. They became the first railroad to open a line in Fayette County.
Layton's Railroad Station
The Pittsburgh and Connellsville company bought land and equipment. They started building their rail line. They also set up stations in places like West Newton and Connellsville.
They bought land for stations at other spots too. These included Port Royal, Jacob's Creek, and Layton. The station in Layton was at the "foot of Big Falls." The complete rail line to Connellsville opened in 1855.
By 1880, the B&O Railroad was leasing lines from the Pittsburgh and Connellsville company. The area around Layton, called Perry Township, had grown. Its population reached 1,476 people.
How Layton Got Its Name
The land where Layton is now was first owned by Mary Higgs in 1791. It was called "Springfield." Over the years, the land was sold to different people.
In 1821, Abraham Layton bought the land. After he passed away, his sons, Michael and Abraham Layton, used boats on the river. They shipped sand and glass products from their property.
Later, a special type of silex was found on the land. Silex is a material useful for making glass. This discovery happened around the 1860s.
As a village grew around the railroad station, it took on the name Layton. The first store was opened by Henry Brollier. He was also the village's first postmaster. Another store opened in 1876.
The Historic Layton Bridge
In 1899, a special bridge was built near Layton. It was a Pratt truss railroad bridge. This type of bridge uses a strong design with triangles.
The bridge was designed by Taylor & Romine. It was built by A & P Roberts Co. and the Pencoyd Iron Works. This bridge carried Legislative Route 26191 over the Youghiogheny River.
Because of its history, the Layton Bridge was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1988.
Bridge Repairs and Future
The Layton Bridge was once a railroad bridge. Later, it was changed into a one-lane bridge for cars. It connects Layton to Perryopolis and Route 51.
In July 2022, the bridge was closed for repairs. These repairs were needed to make the bridge and its access tunnel stronger. The bridge reopened in August 2022.
Jeremy Hughes, a bridge engineer, said the Layton Bridge is special. "It's one of our few bridges that are over 100 years old," he explained. It's also one of the few former railroad bridges.
Officials decided to limit how much weight the bridge could hold. This allowed emergency vehicles and snow plows to keep using it. The plan is to replace the bridge around 2025.
