Mars, Pennsylvania facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Mars, Pennsylvania
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Borough
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Downtown Mars
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Location of Mars in Butler County, Pennsylvania.
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Location of Pennsylvania in the United States
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| Country | United States |
| State | Pennsylvania |
| County | Butler |
| Settled | 1873 |
| Incorporated | 1882 |
| Area | |
| • Total | 0.47 sq mi (1.22 km2) |
| • Land | 0.47 sq mi (1.22 km2) |
| • Water | 0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 1,458 |
| • Density | 3,102.13/sq mi (1,196.74/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (EST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) |
| ZIP code |
16046
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| Area code(s) | 724 |
| FIPS code | 42-47672 |
| School district | Mars Area School District |
Mars is a small town, also called a borough, in southern Butler County, Pennsylvania, United States. It's part of the larger Pittsburgh area. In 2020, about 1,458 people lived there.
Contents
History of Mars
The town of Mars started in 1873. A man named Samuel Parks built a home and a special mill called a gristmill there. A gristmill uses water power to grind grain into flour.
Parks wanted a post office in his home. His friend, Samuel Marshall, helped him set it up. They named the post office "Overbrook."
In 1877, a railroad line was built through Overbrook. It was called the Pittsburgh, New Castle and Lake Erie Railroad. They built a train station in the town.
In 1882, the town's name was changed to Mars. This was because the railroad already had another stop named "Overbrook." No one is completely sure how the name "Mars" came about. Some people say Samuel Parks's wife loved astronomy, which is the study of stars and planets like Mars. Others think the name was shortened from Samuel Marshall's name.
Mars officially became a borough on March 6, 1895. This means it became its own self-governing town.
Later, in 1904, a streetcar line was built through Mars. It was called the Pittsburgh and Butler Street Railway. This line later became part of a bigger railway system in 1917. It was renamed the Pittsburgh, Mars and Butler Railway. This streetcar line stopped running in 1931.
A United States Navy ship, the USS Mars (AFS-1), was named after the borough. This ship joined the United States Pacific Fleet in 1963. It was taken out of service in 1998. In 2006, it was used as a target vessel and sunk. The ship's bell was given to the borough of Mars. It is now part of a special memorial in the town's park.
Geography of Mars
Mars is located in southern Butler County. It's about halfway between the big cities of Pittsburgh and Butler. The town sits in a small valley next to a stream called Breakneck Creek.
A main road, Pennsylvania Route 228, goes around the southern part of the borough. This road helps people travel east to Pennsylvania Route 8 and west to major highways like Interstate 79 and 76. Another road, the Mars–Evans City Road, goes north out of town.
The borough of Mars is quite small. It covers about 0.47 square miles (1.22 square kilometers) of land.
Population of Mars
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1900 | 777 | — | |
| 1910 | 1,215 | 56.4% | |
| 1920 | 1,226 | 0.9% | |
| 1930 | 1,302 | 6.2% | |
| 1940 | 1,318 | 1.2% | |
| 1950 | 1,385 | 5.1% | |
| 1960 | 1,522 | 9.9% | |
| 1970 | 1,488 | −2.2% | |
| 1980 | 1,803 | 21.2% | |
| 1990 | 1,713 | −5.0% | |
| 2000 | 1,746 | 1.9% | |
| 2010 | 1,699 | −2.7% | |
| 2020 | 1,458 | −14.2% | |
| Sources: | |||
In 2000, about 1,746 people lived in Mars. The population has changed over the years. For example, in 1900, there were 777 people. The population grew to over 1,800 in 1980. By 2020, the population was 1,458 people.
Churches in Mars
Mars has several Christian churches. One of the biggest is Saint Kilian Parish. It started in 1917 in downtown Mars. It grew so much that a new, larger church was built nearby in 2008.
There are also many Presbyterian people in the borough. The Mars United Presbyterian church was formed in 1969 when two older churches joined together. You can also find Lutheran and Methodist churches in Mars. Newer churches, like Woodland Valley Church and Mars Alliance Church, have also started in the area.
Economy
Mars National Bank was started in 1900. Its main office is in Mars. It also has several other branches in Butler and Allegheny counties.
Culture and Fun Facts
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Because of its unique name, Mars, Pennsylvania, sometimes gets attention from around the country.
In 2011, students from Mars Elementary School were invited to a special movie premiere. A company from The Walt Disney Company invited them to see the movie Mars Needs Moms in Pittsburgh. This was because they read an article about the town. Mars was the only school in the whole country invited!
The borough has also been a filming location for movies and TV commercials. The films The Prince of Pennsylvania (1988) and Kingpin (1996) were filmed in Mars. In 2000, a commercial for Kraft salad dressing was filmed downtown.
A Canadian musician named John Southworth even named his first album Mars, Pennsylvania. He had passed through the town on a school trip many years before.
Mars also inspired a fictional town. The 2015 book series Benjamin's Field by local author J. J. Knights is set in a made-up town called Athena, Pennsylvania, which was inspired by Mars.
One of the most popular sights in Mars is the Mars "Spaceship" or "Flying Saucer." It's a fun roadside attraction. The town is also home to the Mars Station. This is one of the last old train stations still standing from the former Pittsburgh and Western Railroad.
Education
The Mars Area School District serves students from Mars and nearby towns like Valencia. It also includes Adams Township and Middlesex Township. The school's sports teams are called the Mars Fightin' Planets!
Transportation
There's a small airport called Lakehill Airport about a mile and a half northwest of Mars. It's used for small, private planes. Larger airports nearby include the Butler County Airport.
A railroad company called the Buffalo and Pittsburgh Railroad operates through Mars. They sometimes transport goods to nearby areas.
The busiest road in Mars is Pennsylvania Route 228. It's important for people traveling to and from work. It connects to other major roads and highways like Interstate 79 and U.S. Route 19. This allows easy access to the Pennsylvania Turnpike. The Mars-Evans City Road is another important road that connects Mars to the town of Evans City.
Notable People from Mars
Many interesting people have connections to Mars, Pennsylvania:
- William Eythe - A film and stage actor and playwright from the 1940s.
- Chloe and Christi Lukasiak - Known from the TV show Dance Moms.
- Robbie Sigurdsson - An ice hockey player from Iceland who played for his country's national team.
- Jeff Wassmann - An artist, writer, and thinker.
- David Bednar - An all-star pitcher in Major League Baseball (MLB).
- Will Bednar - A professional baseball pitcher.
See also
In Spanish: Mars (Pensilvania) para niños
