Masontown, Pennsylvania Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids

Masontown, Pennsylvania

Borough

Seal

Etymology: John and Abigail Mason

Location of Masontown in Fayette County, Pennsylvania.

Masontown, Pennsylvania

Location in Pennsylvania

Masontown, Pennsylvania

Location in the United States

Country

United States

State

Pennsylvania

County

Fayette

Established

1798

Area

• Total

1.53 sq mi (3.95 km²)

• Land

1.50 sq mi (3.87 km²)

• Water

0.03 sq mi (0.08 km²)

Elevation

1,020 ft (310 m)

Population

(2020)

• Total

3,276

• Density

2,191.30/sq mi (846.24/km²)

Time zone

UTC-4 (EST)

• Summer (DST)

UTC-5 (EDT)

ZIP code

15461

Area code(s)

724

Masontown is a small town, also called a borough, located in Fayette County, Pennsylvania, in the United States. It's part of the larger Pittsburgh Metro Area. In 2020, about 3,274 people lived here. The town is served by the Albert Gallatin Area School District. Masontown acts as a central point for the countryside around it, with a small shopping area and a grocery store.

History of Masontown
- Early Beginnings: Fort Mason
- Becoming a Town
Geography of Masontown
Population of Masontown
Notable People from Masontown
Gallery
See also

History of Masontown

Masontown has a long history, starting even before it became an official town.

Early Beginnings: Fort Mason

From 1774 to 1778, a special building called Fort Mason was built here. A blockhouse is a strong, small fort, often made of logs, used for defense. It was built by a man named John Mason, also known as Johannes Phillip Maurer.

Becoming a Town

Masontown officially became a town in 1798. John Mason, who helped start the settlement, later moved to Ohio. He is buried on a family farm in Columbiana County.

Geography of Masontown

Masontown is located in the southwestern part of Fayette County.

Location and Rivers

The western edge of the borough touches the Monongahela River. This river also forms the border with Greene County. The main part of Masontown is about 1 mile (1.6 km) east of the river and sits about 200 feet (61 meters) higher.

Roads and Routes

Two important roads pass through Masontown:

Pennsylvania Route 21 goes through the northern and western parts of town. If you go east on this road, you'll reach Uniontown, which is the county seat, about 12 miles (19 km) away. Going west, it crosses the Monongahela River and leads to Waynesburg, about 16 miles (26 km) away.
Pennsylvania Route 166 runs through the center of Masontown, known as Main Street. This road leads south about 10 miles (16 km) to Point Marion. Point Marion is where the Monongahela River meets the Cheat River.

Area Size

Masontown covers a total area of about 4.00 square kilometers (1.53 square miles). Most of this area, about 3.91 square kilometers (1.50 square miles), is land. The rest, about 0.08 square kilometers (0.03 square miles), is water.

Population of Masontown

Historical population
Census	Pop.	%±
1880	376	—
1890	391	4.0%
1900	466	19.2%
1910	890	91.0%
1920	1,525	71.3%
1930	3,873	154.0%
1940	3,721	−3.9%
1950	4,550	22.3%
1960	4,730	4.0%
1970	4,226	−10.7%
1980	4,909	16.2%
1990	3,759	−23.4%
2000	3,611	−3.9%
2010	3,450	−4.5%
2020	3,274	−5.1%
2021 (est.)	3,228	−6.4%
Sources:

As of the 2000 census, there were 3,611 people living in Masontown. There were 1,536 households, which are groups of people living together in one home. The average household had about 2.32 people.

The population included people of different ages. About 23.0% of the people were under 18 years old. About 22.9% were 65 years old or older. The median age, which is the middle age of all the people, was 42 years.