Monessen, Pennsylvania facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Monessen, Pennsylvania
City
Downtown Monessen
Flag Seal
Etymology: Monongahela + Essen, Germany
Location of Monessen in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania
Country	United States
State	Pennsylvania
County	Westmoreland
Settled	1897
Borough incorporated	September 3, 1898
City incorporated	September 16, 1921
Area
• Total	3.02 sq mi (7.83 km2)
• Land	2.89 sq mi (7.48 km2)
• Water	0.14 sq mi (0.35 km2)
Elevation	1,128 ft (344 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	6,876
• Density	2,381.71/sq mi (919.58/km2)
Time zone	UTC-5 (EST)
• Summer (DST)	UTC-4 (EDT)
ZIP Code	15062
Area code(s)	724
FIPS code	42-50344
School District	Monessen City School District

Monessen is a city in southwestern Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, United States. It is located along the Monongahela River. In 2020, the city had a population of 6,876 people.

Monessen was once a major center for steel-making. It officially became a city in 1921. After the steel industry changed in the late 1900s, many jobs were lost. Because of this, Monessen is now considered a "Rust Belt" town. It is part of the "Mon Valley" region in southwestern Pennsylvania. Monessen is also part of the larger Pittsburgh metropolitan area. It is close to the Rivers of Steel National Heritage Area and the Laurel Highlands. The city sits across the Monongahela River from North Charleroi.

History of Monessen

Monessen got its name from the Monongahela River and Essen, Germany. Essen is a German city known for its industries. Monessen was founded later than other towns in the Mon Valley.

How Monessen Started

In 1897, a group called the East Side Land Company bought land from local farmers. They planned out the streets and then sold lots to people and businesses. James M. Schoonmaker, who made a lot of money from coke, owned most of this land company. Other investors like Philander C. Knox and James H. Reed also helped. Their names are now used for streets in Monessen.

In May 1897, the National Tin Plate Company started building its factory. This company, founded by William Donner, became Monessen's first big employer. People could start buying land lots on July 27, 1897. Monessen officially became a borough on September 3, 1898.

Growth and Industry in Monessen

Monessen grew very quickly in the early 1900s.

• In 1900, the population was 2,197.
• By 1910, it jumped to 11,775.
• In 1920, it reached 18,179 people.

Many companies operated in Monessen. The biggest employer was Pittsburgh Steel Company, later known as Wheeling-Pittsburgh Steel. Back then, pay could depend on a worker's background. For example, a Welsh immigrant might be paid more than an Italian immigrant. A typical workweek was 84 hours (7 days, 12 hours each). The eight-hour workday only became common in the 1920s.

Monessen changed from a "borough" to a "city" on September 16, 1921.

Changes in the Steel Industry

Starting in the 1960s, factories in the region, especially steel mills, found it harder to compete. This led to many job cuts. In 1972, the Page Steel and Wire Company closed, which was a big loss for the city.

A much bigger blow came in 1986 when Wheeling-Pittsburgh Steel, Monessen's largest employer, closed most of its operations. The company's rail mill closed in March 1987. This closure marked the end of an important era in Monessen's history.

Monessen Today

Monessen is now working to improve itself. The city has been trying to clean up abandoned buildings for several years. In January 2010, Mary Jo Smith became the first female mayor of Monessen. In 2013, Mayor Lou Mavrakis shared that the city had a large debt. This debt required a significant part of the city's budget to be used for payments each year.

Older residents know that the steel mills will not return. Younger residents may not even remember the mills or know about the city's industrial past. One resident recalled seeing the blast furnaces torn down in the mid-1990s when they were five years old.

The Charleroi-Monessen Bridge was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1988.

Geography and Climate

Monessen is located at 40°9′15″N 79°52′58″W / 40.15417°N 79.88278°W / 40.15417; -79.88278.

Land and Water Area

The United States Census Bureau states that Monessen has a total area of about 3.1 square miles (7.83 km²).

• About 2.9 square miles (7.48 km²) is land.
• About 0.2 square miles (0.35 km²) is water. This means about 4.90% of the city's area is water.

Monessen is part of the Pittsburgh Metropolitan Statistical Area. This area is also known as the Greater Pittsburgh Region.

Monessen's Climate

The climate in Monessen has hot, humid summers. Winters are generally mild to cool. According to the Köppen climate classification system, Monessen has a humid continental climate. This type of climate is shown as "Cfa" on climate maps.

Population and Demographics

As of the 2010 census, Monessen had 8,669 people living in 3,916 households. There were 2,451 families. The population density was about 2,986.8 people per square mile. There were 4,468 housing units.

Ethnic Backgrounds

The city's population was mostly White (83.71%) and African American (13.99%). Smaller groups included Native American, Asian, and Pacific Islander people. About 1.63% of people were of two or more races. Hispanic or Latino people made up 0.82% of the population.

In 2000, many residents had European ancestry. About 27.9% were of Italian descent. Other groups included Slovak (8.4%), German (7.5%), and Polish (7.0%).

Household Information

Out of all households, 21.2% had children under 18 living with them. About 42.9% were married couples living together. About 15.2% had a female head of household with no husband present. And 37.4% were not families.

Many households (34.3%) were made up of individuals. About 22.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years old or older. The average household size was 2.19 people. The average family size was 2.80 people.

Age Distribution

The population was spread out by age:

• 19.6% were under 18 years old.
• 5.3% were from 18 to 24 years old.
• 23.3% were from 25 to 44 years old.
• 22.7% were from 45 to 64 years old.
• 29.1% were 65 years old or older.

The average age in Monessen was 46 years. For every 100 females, there were about 84.8 males. For every 100 females aged 18 and over, there were about 79.0 males.

Income Levels

The median income for a household in Monessen was $26,686. For a family, the median income was $37,269. Males earned a median income of $34,773, while females earned $21,508. The per capita income for the city was $16,627.

About 11.5% of families and 15.7% of the total population lived below the poverty line. This included 27.7% of those under 18 and 8.2% of those aged 65 or over.

Education in Monessen

Monessen has several educational institutions:

• Douglas Education Center is a private career school. It offers higher education programs.
• Monessen City School District is the public school system for the area. It serves students in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania.

Notable People from Monessen

Many interesting people have come from Monessen:

• Christian B. Anfinsen (1916-1995) – A biochemist who won the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1972.
• Steve Belichick (1919-2005) – An NFL player and college football coach.
• Tony Benjamin (1955-) – A former football player.
• Eric Crabtree (1944-) – An NFL Football Player for teams like the Denver Broncos.
• Doug Crusan (1946-) – An NFL Football Player for the Miami Dolphins.
• Artis Leon Ivey Jr. (1963-2022) – A Grammy Award-winning rapper and actor, known as Coolio.
• Albert Lexie – A shoeshiner famous for donating a third of his earnings to charity.
• Bill Malinchak (1944-) – A former football wide receiver in the National Football League.
• Frances McDormand – An Oscar-winning American actress.
• Herman Mihalich (1930-1997) – A former Democratic member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives.
• Michael Moorer – A former heavyweight boxing champion.
• Armand Niccolai (1911-1988) – A former NFL player for the Pittsburgh Pirates/Steelers.
• Lawrence T. Persico – The Bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Erie.
• James H. Reed (1853-1927) – A United States federal judge and lawyer. He was one of the founders of Monessen.
• Tom Savini – A famous makeup artist.
• James M. Schoonmaker (1842-1927) – An American Civil War Colonel and vice-president of the Pittsburgh and Lake Erie Railroad. He was also one of Monessen's founders.
• Blanche Thebom – A mezzo-soprano singer.

Images for kids

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  Downtown Monessen

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  Flag of Monessen

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  Seal of Monessen

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  Location of Monessen in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania

See also

In Spanish: Monessen para niños