Perryopolis, Pennsylvania facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Perryopolis, Pennsylvania
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Borough
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| Etymology: Oliver Hazard Perry | |
Location of Perryopolis in Fayette County, Pennsylvania.
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 Perryopolis, Pennsylvania
Location in Pennsylvania
Perryopolis, Pennsylvania
Location in the United States
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| Country | United States |
| State | Pennsylvania |
| County | Fayette |
| Established | 1814 |
| Area | |
| • Total | 1.47 sq mi (3.80 km2) |
| • Land | 1.47 sq mi (3.80 km2) |
| • Water | 0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2) |
| Elevation | 1,010 ft (310 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 1,705 |
| • Density | 1,163.82/sq mi (449.21/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-4 (EST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (EDT) |
| ZIP Code |
15473
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| Area code(s) | 724 |
Perryopolis is a small town, called a borough, in Fayette County, Pennsylvania, United States. It is part of the larger Pittsburgh area. In 2020, about 1,705 people lived there.
Contents
Perryopolis History
George Washington's Connection
Long ago, George Washington bought a large piece of land here. It was about 1,644 acres. He visited in 1770 and thought the land was amazing. He said it had rich meadows and good water. He also noted it was a great spot for a mill. The mill was finished in 1776. This mill helped other businesses start in the area.
How Perryopolis Was Planned
Washington wanted to develop the rest of Perryopolis. He drew plans for the streets to look like a wagon wheel. After he died, his family sold the land. In 1814, the town was officially laid out using Washington's plans. It was first known as "New Boston." The town was later named Perryopolis after Oliver Hazard Perry. This honored his victory on Lake Erie during the War of 1812.
Coal Mining Era
In the late 1800s, people started mining for coal around Perryopolis. Coal mining was the main business until the 1950s. A railroad line helped move the coal. But Perryopolis was different from other mining towns. Instead of housing many miners, it was mostly home to managers and office workers. These people were connected to the mining industry.
Historic Buildings
Several buildings in Perryopolis are very old and important. They are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. These include the Karolcik Building, St. Nicholas Byzantine Catholic Church, Searight's Fulling Mill, and Youghiogheny Bank of Pennsylvania.
Geography of Perryopolis
Location and Size
Perryopolis is located in the northern part of Fayette County. You can find it at 40.085969 degrees north and 79.752088 degrees west. Pennsylvania Route 51 runs through the western side of the town. This road goes north about 31 miles to Pittsburgh. It goes south about 15 miles to Uniontown.
The U.S. Census Bureau says that Perryopolis covers about 3.97 square kilometers. All of this area is land.
Local Features
Perryopolis is where the Frazier School District is located. This means it's a central spot for local schools. A stream called Washington Run flows through the town. This stream eventually joins the Youghiogheny River.
Perryopolis Population
Population Over Time
The number of people living in Perryopolis has changed over the years. Here's how the population has looked:
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1880 | 321 | — | |
| 1960 | 1,799 | — | |
| 1970 | 2,043 | 13.6% | |
| 1980 | 2,139 | 4.7% | |
| 1990 | 1,833 | −14.3% | |
| 2000 | 1,764 | −3.8% | |
| 2010 | 1,784 | 1.1% | |
| 2020 | 1,705 | −4.4% | |
| 2021 (est.) | 1,675 | −6.1% | |
| Sources: | |||
Who Lives Here?
In 2000, there were 1,764 people living in Perryopolis. There were 798 households, which are groups of people living together. Most people in the borough were White (99.21%). A small number were African American (0.11%), Asian (0.28%), or from two or more races (0.40%). About 0.17% of the people were Hispanic or Latino.
Households and Families
Out of the 798 households, about 22.6% had children under 18 living with them. More than half (52.4%) were married couples. About 9.8% had a female head of household with no husband present. Many households (33.0%) were made up of people living alone. About 20.8% of these were people aged 65 or older living by themselves. The average household had 2.21 people, and the average family had 2.81 people.
Age Groups
The population in Perryopolis is spread across different age groups. About 17.7% of the people were under 18 years old. About 6.9% were between 18 and 24. The largest groups were those aged 25 to 44 (25.1%) and 45 to 64 (26.0%). About 24.3% of the population was 65 years or older. The average age in the borough was 45 years.
Images for kids
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Typical mid-20th century housing
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Town square
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Suburban-style housing
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New housing development
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Frazier High School
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St. Nicholas Greek Catholic Church
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St. John the Baptist Roman Catholic Church
