Port Allegany, Pennsylvania Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids Port Allegany, Pennsylvania
Borough
North Main Street in downtown Port Allegany, as seen in April 2022
Location of Port Allegany in McKean County, Pennsylvania.
Port Allegany, Pennsylvania Location in Pennsylvania Show map of Pennsylvania Port Allegany, Pennsylvania Location in the United States Show map of the United States
Country	United States
State	Pennsylvania
County	McKean
Settled	1815
Incorporated	1882
Government
• Type	Borough Council
Area
• Total	1.78 sq mi (4.61 km²)
• Land	1.77 sq mi (4.59 km²)
• Water	0.01 sq mi (0.02 km²)
Population (2020)
• Total	2,135
• Density	1,204.17/sq mi (464.83/km²)
Time zone	UTC-5 (Eastern (EST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-4 (EDT)
Zip code	16743
Area code(s)	814
FIPS code	42-62088

Port Allegany is a small town, called a borough, in McKean County, Pennsylvania. In 2020, about 2,116 people lived there.

It's nestled among tree-lined streets in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains. The town is about 30 miles west of where the Allegheny River begins.

History of Port Allegany
Economy and Industries
- Glass Manufacturing in Port Allegany
- Other Past Industries
Geography and Nature
- Local Forests and Trees
Population Information
Schools in Port Allegany
Famous People from Port Allegany
Filming of Unstoppable
Images for kids
See also

History of Port Allegany

Originally, this area was known as Canoe Place. The town's name was changed to Port Allegany in 1838. It's interesting that it uses the spelling "Allegany," which is more common in New York place names, even though it refers to the Allegheny River in Pennsylvania.

The town grew because it was a useful port on the Allegheny River. Travelers coming overland from the Susquehanna River could switch to boats here to continue their journey.

Economy and Industries

In the 1800s, natural gas was found in the Port Allegany area. This discovery helped many industries grow. These included glass factories, chemical plants, cheese factories, and sawmills. The region also produces crude oil. It's common to see small oil or gas wells and storage tanks in fields and forests nearby.

In the 2000s and 2010s, a new drilling method called hydraulic fracturing (or "fracking") increased local oil and gas production. This gave a boost to the local economy.

Glass Manufacturing in Port Allegany

Port Allegany has a long history with making glass. A company called Saint-Gobain, which makes glass containers, has a factory here. This factory has been owned by different companies over the years, like Pierce Glass and Ball-Incon. A tall concrete tower at the plant is the highest structure in Port Allegany. You can see it from most of the downtown area.

From 1937 to 2016, Port Allegany was also home to a factory of the Pittsburgh Corning Corporation, known locally as "the PC." This factory was the only one in the United States that made special glass blocks for buildings. It also produced a type of insulation called foamglas.

Other Past Industries

In the middle of the 20th century, the town had a factory that made Kewpie dolls. These were very popular dolls at the time.

Geography and Nature

Port Allegany is located at 41°48′54″N 78°16′45″W / 41.81500°N 78.27917°W / 41.81500; -78.27917.

The borough covers about 1.8 square miles (4.6 square kilometers) of land. Port Allegany is in McKean County, which is a rural area in Northern Pennsylvania. This part of the state has many forests.

Local Forests and Trees

Before European settlers arrived, the area was covered with dense Eastern Hemlock trees. Many of these huge trees were cut for lumber. Their bark was also used in the tanning industry to make leather. The "Barkpeelers' Festival" celebrates the skills of the people who did this work. It takes place every year at the Pennsylvania Lumber Museum in nearby Ulysses, Pennsylvania. Many old homes and buildings in the region were built using hemlock lumber.

Today, the forests in this region produce high-quality black cherry lumber. This wood is very valuable for making furniture and cabinets. Even though there are no furniture factories here now, the trade in black cherry wood continues.

Population Information

Historical population
Census	Pop.	%±
1880	731	—
1890	1,230	68.3%
1900	1,853	50.7%
1910	1,972	6.4%
1920	2,356	19.5%
1930	2,193	−6.9%
1940	2,356	7.4%
1950	2,519	6.9%
1960	2,742	8.9%
1970	2,703	−1.4%
1980	2,593	−4.1%
1990	2,391	−7.8%
2000	2,355	−1.5%
2010	2,157	−8.4%
2020	2,116	−1.9%
2021 (est.)	2,090	−3.1%
Sources:

In 2000, there were 2,355 people living in Port Allegany. Most of the people were White (99.36%). About 35.3% of households had children under 18 living with them. The average household had 2.54 people.

The population was spread out by age:

30.7% were under 18 years old.
6.7% were 18 to 24 years old.
27.3% were 25 to 44 years old.
19.3% were 45 to 64 years old.
15.9% were 65 years or older.

The average age in the borough was 35 years.

Schools in Port Allegany

Port Allegany Elementary School (Kindergarten to 6th grade) opened in August 1981. It replaced older schools. In 1981, a time capsule was placed at the school's construction site. It is set to be opened in 100 years!
Port Allegany High School (7th to 12th grade) is located on Oak Street. Its design looks similar to Fallingwater, a famous house designed by Frank Lloyd Wright, and to a nearby building called Lynn Hall. The school was designed by Raymond Viner Hall. His father, Walter Hall, designed Lynn Hall and helped build Fallingwater. The school's mascot is the Gator.
Seneca Highlands Intermediate Unit Nine School helps students with special education needs. It also helps teachers with curriculum development and training.