Sewickley, Pennsylvania facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Sewickley, Pennsylvania
Borough
Sewickley in March 2016
Location in Allegheny County and the U.S. state of Pennsylvania.
Country	United States
State	Pennsylvania
County	Allegheny
Government
• Type	Mayor-council government
Area
• Total	1.12 sq mi (2.90 km2)
• Land	1.00 sq mi (2.59 km2)
• Water	0.12 sq mi (0.31 km2)
Elevation	741 ft (226 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	3,907
• Density	3,793.3/sq mi (1,464.62/km2)
Time zone	UTC−5 (Eastern (EST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC−4 (EDT)
ZIP codes	15143
Area code	412
FIPS code	42-69376
GNIS feature ID	1187277

Sewickley is a small town, called a borough, in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania. It is about 12 miles (19 km) west of Pittsburgh along the Ohio River. Sewickley is a quiet, residential area that is part of the larger Pittsburgh metropolitan area. In 2020, about 3,907 people lived there. The Sewickley Bridge connects Sewickley across the Ohio River to Moon Township.

What's in a Name? The Story of Sewickley

The name "Sewickley" has an interesting history! Some historians believe it comes from Creek words meaning "raccoon" (sawi) and "town" (ukli). This idea suggests that a Native American group called the Asswikale Shawnee might have gotten their name from a nearby group, the Sawokli Muscogee. Other people in the area think Sewickley is a Native American word meaning "sweet water."

A Look Back: Sewickley's History

The Old Sewickley Train Station, built in 1887.

The land around Big Sewickley Creek was first measured and sold in 1785. It was given to soldiers who fought in the American Revolutionary War. After a big battle in 1794, more settlers started to move into the area. They used different types of boats like flatboats and steamboats to travel and trade along the Ohio River. This helped create a busy industry.

In 1837, a school called Edgeworth Female Seminary moved to the area. The next year, Sewickley Academy was started. Because of these schools, the community became a small center for learning. By 1840, it was officially called Sewickleyville. The town grew even more when the Pittsburgh, Fort Wayne and Chicago Railway was built through the area. On July 6, 1853, it officially became the borough of Sewickley.

Later, in 1911, the Sewickley Bridge was finished. This meant people no longer needed to use ferry boats to cross the river. In 1934, a major road called Ohio River Boulevard (now part of Pennsylvania Route 65) was completed.

Where is Sewickley? Geography Basics

Sewickley is located at about 40.5390 degrees North and 80.1807 degrees West. The U.S. Census Bureau says the town covers about 1.1 square miles (2.9 square kilometers). Most of this area, about 1.0 square mile (2.6 square kilometers), is land. The rest, about 0.1 square mile (0.3 square kilometers), is water.

Neighboring Towns and Areas

Sewickley shares its borders with a few other towns. To the northwest is Edgeworth. To the southeast is Glen Osborne. Sewickley Heights is to the northeast, and Aleppo Township is to the east.

Across the Ohio River, Sewickley is next to Moon Township and Coraopolis. The Sewickley Bridge is the direct connection to Moon Township.

Sewickley is part of the Quaker Valley School District. This district also includes towns like Bell Acres, Glenfield, Haysville, Leetsdale, Leet Township, and Sewickley Hills. Many of these towns share the same Sewickley post office and its 15143 zip code.

People of Sewickley: Demographics

The number of people living in Sewickley reached its highest point in 1960, with over 6,000 residents. In 2010, there were 3,827 people living in the borough. Most residents (88.8%) were White, and 7.3% were African American.

In recent years, the average household income in Sewickley has been around $91,735. The average income per person was about $54,149.

Learning in Sewickley: Education

The campus of Sewickley Academy.

Sewickley has several private schools, including Sewickley Academy, St. James Catholic School, Eden Christian Academy, and Montessori Children's Community.

The public school system is the Quaker Valley School District. It is known for being very innovative. In 2000, it received a special grant for laptop technology from the former Pennsylvania governor, Tom Ridge. Quaker Valley School District is often seen as one of the best and highest-ranked school districts in the country for its academics. In 2006, U.S. News & World Report ranked Quaker Valley High School among the top 2% of high schools nationwide.

The Sewickley Public Library is also highly regarded. It has been named a Library Journal Star Library multiple times. It is also one of the largest libraries in the Pittsburgh area.

Sewickley Cemetery: A Place of Remembrance

The Sewickley Cemetery opened in 1860. Today, it is the resting place for more than 12,000 people. The cemetery also has two important memorials to honor soldiers.

Civil War Memorial

There is a 20-foot-tall monument dedicated to local soldiers who fought in the American Civil War. It was put in place in 2005. Before that, there was an older statue from 1866 that showed a soldier kneeling. However, that statue was damaged over many years by the weather.

Tuskegee Airmen Memorial

The Tuskegee Airmen are honored in the cemetery with two large black granite blocks. These blocks have the names of veterans from Western Pennsylvania carved into them. Another block shows a picture of two planes fighting in the air.

Famous Faces: Notable People from Sewickley

See also

In Spanish: Sewickley (Pensilvania) para niños