Slippery Rock, Pennsylvania facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Slippery Rock, Pennsylvania
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Borough
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South Main Street
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Location in Butler County, Pennsylvania
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 Slippery Rock, Pennsylvania
Location in Pennsylvania
Slippery Rock, Pennsylvania
Location in the United States
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| Country | United States |
| State | Pennsylvania |
| County | Butler |
| Settled | 1841 |
| Area | |
| • Total | 1.65 sq mi (4.26 km2) |
| • Land | 1.65 sq mi (4.26 km2) |
| • Water | 0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2) |
| Population | |
| • Total | 3,081 |
| • Density | 1,872.95/sq mi (722.96/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (EST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) |
| ZIP code |
16057
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| Area code(s) | 724/878 |
| FIPS code | 42-71184 |
Slippery Rock is a small town, called a borough, located in Butler County, Pennsylvania. In 2020, about 3,081 people lived there. Slippery Rock is part of the larger Greater Pittsburgh Region.
The town is also home to Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania. This university has nearly 9,000 students and is a big part of the community. It belongs to the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education.
The area where Slippery Rock is located was settled a long time ago. A post office for the nearby Slippery Rock Township opened in 1826. The town itself was first called Ginger Hill. It became a borough in 1841 and later changed its name to Slippery Rock in 1896.
Contents
Exploring Slippery Rock's Location
Slippery Rock is found in the northwest part of Butler County. Its exact spot is 41°3′49″N 80°3′18″W / 41.06361°N 80.05500°W. The United States Census Bureau says the borough covers about 4.3 square kilometers (1.65 square miles) of land.
The town gets its name from Slippery Rock Creek. This creek flows through a valley about 2 miles south of the borough. The land around Slippery Rock is quite hilly. In the past, people dug for coal here, which was a major activity. Today, the area is mostly used for farming.
Slippery Rock's Weather
The weather in Slippery Rock changes throughout the year. It has warm summers and cold winters. Here is a look at the average temperatures and rainfall:
| Climate data for Slippery Rock, Pennsylvania (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1949–present) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °F (°C) | 72 (22) |
74 (23) |
87 (31) |
89 (32) |
96 (36) |
99 (37) |
102 (39) |
99 (37) |
99 (37) |
91 (33) |
81 (27) |
74 (23) |
102 (39) |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 33.4 (0.8) |
36.7 (2.6) |
45.7 (7.6) |
58.6 (14.8) |
69.3 (20.7) |
76.9 (24.9) |
81.3 (27.4) |
80.0 (26.7) |
73.7 (23.2) |
61.5 (16.4) |
48.9 (9.4) |
38.1 (3.4) |
58.7 (14.8) |
| Daily mean °F (°C) | 25.1 (−3.8) |
27.4 (−2.6) |
35.5 (1.9) |
46.7 (8.2) |
57.1 (13.9) |
65.3 (18.5) |
69.7 (20.9) |
68.2 (20.1) |
61.8 (16.6) |
50.5 (10.3) |
39.7 (4.3) |
30.6 (−0.8) |
48.1 (8.9) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 16.8 (−8.4) |
18.0 (−7.8) |
25.3 (−3.7) |
34.7 (1.5) |
44.9 (7.2) |
53.6 (12.0) |
58.0 (14.4) |
56.4 (13.6) |
49.8 (9.9) |
39.4 (4.1) |
30.6 (−0.8) |
23.2 (−4.9) |
37.6 (3.1) |
| Record low °F (°C) | −28 (−33) |
−21 (−29) |
−10 (−23) |
9 (−13) |
22 (−6) |
30 (−1) |
37 (3) |
28 (−2) |
27 (−3) |
12 (−11) |
−1 (−18) |
−20 (−29) |
−28 (−33) |
| Average precipitation inches (mm) | 3.47 (88) |
2.69 (68) |
3.41 (87) |
3.94 (100) |
4.14 (105) |
4.76 (121) |
4.63 (118) |
4.02 (102) |
4.07 (103) |
3.45 (88) |
3.47 (88) |
3.19 (81) |
45.24 (1,149) |
| Average precipitation days (≥ 0.01 in) | 17.2 | 13.6 | 13.1 | 14.2 | 15.0 | 14.1 | 12.6 | 11.3 | 11.2 | 13.5 | 13.2 | 15.2 | 164.2 |
| Source: NOAA | |||||||||||||
Population Changes Over Time
The number of people living in Slippery Rock has changed a lot over the years. Here's how the population has grown and shrunk since 1850:
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1850 | 278 | — | |
| 1860 | 347 | 24.8% | |
| 1870 | 366 | 5.5% | |
| 1880 | 418 | 14.2% | |
| 1890 | 448 | 7.2% | |
| 1900 | 993 | 121.7% | |
| 1910 | 870 | −12.4% | |
| 1920 | 826 | −5.1% | |
| 1930 | 1,165 | 41.0% | |
| 1940 | 1,269 | 8.9% | |
| 1950 | 2,294 | 80.8% | |
| 1960 | 2,563 | 11.7% | |
| 1970 | 4,949 | 93.1% | |
| 1980 | 3,047 | −38.4% | |
| 1990 | 3,008 | −1.3% | |
| 2000 | 3,068 | 2.0% | |
| 2010 | 3,625 | 18.2% | |
| 2020 | 3,081 | −15.0% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
In 2000, there were 3,068 people living in the borough. Many different groups of people live in Slippery Rock, making it a diverse community. Most households were made up of individuals or married couples. The average age of people living in Slippery Rock was 23 years old. This is because many students live in the borough while attending the university.
Sports in Slippery Rock
Slippery Rock University has many exciting sports teams. You can watch their games right in the borough! The university's football team, known as "The Rock," plays at Bob DiSpirito Field at N. Kerr Thompson Stadium. The baseball team plays their games at Jack Critchfield Park.
Learning and Schools
The main school district for the area is the Slippery Rock Area School District. A part of Slippery Rock University is also located within the borough. This means many students live and study right in town.
Getting Around Slippery Rock
Since the 1960s, it's been easy to reach Slippery Rock by major highways. Interstate 79 (which goes north and south) and Interstate 80 (which goes east and west) are about 12 miles north of the borough. You can get to I-79 about 4 miles west on Pennsylvania Route 108. Another road, PA 258 (North Main Street), also leads to I-79.
Students at Slippery Rock University can use a special "Happy Bus" service for public transport. This bus service is provided by the Student Government Association.
There are no airports directly in Slippery Rock. For smaller planes, the closest airport is Grove City Airport. If you need to fly on a commercial airline, Pittsburgh International Airport is the nearest option.
See also
In Spanish: Slippery Rock para niños
