St. Marys, Pennsylvania Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids

Saint Marys, Pennsylvania

City

Saint Marys City Hall

Flag

Seal

Location in Elk County and the U.S. state of Pennsylvania.

United States

Settled

1804

Incorporated (borough)

1848

Incorporated (city)

1992

Area

• Total

99.51 sq mi (257.72 km²)

• Land

99.32 sq mi (257.23 km²)

• Water

0.19 sq mi (0.49 km²)

Elevation

1,666 ft (508 m)

Population

(2020)

• Total

12,738

• Density

128.01/sq mi (49.43/km²)

Time zone

Eastern (EST)

• Summer (DST)

EDT

Zip code

15857

Area code(s)

814

FIPS code

42-67344

Website

City of Saint Marys

St. Marys is a city in Elk County, Pennsylvania. About 12,738 people lived here in 2020. It was started on December 8, 1842, by Bavarian Roman Catholics. St. Marys is known for Straub Brewery and the first Benedictine convent in the United States.

In 1992, St. Marys became a city by joining with Benzinger Township. Even though it's the second-largest city in Pennsylvania by area (after Philadelphia), it's not very crowded. St. Marys is in the middle of Pennsylvania's elk country. It's one of the few places east of the Mississippi River where you can hunt wild elk. The area is great for outdoor fun, with trout streams and hunting lands right inside the city.

Geography of St. Marys
Population of St. Marys
Getting Around St. Marys
- Air Travel
- Roads and Buses
Education in St. Marys
- Public Schools
- Catholic Schools
Famous Landmarks
Local Media
Notable People from St. Marys
Images for kids
See also

Geography of St. Marys

St. Marys is located at 41°26′15″N 78°32′34″W / 41.437600°N 78.542724°W / 41.437600; -78.542724.

Area and Elevation

The city covers about 99.5 square miles (257.7 square kilometers). Most of this area is not developed. The city became so large when it merged with Benzinger Township in 1992. St. Marys is quite high up, about 1,666 feet (508 meters) above sea level.

Surrounding Areas

The city is surrounded by other townships and a county:

To the north: Jones Township
To the east: Cameron County
To the south: Fox Township and Jay Township
To the west: Ridgway Township

Water Flow

An interesting fact about downtown St. Marys is that it sits on the Eastern Continental Divide. This means that water on the eastern side of the city flows towards the Atlantic Ocean. Water on the western side flows towards the Gulf of Mexico.

Population of St. Marys

Historical population
Census	Pop.	%±
1860	692	—
1870	1,084	56.6%
1880	1,501	38.5%
1890	1,745	16.3%
1900	4,295	146.1%
1910	6,346	47.8%
1920	6,967	9.8%
1930	7,423	6.5%
1940	7,653	3.1%
1950	7,846	2.5%
1960	8,065	2.8%
1970	7,470	−7.4%
1980	6,417	−14.1%
1990	5,511	−14.1%
2000	14,502	163.1%
2010	13,070	−9.9%
2020	12,738	−2.5%
Sources:

In 2010, there were 13,070 people living in St. Marys. Most residents (98.5%) were White. About 20.1% of the population was under 18 years old. The average age was 45.6 years.

The median income for a household in the city was about $45,802. This means half of the households earned more than this, and half earned less. About 11.4% of the population lived below the poverty line.

Getting Around St. Marys

Air Travel

The St. Marys Municipal Airport is in the southeastern part of the city. It is used for general aviation, which means smaller, private planes.

Roads and Buses

The main highways in St. Marys are PA 255 and PA 120. Bus service is available through ATA. There is also a daily Fullington Trailways bus that passes through St. Marys.

Education in St. Marys

St. Marys has both public and Catholic school systems.

Public Schools

The Saint Marys Area School District serves the public school students.

Elementary Schools: South St. Marys Street Elementary School is in the city. It teaches students from preschool to fifth grade.
Middle and High Schools: The St. Marys Area Middle School and St. Marys Area High School are located together. The middle school teaches grades 6-8, and the high school teaches grades 9-12.

Catholic Schools

The Catholic school system also provides education in St. Marys.

St. Marys Catholic Elementary School: This school is connected to Queen of the World Church. It has classes for pre-kindergarten through 5th grade. An addition was built in 2002, adding classrooms and a gym.
St. Marys Catholic Middle School: This school is in the same building as the Elk County Catholic High School.
Elk County Catholic High School: This school, built in 1961, teaches grades 6-12.

Famous Landmarks

St. Marys is home to several interesting landmarks.

Decker's Chapel: This is known as the smallest chapel in America. You can find it on South St. Marys Road.
St. Joseph Monastery: This was once home to the Benedictine Sisters of Elk County. It was the oldest Benedictine women's religious order in the United States, started in 1852. The community closed in 2013.
Straub Brewery: This brewery was founded in St. Marys in 1872 by Peter Straub. It has been brewing beer continuously since then. Straub is the third oldest brewery in the United States and is still owned by the founding family. It is also the smallest pre-Prohibition brewery still in business in the U.S.
Bucksgahuda and Western Railroad: This is a 2 ft (610 mm) narrow gauge railroad run by train fans.

Local Media

The Daily Press is St. Marys' local newspaper.
WDDH (FM 97.5) plays country music and is the strongest radio station in the area.
WKBI (AM 1400) plays older songs. You can also hear it on 94.5 FM (W233BS).
WKBI (FM 93.9) plays popular hit songs.

Notable People from St. Marys

Many interesting people have come from St. Marys:

George Albee, a psychologist
Gerard J. Campbell, a former president of Georgetown University
Dan Conners, a football player
Joan Marie Engel, a high-ranking officer in the United States Navy
Jeff Lloyd, a football player
Edward C. Meyer, who was the Chief of Staff for the United States Army from 1979 to 1983
Anthony Joseph Schuler, a Roman Catholic bishop
Nate Sestina (born 1997), a basketball player for Fenerbahçe S.K. (basketball) in Turkey
Joanna Shields, a UK Minister for Internet Safety and Security