Swissvale, Pennsylvania facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Swissvale, Pennsylvania
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Borough
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Longfellow School (1902), National Register of Historic Places
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Location in Allegheny County and the U.S. state of Pennsylvania.
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 Swissvale, Pennsylvania
Location in Pennsylvania
Swissvale, Pennsylvania
Location in the United States
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| Country | United States |
| State | Pennsylvania |
| County | Allegheny |
| Area | |
| • Total | 1.24 sq mi (3.22 km2) |
| • Land | 1.20 sq mi (3.11 km2) |
| • Water | 0.04 sq mi (0.11 km2) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 8,624 |
| • Estimate
(2021)
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8,490 |
| • Density | 7,193.84/sq mi (2,777.35/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (Eastern (EST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) |
| ZIP codes |
15218
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| Area code(s) | 412 |
| FIPS code | 42-75816 |
Swissvale is a borough in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, United States. It is about 9 miles (14 km) east of downtown Pittsburgh. The town was named after a farm owned by James Swisshelm. During the time of big factories, it was home to the Union Switch and Signal Company, started by George Westinghouse. In 2020, about 8,624 people lived there.
Contents
History of Swissvale
How Swissvale Got Its Name
Swissvale is named after the Swisshelm family. John Swisshelm (1752–1838) owned a farm where the town is now. He fought in the Revolutionary War with General George Washington. John Swisshelm and his wife, Mary Elizabeth Miller, had many children.
Their son, James Swisshelm, married Jane Grey Cannon. Jane was a famous activist who worked to end slavery. She named the town "Swissvale" because it overlooked the beautiful Monongahela River Valley. A nearby area in Pittsburgh, Swisshelm Park, is also named after John Swisshelm.
Industry and Growth
Since 1874, the Allegheny Car & Transportation Shops offered good jobs in the area. Later, George Westinghouse bought these shops. He was the president of Westinghouse Air Brake Company. Westinghouse then created the Union Switch & Signal company and kept its factory in Swissvale. This brought more jobs and growth to the borough.
Geography of Swissvale
Where is Swissvale Located?
Swissvale is located at 40.422304 degrees north latitude and -79.886185 degrees west longitude.
The borough covers about 1.3 square miles (3.4 km²). Most of this area, about 1.2 square miles (3.1 km²), is land. A small part, about 0.1 square miles (0.26 km²), is water.
Neighboring Communities
Swissvale shares its borders with several other towns and parts of Pittsburgh. To the north is Edgewood. To the east is Braddock Hills. North Braddock is to the southeast, and Rankin is to the south.
To the west, Swissvale borders the Pittsburgh neighborhoods of Regent Square and Swisshelm Park. (The Regent Square area also includes parts of Pittsburgh, Wilkinsburg, and Edgewood.) Across the Monongahela River to the southwest is the borough of Munhall.
Population of Swissvale
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1900 | 1,716 | — | |
| 1910 | 7,381 | 330.1% | |
| 1920 | 10,908 | 47.8% | |
| 1930 | 16,029 | 46.9% | |
| 1940 | 15,919 | −0.7% | |
| 1950 | 16,488 | 3.6% | |
| 1960 | 15,089 | −8.5% | |
| 1970 | 13,819 | −8.4% | |
| 1980 | 11,345 | −17.9% | |
| 1990 | 10,637 | −6.2% | |
| 2000 | 9,653 | −9.3% | |
| 2010 | 8,983 | −6.9% | |
| 2020 | 8,624 | −4.0% | |
| Sources: | |||
As of the 2020 census, there were 8,624 people living in Swissvale. There were 4,456 households and 2,390 families. The population density was about 8,052 people per square mile (3,109 people per km²).
Most residents, about 74.45%, were White. About 22.14% were African American. Other groups made up smaller percentages. About 1.06% of the population was Hispanic or Latino.
About 20.0% of the population was under 18 years old. About 17.4% were 65 years or older. The average age in Swissvale was 39 years.
Education in Swissvale
Students in Swissvale attend schools in the Woodland Hills School District.
Transportation in Swissvale
Swissvale has two stations on the Martin Luther King Jr. East Busway: Roslyn and Swissvale stations. This busway helps people travel easily.
Notable People from Swissvale
Many interesting people have connections to Swissvale:
- Shirley Burkovich (1933–2022), a professional baseball player in the AAGPBL.
- David Conrad, an actor.
- Frank Conrad, who helped create KDKA Radio (KDKA-AM & KDKA-FM). He lived in Swissvale from 1910-1915 while doing his radio experiments.
- William B. Dickson, a leader in the steel industry.
- Michael F. Doyle, a congressman.
- Bobby Epps, an NFL player for the New York Giants.
- Billy Gardell, an actor.
- Dick Groat, a baseball player for the Pittsburgh Pirates and a college basketball star.
- Agnes Christine Johnston, a screenwriter.
- Summer Lee, a politician.
- Esther Silveus, a radiologist.
- Vladimir K. Zworykin, an inventor known for his work on television.
Images for kids
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Neighborhood street in western Swissvale
See also
In Spanish: Swissvale para niños
