West Homestead, Pennsylvania facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
West Homestead, Pennsylvania
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Borough
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| Borough of West Homestead | |
Location in Allegheny County and the U.S. state of Pennsylvania.
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| Country | United States |
| State | Pennsylvania |
| County | Allegheny |
| Area | |
| • Total | 1.01 sq mi (2.62 km2) |
| • Land | 0.92 sq mi (2.39 km2) |
| • Water | 0.09 sq mi (0.24 km2) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 1,872 |
| • Density | 2,021.69/sq mi (780.64/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (Eastern (EST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) |
| ZIP codes |
15120
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| Area code(s) | 412 |
| FIPS code | 42-83200 |
West Homestead is a small town, called a borough, in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, USA. It's about 8 miles southeast of Pittsburgh, right next to the Monongahela River. Long ago, West Homestead was known for its big factories. These factories made things like axles, bricks, and parts for cars. They were connected to the large steel mills nearby. One of the biggest factories was Mesta Machinery. It was a very important company worldwide from 1898 to 1983. In 2020, about 1,872 people lived there.
Contents
History of West Homestead
West Homestead has two main living areas. One is the historic district, and the other is the Village. The Village was built after World War II on a hilltop.
Historic Homes and Families
The historic district has many old houses built on hillsides. These houses show what homes looked like in the late 1800s and early 1900s. This was when the nearby town of Homestead was growing fast.
Doyle Avenue is part of the historic district. Owners of famous glass companies used to live here. For example, William Beck and Joseph Doyle started Doyle & Co Glass. Their homes are great examples of old Italian-style buildings. You can still see the remains of the Bryce house. This was the home of the person who started Bryce Brothers, a rival glass company. By the 1890s, these companies joined to form United States Glass Company. After that, steelworkers and factory managers lived on the street.
The Mesta Mansion
One special building in the historic district is the Mesta Mansion. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. This means it's a very important historical building. George Mesta, who started Mesta Machinery, built it in 1900. He made it much bigger in 1916 for his wife, Perle Mesta. She was a well-known socialite and political hostess. After George Mesta died in 1925, the mansion was split into apartments in 1932. Many other large homes were also divided during the Great Depression.
Today, the Mesta Mansion is still standing. Other historic homes nearby include the Beck-Kelly Estate (built in 1867), the Doyle-Smith House (1872), the Wahr-Siebert House (1887), and the Mesta-Martin House (1898).
Cultural Center and Shops
The Bulgarian Macedonian National Educational and Cultural Center is also in the historic district. It's on West Eighth Avenue. Since 1935, this center has been important for Bulgarian and Macedonian culture in Western Pennsylvania. West Eighth Avenue itself is a pretty street with trees and old Victorian shops. These shops are also on the National Register of Historic Places. The area around them has many ethnic churches that are also historically important.
Geography of West Homestead
West Homestead is located at 40°23′40″N 79°54′55″W / 40.39444°N 79.91528°W.
The United States Census Bureau says the borough covers about 1.0 square mile. About 0.9 square miles is land, and 0.1 square miles is water. This means about 9.90% of the area is water.
Neighboring Areas
West Homestead is surrounded by several other towns and neighborhoods:
- North: Hazelwood, a neighborhood in Pittsburgh. You can reach it by crossing the Glenwood Bridge over the Monongahela River.
- Northeast: Homestead, another borough in Allegheny County.
- Southeast: Munhall, also a borough in Allegheny County.
- Southwest: New Homestead, a neighborhood in Pittsburgh.
- West: Hays, another neighborhood in Pittsburgh.
Fun Things to Do in West Homestead
West Homestead has several places for shopping and recreation.
The Waterfront Shopping Center
In 2000, a large shopping center called The Waterfront opened. It was built where the old US Steel Works used to be. Most of the old steel mill buildings were torn down to build the center. However, some brick smokestacks from the Homestead Steel Works are still there. Also, a building called the Pump House, which was part of the old mill, was fixed up and saved.
Sandcastle Waterpark
Sandcastle Waterpark is a fun place to visit. It has 14 water slides and 3 speed slides. A newer slide is called the Blue Tooba Looba.
Parks and Trails
West Homestead has two parks:
- Calhoun Community Park: You can find it off Fieldstone Drive.
- Eighth Avenue Playground: This park is next to the West Homestead Volunteer Fire Department. Its entrance is on Eighth Avenue.
You can find park rules and hours on the borough's website: Park Rules.
The Great Allegheny Passage is a long trail that runs through the borough. It goes along the river. This trail connects Pittsburgh all the way to Washington, D.C..
Population Facts
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1910 | 3,009 | — | |
| 1920 | 3,435 | 14.2% | |
| 1930 | 3,552 | 3.4% | |
| 1940 | 3,526 | −0.7% | |
| 1950 | 3,257 | −7.6% | |
| 1960 | 4,155 | 27.6% | |
| 1970 | 3,789 | −8.8% | |
| 1980 | 3,128 | −17.4% | |
| 1990 | 2,495 | −20.2% | |
| 2000 | 2,197 | −11.9% | |
| 2010 | 1,929 | −12.2% | |
| 2020 | 1,872 | −3.0% | |
| Sources: | |||
In 2000, there were 2,197 people living in West Homestead. They lived in 956 households, and 623 of these were families. The population density was about 2,408.9 people per square mile. There were 1,106 housing units, with about 1,212.7 units per square mile.
Most people in the borough were White (89.53%). About 8.83% were African American, and smaller percentages were Native American, Asian, or other races. About 0.55% of the population was Hispanic or Latino.
About 22.9% of households had children under 18. About 47.3% were married couples. About 12.9% were single mothers. The average household had 2.30 people, and the average family had 2.87 people.
The population was spread out by age. About 21.0% were under 18. About 23.6% were 65 or older. The average age was 44 years.
The median income for a household was $33,309. For a family, it was $44,338. About 9.2% of families and 13.7% of all people lived below the poverty line. This included 20.6% of those under 18 and 5.5% of those 65 or older.
Famous People from West Homestead
- Jeff Goldblum: A well-known actor.
See also
In Spanish: West Homestead para niños
