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Wilmerding, Pennsylvania facts for kids

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Wilmerding, Pennsylvania
Borough
Westinghouse Air Brake Company General Office Building in Wilmerding, built in 1890
Location in Allegheny County and the U.S. state of Pennsylvania.
Location in Allegheny County and the U.S. state of Pennsylvania.
Location of Pennsylvania in the United States
Location of Pennsylvania in the United States
Country United States
State Pennsylvania
County Allegheny
Area
 • Total 0.43 sq mi (1.11 km2)
 • Land 0.43 sq mi (1.11 km2)
 • Water 0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2)
Population
 (2020)
 • Total 1,781
 • Estimate 
(2019)
2,111
 • Density 4,920.75/sq mi (1,900.96/km2)
Demonym(s) Wilmerdinger
Time zone UTC-5 (EST)
 • Summer (DST) UTC-4 (EDT)
ZIP code
15148
Area code(s) 412
FIPS code 42-85496

Wilmerding is a small town, called a borough, located in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, in the United States. It's about 12 miles (19 km) southeast of a bigger city called Pittsburgh. In 2020, about 1,781 people lived there. Wilmerding became famous because of the Westinghouse Air Brake Company, which had its main factories and offices there a long time ago. It's right next to another town called Turtle Creek.

The Story of Wilmerding

Wilmerding has an interesting history, especially because of a famous inventor named George Westinghouse.

How Wilmerding Started

George Westinghouse bought land in the Turtle Creek valley in 1887 and 1888. He wanted a place for his Westinghouse Air Brake Company and other related businesses. Then, he sold the land to a company called the East Pittsburgh Improvement Company. This company was formed in December 1888 and started selling pieces of land in June 1889.

Important Buildings

One of the most important old buildings in Wilmerding is the Westinghouse Air Brake Company General Office Building. It was built between 1889 and 1890 and rebuilt in 1896. A famous architect named Frederick J. Osterling designed it. This building is now listed on the National Register of Historic Places, which means it's a very important historical site.

Who Wilmerding is Named After

The town of Wilmerding was named after Joanna Wilmerding (Bruce) Negley. She was the wife of William B. Negley, who owned land in the area and was related to Thomas Mellon, a well-known banker.

Becoming an Official Town

Wilmerding officially became a borough on March 8, 1890. The first burgess (which is like a mayor) was T. W. Walsh. He was elected on June 14, 1890.

Where Wilmerding Is Located

Wilmerding is located at coordinates 40.394538 degrees North and -79.808576 degrees West.

Size of the Borough

According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough of Wilmerding is about 0.4 square miles (1.1 square kilometers) in total area. All of this area is land, meaning there are no large bodies of water within its borders.

Neighboring Towns

Wilmerding shares its borders with five other communities:

Population Facts

The number of people living in Wilmerding has changed over the years.

Historical population
Census Pop.
1890 419
1900 4,179 897.4%
1910 6,133 46.8%
1920 6,441 5.0%
1930 6,291 −2.3%
1940 5,662 −10.0%
1950 5,325 −6.0%
1960 4,349 −18.3%
1970 3,218 −26.0%
1980 2,421 −24.8%
1990 2,222 −8.2%
2000 2,145 −3.5%
2010 2,190 2.1%
2020 1,781 −18.7%
2019 (est.) 2,111 −3.6%
Sources:

In 2000, there were 2,145 people living in Wilmerding. The population density was about 4,790 people per square mile (1,850 people per square kilometer). The average age of people in Wilmerding in 2000 was 40 years old.

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See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Wilmerding para niños

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