Fox Chapel, Pennsylvania
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Fox Chapel is a borough located six miles (10 km) northeast of downtown Pittsburgh in Allegheny County.
The population was 5,436 at the 2000 census. Fox Chapel serves as the home of a blue ribbon public school district and two of three campuses of Shady Side Academy.
It gained fame in 2004 because the primary Heinz family estate is within the borough. This property is one of the residences of Presidential Candidate John Kerry through his wife Teresa Heinz Kerry. Many other notable Pittsburghers have resided within Fox Chapel's borders, such as David Newell, who played Mr. McFeely on Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood, Beth Ostrosky, host of G4's Filter, stand-up comedian Eddie Ifft and U.S. four star General Matthew Ridgway. When Bill Cowher came back to his hometown of Greater Pittsburgh in 1992, he chose a residence in Fox Chapel.
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[edit] History
In the 1750s, Seneca Indians (also known as the Mingos) lived in the region. Until the late 18th century, American Indian tribes hunted and fished in the general Fox Chapel area. Virginia and Pennsylvania both claimed the territory. The dispute was not resolved until after the Revolutionary War.[1]
[edit] George Washington
It is probable that in December 1753, George Washington, accompanied by Christopher Gist, pushed his way across Fox Chapel land as he came south from Fort LeBoeuf where he had delivered a letter to the French Commander, ordering him, in the name of the Governor of Virginia, to return to Canada.[2]
[edit] French and Indian Wars
For the next 10 years, all the land at the forks of the Ohio River was the suject of contention between French and English, with the Indians making difficulties for both groups of white men. Fort St. George under the English became Fort Duquesne under the French and finally Fort Pitt under the English. The bloody battles of Braddock's defeat, Bushy Run, and Colonel Bouquet's relief of the Indian siege of Pittsburgh provided many British and Virginia scalps, which were triumphantly brought home to adorn wigwams situated in what is now Fox Chapel. The Revolutionary War, too, produced further military activity.
[edit] Guyasuta
Through this warlike panorama moved the Seneca Chief, Guyasuta. Closely associated with the district, involved in every clash, sometimes aiding the English and sometimes the French, he first appeared as George Washington's guide during his journey from Logstown to Fort LeBoeuf, in 1753. Later, he led the Indians against General Grant in 1758; he was probably the leader of the Seneca band that destroyed Fort Venango in 1763, and butchered the entire garrison; he and a band of warriors burned the frontier village of Hannastown, north of Greensburg; and he was present at the battle of Bushy Run, where the Indians were defeated by Colonel Bouquet.
Despite his depredations on the white man, General O'Hara furnished a cabin for Guyasuta on his estate north of the Allegheny River, (now Fox Chapel), and provided necessities during the declining years of his life. The Indian died about 1800.
[edit] Settlement
The first white settler in the area was James Powers, who arrived around 1790.[3] The first school house was on Squaw Run, where it stood in 1806. It was a log house. A church, too, was organized in 1818 on Kittanning Road, on a branch of Pine Creek.
Among the early landowners was James O'Hara, a Revolutionary Army General and prominent Pittsburgh businessman. During the depression of 1818, he was saved from financial ruin by the counsel of James Ross, a noted lawyer and former Senator. In exchange for his help, O'Hara gave Ross 1,700 acres of land, which is now part of Fox Chapel, and comprises the Delafield Estates section of the Borough, as well as the development along Buckingham Road known as the "Ross Meadows Plan of Lots."
In general, there was little growth or development throughout the 19th century, and it remained for the 20th, with the advent of the automobile, for Pittburghers to become aware of the advantages of the Fox Chapel District as a suburb.[4] The Pittsburgh Field Club opened in 1915, and the Fox Chapel Golf Club opened in 1923. In 1922, Shady Side Academy opened its senior school on property that was formerly two large farms.
Fox Chapel was originally part of O'Hara and Indiana Townships. In 1928, approximately 40 landowners assembled at Shady Side Academy and voted to incorporate the Fox Chapel District Association. The matters of immediate concern that they addressed were fire and police protection. As time went on, the District Association named roads, and handled development and zoning. However, by 1933 the District Association had grown concerned that its interests were at variance with those of both Townships, and a petition was filed to allow the formation of a new borough. Despite vigorous opposition by both Townships, on August 3, 1934, a court ordered the incorporation of Fox Chapel Borough from 6.8 square miles of O'Hara Township and 0.4 square miles of Indiana Township. Over the years, other residents adjacent to the Borough petitioned the Council for annexation, increasing the area of the Borough to approximately 8.5 square miles.
Its wooded hills and uncrowded residential developments are a regional asset. It strives to preserve openness and spaciousness in the midst of urbanization and industrialization.[5]
[edit] The Name
The name "Fox Chapel" comes from John Fox, who immigrated from Germany in 1831 and farmed the land around the present Faith United Methodist Church until his death in 1889. Shortly after his death in 1889 his daughter, Eliza Fox Teats, donated some land to the Methodist Protestant Church for a chapel to be named in honor of her father.[6]
[edit] Schools
Public education is provided by the Fox Chapel Area School District. The high school is located in O'Hara Township. The middle school is located in Dorseyville, a small community five miles to the north of the Borough in Indiana Township. Elementary school children attend schools located in either Indiana Township or O'Hara Township.
The Fox Chapel Area School District as a matter of policy avoids scheduling assemblies, field trips, graduation exercises, and other special events for religious holidays. District officials consider every major Jewish and Christian holiday, because of the many Jewish students in the district. Fox Chapel Area students and staff in recent years have been given the day off on Yom Kippur.[7]
Fox Chapel has two private schools: Shady Side Academy, a co-educational school, operates a middle school and a high school; and The Country Day School offers private education for kindergarten and grades one through five.
The Fox Chapel Community Hebrew School has classes on Sunday and wednesday, and offers a supplimental Jewish education. [8]
[edit] Library
Located in O'Hara Township , the Lauri Ann West Memorial Library is funded through private contributions from its members and public grants, Fox Chapel being one of the larger municipal contributors.
[edit] Private Clubs
The Fox Chapel Golf Club and the Pittsburgh Field Club offer golf, tennis, swimming, and fine dining. The Fox Chapel Racquet Club offers tennis and swimming. It is also home to the Chapelgate Swim Club.
[edit] Churches & Synagogue
Four churches are located within the Borough: Faith Methodist Church, Fox Chapel Episcopal Church, Fox Chapel Presbyterian Church, Good Shepherd Lutheran Church.
The Chabad of Fox Chapel Center for Jewish Life opened in 2002 and serves the entire Fox Chapel Area with a Jewish Community Center, Jewish Day camp, Hebrew School and full adult education program with NO membership fees.[9]
Adat Shalom, located on Guys Run Road in Indiana Township, serves approximately 300 Jewish families from the Fox Chapel area. [10]
[edit] Parks
The Borough owns over 300 acres of parkland. All but five acres of this property (McCahill Park) is used as open space for passive recreation, e.g., walking trails, bird watching.
The Borough has five acres of parkland known as McCahill Park set aside for active recreational use. It includes two baseball fields, a basketball court, and a large open field used for rugby, touch football, and soccer games.
[edit] Beechwood Farms Nature Reserve
Headquarters of the Audubon Society of Western Pennsylvania (ASWP) since 1976, Beechwood Farms is one of the largest nature reserves in Western Pennsylvania. Its 134 acres, most of which have been leased to ASWP by the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy, contain more than 5 miles of walking trails which are open from dawn to dusk every day year-round. The area is comprised of woodlands, fields, streams, and a pond. Some paths are accessible for individuals with special needs.
[edit] Geography
Fox Chapel is located at (40.512668, -79.892975)GR1.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough has a total area of 20.3 km² (7.8 mi²). 20.3 km² (7.8 mi²) of it is land and 0.13% is water.
[edit] Demographics
As of the censusGR2 of 2000, there were 5,436 people, 1,875 households, and 1,599 families residing in the borough. The population density was 268.1/km² (693.9/mi²). There were 1,942 housing units at an average density of 95.8/km² (247.9/mi²). The racial makeup of the borough was 93.29% White, 0.55% African American, 0.02% Native American, 5.22% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 0.13% from other races, and 0.75% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.68% of the population.
There were 1,875 households out of which 41.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 79.9% were married couples living together, 3.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 14.7% were non-families. 13.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.89 and the average family size was 3.18.
In the borough the population was spread out with 30.1% under the age of 18, 3.3% from 18 to 24, 18.1% from 25 to 44, 33.7% from 45 to 64, and 14.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 44 years. For every 100 females there were 98.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.2 males.
The median income for a household in the borough was $147,298, and the median income for a family was $191,378. Males had a median income of $100,000 versus $60,179 for females. The per capita income for the borough was $80,610. About 3.8% of families and 4.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 6.3% of those under age 18 and 4.8% of those age 65 or over.
[edit] External links
- Audubon Society of Western Pennysylvania, headquartered at Beechwood Farms Nature Reserve in Fox Chapel.
- Maps and aerial photos
- Street map from Google Maps, or Yahoo! Maps, or Windows Live Local
- Satellite image from Google Maps, Windows Live Local, WikiMapia
- Topographic map from TopoZone
- Aerial image or topographic map from TerraServer-USA
